Protesters lay siege to Bangla Academy over 5-point demand

Members of the 'Jatiyatabadi Writers Forum' staged a protest and laid siege to Bangla Academy on Sunday (July 27), demanding the withdrawal of a recently published poetry collection titled "July Ganoubhyutthaner Kobita (Poems of the July Uprising)".

Around 20 protesters gathered at the academy's main entrance at 11.00am, accusing the institution of promoting writers with authoritarian leanings. The forum claimed that the collection includes 27 poems by individuals aligned with fascist ideologies and called for immediate corrective action.

The demonstrators issued a five-point demand, including the withdrawal of the poetry volume and a public apology from its editors. They also criticized the editors for allegedly making inappropriate remarks on social media and questioned their qualifications to curate such a politically sensitive anthology.

The group called for the formation of a new editorial board composed of poets committed to the ideals of the July Uprising and urged administrative action against those within the academy they say are affiliated with authoritarian ideologies.

“Bangla Academy represents the intellectual soul of the nation. Appointing inexperienced and biased editors undermines its legacy,” said Shahin Reza, president of the forum, during the protest.

The forum submitted a memorandum to the Director General of Bangla Academy and warned of intensified protests if their demands are not addressed within seven days.