Farhad Mazhar has claimed that the country is still under the influence of Sheikh Hasina’s 'ghost', which he referred to as the Constitution.
He made these remarks while speaking as the chief guest at an event featuring discussions, anti-discrimination poetry, and protest songs in Lakshmipur on Wednesday evening.
The program, marking the 26th anniversary of the district literary society, was held at the auditorium of Lakshmipur Sadar Upazila Parishad.
“Uprisings don’t follow the law — they happen to break it,” he said.
“Those who lead a popular uprising break the law in order to establish a new order, new laws, and a new culture. But we did the opposite. We gave our lives, Sayeed and Mughda gave their lives. And with those sacrifices, we handed power back to Sheikh Hasina, he added.
He also said: "But Sheikh Hasina is no longer here — so how did we hand her back power? Because her ghost still remains in the country. That ghost is the constitution. The fascist constitution she left behind continues to govern this entire state.”
Farhad Mazhar went on to reference Nobel laureate Dr Muhammad Yunus: “Dr Yunus has said Bangladesh has set out to conquer the world — and we will indeed conquer it. We are the only rightful guardians of the Bay of Bengal. We are a Bay of Bengal nation."
He added: "He didn’t say we own it, but that we would protect it, from which we, the world, China and India will all benefit. But the Indians didn’t grasp that point.”
He continued: “Still many problems remain. Sheikh Hasina’s ghost remains. That ghost continues to create problems for us. And it will come back again and again to attack us. We have to be ready to confront it."
He added: "At the same time, we must achieve rapid economic development. We’ve set out to conquer the world."
Farhad further said: "To those who still don’t understand the July uprising, let me say it in plain words — the uprising, jointly led by Bangladesh’s students, youth, and soldiers, was carried out so that the 180 million people of Bangladesh could march towards global victory. And no one can stop them.”
The event was presided over by Dr Md Salah Uddin Sharif, president of the District Literary Society. A keynote was presented by poet Gazi Gias Uddin, the society’s general secretary.
Among the special guests were Md Alauddin, adviser to the Bangladesh Study Forum at Dhaka University, and Jasim Uddin Muhammad, associate professor of Mymensingh Government Ananda Mohan College.
Other speakers included Professor Khandaker Yusuf Hossain, principal of Lakshmipur Government Women’s College; Professor Mohammad Alauddin, former principal of Raipur Government College; Saiful Islam Tapan, principal of Lakshmipur Police Lines School and College; and Mainul Islam Manik, founding president of Chandpur Sahitya Mancha.
