Sunday, 22 December 2024

Salimullah Khan

Eminent intellectual and thinker
Wed, 8 Nov 23

Salimullah Khan is a Bangladeshi writer, academic, teacher and public intellectual. Khan explores national and international politics and culture using Marxist and Lacanian theories. Informed and influenced by Ahmed Sofa's thoughts, his exploration of Bangladesh's politics and culture has a significant following among the country's young generation of writers and thinkers. Khan translated the works of Plato, James Rennell, Charles Baudelaire, Frantz Fanon, Dorothee Sölle into Bengali. In Bangladesh, he is a regular guest in talk shows on national and international political issues.

Priority should have been building schools, not Padma Bridge

Politics and Bureaucracy

Thu, 5 Sep 24

Priority should have been building schools, not Padma Bridge

We need the most reform at the primary and secondary education levels. Our current education policy was established in 1854 by the British. The core idea was that if someone took the initiative to establish a school, the government would provide a 10% grant. We still carry this legacy, as reflected in the name 'University Grants Commission.' The British government provided this grant to lower schools: if you established a school, provided the land, and constructed the building, the British government would cover 10% of the teacher's salaries. This tradition continues even today.

Education Rights and Democracy: A Symbiotic Relationship

Education

Mon, 2 Sep 24

Education Rights and Democracy: A Symbiotic Relationship

Many interpretations are emerging regarding the current situation, with various terms being used—coup, revolution, and others. Some individuals are even speaking of independence. If we characterize the previous state as a dictatorship or fascism, what should we call the current state? For now, we will refer to it as democracy. However, if someone is ambitious, they might suggest a different term. For the time being, let’s settle on democracy.

Don't choke me for speaking about country's disappointments

Interview

Sat, 1 Jun 24

Don't choke me for speaking about country's disappointments

The circumstances under which Bangladesh gained independence were unprecedented. Apart from a few countries like Iraq, no third-world country supported us (Bangladesh) at that time. Why didn’t they support us? Because they were all conservative then. Breaking up one state to create another—people in the third world did not support this idea. The so-called Muslim world that currently supports us did not support us in 1971.

Nobel literary works cannot be concessional

Interview

Wed, 31 Jan 24

Nobel literary works cannot be concessional

Bangladesh has emerged through an unprecedented mass movement and people's war. The country has now crossed 52 years since Independence, counting one, two, three. We celebrated the golden jubilee of Independence in stately splendor. But how far has Bangladesh progressed as a country in these 52 years? Bangladesh has come a long way in art, culture, literature, intellectual practice, and intellectualism. Rahat Minhaz, Assistant Professor of Mass Communication and Journalism Department of Jagannath University, had a detailed conversation with eminent intellectual and thinker Salimullah Khan on these issues. The critical parts of that conversation appear here in sequence. Episode 4 today:

We are now in a dark age in the literature of Bangladesh In Arabic, it is called Ayame Jahiliyat

Interview

Fri, 22 Dec 23

We are now in a dark age in the literature of Bangladesh In Arabic, it is called Ayame Jahiliyat

The state called Bangladesh has emerged through an unprecedented mass movement and people's war. The country has now crossed 52 years since Independence, counting one, two, three. We celebrated the golden jubilee of Independence in stately splendor. But how far has Bangladesh progressed as a country in these 52 years? Bangladesh has come a long way in art, culture, literature, intellectual practice, and intellectualism. Rahat Minhaz, Assistant Professor of Mass Communication and Journalism Department of Jagannath University, had a detailed conversation with eminent intellectual and thinker Salimullah Khan on these issues. The critical parts of that conversation appear here in sequence. Episode 3 today:

No more politics, only diplomacy dominates our country

Interview

Fri, 24 Nov 23

No more politics, only diplomacy dominates our country

Bangladesh was born through an unprecedented mass movement and people-oriented freedom fight. One after another, the country has already passed 52 years of independence. The nation celebrated its golden jubilee of independence amid great indulgence; however, as a nation, how many roads it walked? In terms of art and culture, literature and intellectual practice, Bangladesh crossed a long way. In an exclusive interview with Assistant Professor at Department of Mass Communication and Journalism, Rahat Minhaz, renowned intellectual and philosopher Salimullah Khan conversed on various aspects of all these issues. Prominent parts of that interview have been published consistently.