Unfortunately, not many of our writers and commentators bothered about their plight. Even writers... more Unfortunately, not many of our writers and commentators bothered about their plight. Even writers and columnists among university professors didn’t talk about the sufferings of their own students at the hands of Chhatra League. General students finally took it upon themselves to liberate us all. And they amazed the whole world by standing up to Hasina’s tyranny and forcing her to flee. Kudos to our students for facilitating the downfall of a tyrant!
In this essay, I have elaborated the cases of two writers, one of whom Wikipedia characterises as... more In this essay, I have elaborated the cases of two writers, one of whom Wikipedia characterises as Bengali and the other as Indian. I have argued that Bangladesh should be included in their identity even if in a hyphenated form. There are a host of other pre-1971 writers whose identity should not remove their geographical affiliation to what is now Bangladesh. I hope Wikipedia entry-producers and others will consider describing writers with provenance in the spatial (not temporal) boundary of Bangladesh as Bangladeshi.
Many capable intellectuals and opinion leaders prioritise their own safety and comfort over the i... more Many capable intellectuals and opinion leaders prioritise their own safety and comfort over the independence of their mind and their sense of responsibility to the nation. Some of them continued writing but never touched on the wrongdoings of the government of Sheikh Hasina. They explored the aesthetics of flora and fauna or the serenity of lakes, and similar bland subjects. Others provided epistemic cover-ups to Hasina's autocracy by seeking to establish moral equivalence between the then and previous governments. The enthusiasts among them eulogised the regime for its mega development projects without touching on their high pricing and massive corruption through which people in the government pocketed money with both hands.
WB Yeats's literary career was largely inspired by the troubles in his country, Ireland, and he w... more WB Yeats's literary career was largely inspired by the troubles in his country, Ireland, and he wrote to fix them. But, according to WH Auden, Yeats's work didn't do much to establish peace and stability in Ireland. Likewise, Hasina's autocracy got me out of my academic cocoon and motivated me to write essays on down-to-earth issues that affected Bangladesh during her rule. Regardless of its effects on others, my writerly commitment to noble causes serves as a source of moral comfort for me.
It is almost impossible to make meaningful and constructive comments on the failures of a governm... more It is almost impossible to make meaningful and constructive comments on the failures of a government and on its corrupt and unjust practices without holding its executive head responsible. But many critics of Hasina’s autocratic government followed this strategy and kept mum about her role in brutal oppression that targeted political opponents and dissent voices. During her rule, corruption gripped the entire administrative hierarchy, but almost none dared to associate it with her. The vast majority assiduously and artfully avoided the elephant in the room.
Had things turned out differently on that day and Sheikh Hasina managed to cling to power by spil... more Had things turned out differently on that day and Sheikh Hasina managed to cling to power by spilling more blood on the streets, our fate would have been sealed for a very long time. More foreign envoys would have gone to Gono Bhaban to congratulate her and to take advantage of our country in all possible ways. She would have removed all guardrails, and we would have forgotten our dreams of freedom for a foreseeable future. Hasina’s autocracy would have gained normalcy, and a section of our intellectual elites would have continued to give her epistemic cover-ups. Freedom is not free. We should never forget that our students and young people have paid for it with pools of blood. Our country occupies a small area in the world map, but has a large population. It was a price worth paying for the freedom of all Bangladeshis.
The comparable patterns in the behaviour of Bashar al-Assad and Sheikh Hasina are staggering and ... more The comparable patterns in the behaviour of Bashar al-Assad and Sheikh Hasina are staggering and tempt us to believe that one autocrat followed the playbook of the other. Both put the blame of the killing of their victims on their opponents. Both forced the bereaved family members of their victims to meet them, as they contrived to manufacture and show sympathy to them in public. Both presented themselves as kind and compassionate to the family members of their victims and promised them investigation and justice. Both ordered the use of force to crush protesters and perpetuate their rule. However, eventually, it has worked for one so far, but didn't work for the other.
