Eminent poet Kamal Chowdhury has said Bangladesh's harmony and culture is in danger due to political differences, social degradation and communalism.
He said: "Whatever I am doing is my culture. Bangabandhu said India is a political union and Bangladesh is a cultural union. Today, culture is in crisis due to political reasons. Human-to-human harmony is very important.”
Everyone has to work from their own place to preserve harmony and culture. People need to more spaces to practice their culture, said poet Kamal Chowdhury.
Poet Kamal Chowdhury and Ghulam Quddus, president of Sammilita Sangskritik Jote, were speaking at a session titled “A Bengal of Harmony and Culture” on the third day of the 10th edition of Dhaka Lit Fest.
Md Ahkam Ullah, general secretary of Sammilito Sangskritik Jote moderated the session at Bhaskar Novera Auditorium of Bangla Academy on Saturday from 12pm to 1:30pm.
Poet Kamal Chowdhury said that Bangalis are the third largest ethnic group in the world.
“Bangalis are a bit more emotional. This is a mixed ethnic group. It became a nation in 1971. Bangabandhu's desire made Bangalis a nation. However, many people have worked to build and shape Bangalis as a nation even before this,” he added.
Ghulam Quddus said culture and Bangladesh are closely related.
He said: “Earlier there was no communalism in rural society. There was no Hindu-Muslim distinction. Now religion has a great influence there too.
“People of this country are God-fearing. A group of people are destroying harmony by using that opportunity. Currently there is a lot of lack of political culture and harmony. The main crisis of harmony and culture is political and also social. The greatest power of culture—elimination of communalism. Culture is lacking in politics today, he added.
