Journalist & Columnist.
Journalist & Columnist. Presidium Member, Bangladesh Youth Union, Central Committee
A former student leader was publicly humiliated at Paltan in the capital. He was beaten and labelled a 'traitor'. The nature of his crime remains unclear, but the punishment was immediate—on the streets, in full view of the public.
Electoral politics in Bangladesh has now reached such a stage where reading the news and hearing a joke feel like nearly the same experience. When will the 13th parliamentary election be held? One could say a tug of war is ongoing between political parties, especially the BNP, and the caretaker government. Some say these are political dramas. Others call it the final verse of democracy. But whatever it may be called, what echoes deeply in the mind of an ordinary citizen today is this: does anything actually change through voting?
The ambiguity, uncertainty, and tension building up in politics are not just a series of events—they form the portrait of the times. They reflect the deep-seated weaknesses, contradictions, and instability in our system of governance. Almost a year has passed since the change of government, yet we have failed to formulate a clear outline, timeline, or a responsible political narrative. Instead, a complex picture of uncertainty, irresponsibility, and opaque practices is becoming clear. Observing the sequence of events, many are saying that this is part of an invisible plan, the purpose of which is to muddy the waters and achieve personal interests. The reality is that some force is either trying to turn this muddy water into their playground or is a participant in this plan—is there any doubt about that? The government which was considered the most acceptable and powerful is now, even before completing 10 months, clearly showing signs of weakness. The lack of policy clarity, confusion in decision-making, and absence of political goodwill have raised public questions—is this government even aware of where it is heading?
Civilization has advanced through the blows of the worker’s hammer. While it is true that one becomes a worker through labor, the term “worker” typically conjures the image of an industrial laborer. Yet, the scope of working people is far broader, because every human being is involved in some form of work, and every task requires labor. In that sense, all people on earth could be considered workers. From a Marxist perspective, the working class is the most modern class, destined to lead the revolution. Karl Marx gave special status to factory workers as a revolutionary class—liberated from feudal bondage, yet united under one roof and one collective interest within the factory system.
It was March 27, 1971. The curfew was relaxed for a few hours. Whenever the curfew was lifted, Ahmed Imtiaz Bulbul would take his bicycle and first visit Dhaka Medical College, then Palashi Fire Service, the grounds of Dhaka University, Rokeya Hall, and around the British Council—witnessing one corpse after another. He then decided to take revenge for the horrific genocide. That afternoon, he forcefully entered a Bihari's house, took a gun, and formed a small group. He explained to the group, "We need more weapons." During this time, several Biharis' homes were looted for weapons. Using these weapons, he established the first base for the liberation war in Zinzira.
On March 4, Matsushima Sumaya, a player of the national women's football team, mentioned on her verified Facebook page that she was constantly receiving death and rape threats. She also said that she was mentally broken due to these continuous threats