Nobel laureate Muhammad Yunus’ eyes hold the tears of all Bangladeshis who suffered under Sheikh ... more Nobel laureate Muhammad Yunus’ eyes hold the tears of all Bangladeshis who suffered under Sheikh Hasina’s iron-fisted autocratic regime. I hope he and his colleagues who are now running Bangladesh will continue to remember all the sacrifices people in Bangladesh and in the diaspora made to facilitate a new beginning for us. One major way to do justice to the tears of tens of millions of us is to bring the perpetrators of human rights violations to book and to strive to have a just country — a Bangladesh free from repressive and corrupt practices.
In post-1971 Bangladesh, people in Bangladesh failed to adhere to the virtues of benevolence, mag... more In post-1971 Bangladesh, people in Bangladesh failed to adhere to the virtues of benevolence, magnanimity and altruistic sentiment. Duped or driven by vested interests, a section of our intellectual elite spent much effort sowing divisions among us. In post-Hasina Bangladesh, let us remember Mandela’s words and make a strong resolve to foster unity among us. We should begin with promoting decency, fairness and justice in conducting our affairs. Importantly, we must be vigilant so that Hasina-style misrule can visit our land never again.
After committing mass slaughter and other gruesome crimes, Sheikh Hasina’s government took furthe... more After committing mass slaughter and other gruesome crimes, Sheikh Hasina’s government took further punitive measures — such as mass arrests and mass prosecutions — to frighten protesting students and others into political acquiescence. It also made offensive and pejorative remarks to caricature the student protesters. Additionally, it unleashed ruling party men who attacked the protesters with firearms and conventional weapons, often resulting in fatalities and injuries — to which people of Bangladesh were subjected for more than a decade. Adding insult to injury, Sheikh Hasina declared July 30 a national day of mourning to commemorate those who her government had killed. Earlier on July 28, she arranged a session to meet some of the bereaved family members and to shed crocodile tears over their losses. It was part of her efforts to evade responsibility for all the killings. After using degrading words to slander and malign the student protesters, her government used all such gestures evidently for the purpose of making fun of the victims of its crimes.
University students in Bangladesh have been enduring all forms of mistreatment; many had hoped th... more University students in Bangladesh have been enduring all forms of mistreatment; many had hoped that upon graduation they would get government jobs. The quota system hammered the last nail in the coffin of that aspiration for a better future. Seeing no other options, like Thomas Gray's “village-Hampden … with dauntless breast,” students in Bangladesh are rising up against tyranny in their land. In a climate of cowardice and sycophancy, their exemplary courage and bravery and their faith in themselves and one another have given Bangladesh a renewed patriotism and a glowing confidence in the country's future. The government has been trying to contain students through bullets, blood and poison gas, but the number of John Hampdens is perhaps too many for it to suppress. Meanwhile, forces beyond our control have continued to whittle down our country to its bones.
The absence of a contractual relationship between the ruler and the ruled in Bangladesh removed t... more The absence of a contractual relationship between the ruler and the ruled in Bangladesh removed the government’s sense of accountability to the population and thus vitiated the political system. Therefore, killings in the streets make the government unpopular, but it still feels safe because people’s votes are not deemed necessary for it to remain in power. Given the absence of electoral democracy in present-day Bangladesh, people are not able to demonstrate their resentment through free and fair elections.
This essay mentions some topics that khatibs can choose while preparing their Friday khutbahs. Th... more This essay mentions some topics that khatibs can choose while preparing their Friday khutbahs. There are many other down-to-earth issues—such as irresponsible use of social media—that they can consider while selecting the topics of their Friday addresses. I also believe that masjid authorities or management committee members have a role to play in addressing matters of topic selection for khutbahs.
