Acting Secretary General of the Bangladesh Nationalist Party (BNP) and Prime Minister’s Political Adviser Ruhul Kabir Rizvi on Saturday said that subtle and planned cultural aggression is being carried out in Bangladesh.
“The imperialist forces are attempting to change the fundamental form of the language through conspiracy,” he said at a seminar organized by Sammilita Sanskritik Oikya on “The Crisis of Bangladesh’s Culture: An Exploration of Its Nature,” at Bangladesh Shilpakala Academy here.
In this connection, he said, no matter how many conspiracies are hatched, the people of this country have an inherent capacity to spontaneously resist any forms of aggression.
Rizvi said some new words were being deliberately introduced into the country’s language and culture. Replacing words that had been practised and used for a long time with new forms was part of imperialist activities, he added.
“We are witnessing subtle attempts to replace well-established words such as killing, blood and corpse with other words,” he said, adding that the nation had a glorious history of struggle and a history of shedding blood for its language.
Explaining the historical context and nationalism, the BNP acting secretary general said the so-called “Bengal Renaissance” of the 19th century was not a full-fledged renaissance in the broader sense.
“It was largely confined to Hindu revivalism, while the education and social reform needs of the predominantly Muslim peasant society of that time were completely overlooked, he said.
He added that the geographical and political identity of this country, or “Bangladeshi nationalism,” had developed through the course of those historical events and the struggles of 1947 and 1971.
Mentioning that a section of intellectuals had pandered to fascism during every crisis in history, he said just as many prominent intellectuals had lined up behind Hitler in the past, a similar phenomenon had been witnessed in Bangladesh during the period of fascism.
“They had not spoken out against enforced disappearances, abductions or the denial of voting rights,” he pointed out.
In contrast, he said patriotic intellectuals had always stood beside ordinary people and spoken the truth. Bringing cultural personalities together to discuss indigenous culture, national identity and heritage was a positive initiative, he added.
About the program, Rizvi said such events would encourage the practice of national culture and further strengthen efforts to preserve the country's distinct identity.
National Professor Dr Mahbub Ullah addressed the seminar as the main discussant, while Bangla Academy Award-winning researcher Dr Mustafa Majid presented the keynote paper with Sammilita Sanskritik Oikya President and freedom fighter MA Malek in the chair.
BNP Joint Secretary General and Member of Parliament Abdus Salam Azad; BNP Cultural Affairs Secretary and Film Actor Ashraf Uddin Ahmed Uzzal; Volunteer Affairs Secretary Mir Sarafat Ali Sapu; Ekushey Padak-winning rhymester Abu Saleh; and former Vice-Chancellor of Patuakhali Science and Technology University Dr Abdul Latif Masum took part in the discussion as special guests.
Other discussants included Rezabuddaula Chowdhury, film actor Helal Khan, eminent journalist Gaziul Hasan Khan and music director Ithun Babu.
Academics, litterateurs, writers, researchers, film and cultural personalities, and journalists attended the seminar.
