Former interim government cultural affairs adviser and filmmaker Mostofa Sarwar Farooki has strongly condemned the attack and harassment of actress Azmeri Haque Badhan in Italy.
In a lengthy post on his verified Facebook account on Tuesday, September 8, Farooki raised questions about the rehabilitation of the Awami League after the July mass uprising and the party’s continued presence in the media and cultural sectors.
He alleged that the space being given to the Awami League’s “soft power” was encouraging similar behaviour towards supporters of the July movement, both at home and abroad.
Farooki said those who publicly supported the rehabilitation of individuals linked to the July massacre also shared responsibility for the conduct of the Awami League, which he claimed was acting without remorse in Bangladesh and overseas.
He also criticised attempts to place different political groups on an equal footing. According to him, providing media platforms to those who helped create public consent for the July massacre allowed them to promote their views.
Farooki said forces supporting the July movement also bore some responsibility. He alleged that, in their struggle for power, some had encouraged individuals who should not have been given such influence.
Questioning the government’s role, the filmmaker said the interim and BNP governments should have brought those involved in intellectual crimes under scrutiny, punishment or public condemnation. He claimed that this had not been done.
According to Farooki, one of the key strengths of fascism is its “consent manufacturers”. If they are not held accountable, he said, they could continue making statements from Bangladesh that encourage Awami League supporters living abroad.
His strongest criticism was directed at the media and cultural sectors. Farooki alleged that a section of the BNP government was bringing these sectors under the influence of the Awami League and the Centre for Research and Information, or CRI.
He questioned why the Awami League and CRI would have influence over policy-making in Bangladesh’s media and cultural sectors if the government claims to support an independent foreign policy.
Farooki called for an investigation into who within the government was giving space to the “soft power of fascism” and who was empowering them. He also questioned whether government officials were aware of discussions and plans taking place in various WhatsApp groups involving people from the media and cultural sectors.
He said authorities should investigate how plans developed in those groups later appeared in the media as propaganda.
Farooki also urged people not to view the July mass uprising as merely another change of government, similar to the events of One-Eleven. He said the July movement involved a massacre and followed years of enforced disappearances, killings and other abuses.
He argued that those who describe July as an ordinary political transition were ignoring the deaths during the movement and the country’s long political reality.
Addressing the head of government, Farooki said he was not calling for revenge. Rather, he said, arrangements should be made for the trial of crimes against humanity and public condemnation for “intellectual crimes”.
He also stressed the importance of not empowering or celebrating individuals facing serious allegations.
At the end of his post, Farooki expressed solidarity with Badhan, who was reportedly attacked and harassed in Italy.
The incident has already drawn condemnation from Bangladesh’s entertainment industry and other sections of society. Farooki’s comments have now sparked fresh discussion about the political and cultural implications of the incident.