The plight of Palestinians in Palestine and in the diaspora is a result of Israeli settler coloni... more The plight of Palestinians in Palestine and in the diaspora is a result of Israeli settler colonialism. Israel's atrocious behaviour to colonised Palestinians is manifested through a myriad of crimes such as blockading occupied territories, demolishing homes, educational institutions, hospitals, and places of worship, restricting their movements, cutting power and communication, killing rampages, massacres to the extent of genocide, and other gruesome violations of human rights-all designed to force Palestinians off their lands and to eventually occupy them. Among academic disciplines, postcolonialism is most relevant to the discourse of Israel and Palestine and most promising to the cause of justice and the promotion of human rights in the region. In this essay, I argue that, owing to Edward Said's pioneering role in the development of postcolonial studies, the origin of this intellectual and literary movement is traced back to Palestinian resistance to Israeli colonisation. Therefore, practitioners of this decolonial discourse are in principle obligated to address the issue of Palestinian liberation from Israeli colonial oppression. Later in this essay, I also offer a cursory glance at some remarks of Salman Rushdie on the Israel-Palestine issue and discuss a perceived need for decolonising postcolonial studies.
I want to make a moral appeal to senior academics to be more active in research and publication a... more I want to make a moral appeal to senior academics to be more active in research and publication and to have unwavering commitment to quality work. Their meaningful engagement in research and publication will have a positive impact on the way they teach and on the course content that they transmit to their students. Needless to say, that will help protect their country from intellectual slavery to hegemonic foreign powers. Therefore, this is the best way for academics to serve their country and its people. If they choose otherwise and remain busy establishing links with, and seeking favours from, the corridors of powers, they may gain instant perks and popularity, but that will amount to intellectual betrayal to the nation.
Israel has killed tens of thousands of Palestinian children, women, and men — and maimed and inju... more Israel has killed tens of thousands of Palestinian children, women, and men — and maimed and injured many more — in this ongoing genocide that started on 7 October 2023. Israeli bombings have reduced houses, schools, universities, hospitals, and other infrastructures to rubble. Israel has done everything to ruin Amal’s opportunity to receive a normal education. Thus, the apartheid state kills Palestinians and threatens to shatter their dreams. But it is defeated by their great courage and unshakeable resolve. Israel exhibits its dastardly cowardice with every bomb it drops on Palestinians.
The extent to which the United States has contravened its own principles and international laws t... more The extent to which the United States has contravened its own principles and international laws to show allegiance to Israel does not suggest that it has acted independently. It is time for the US to realise how it has subverted its own interests and prestige, and follow its own interests as a sovereign country. With students' encampments at US universities, the movement for US "independence" from Israel has started. The sooner it materialises, the better for the US and for the rest of the world. Importantly, the freedom of Palestine from Israeli occupation is dependent on US "independence" from Israel.
Although Charles Dickens condoned colonial exploitation, no one censured him then for his unprinc... more Although Charles Dickens condoned colonial exploitation, no one censured him then for his unprincipled and opportunistic stance. But as we now know, time has not forgiven him for his racist and imperialist views. Likewise, there are many writers and intellectuals in our time who have gained fame and fortune and enjoy prestige and perks due to their creative and scholarly achievements. But they are indifferent, apathetic, or oblivious to the victims of the Israeli genocide in Gaza or are somehow complicit with the mass murder. One day, time will bring them to justice and posterity may not forgive them.
The pinnacle of the glory and global prestige of English literature is perhaps behind us. Therefo... more The pinnacle of the glory and global prestige of English literature is perhaps behind us. Therefore, learning its texts from Muslim perspectives may generate new insights and provide it with new trajectories of academic research. This new lens will make English literature relevant to, and prolong its prevalence in, Muslim societies by way of exploring points of convergence and divergence between Islam and the literary tradition. Needless to say, any literary tradition bears the risk of anachronism if it loses relevance to the real world of its audience or if it does not enrich readers’ understanding of the meaning of life. What students encounter in the text should offer an analysis of the past and present (oppressive) social conditions and have a perennial appeal to the reader globally. This will spare English literature the charges of Eurocentric bias, disconnect, or anachronism.
For many decades, Israel has been committing small genocides and big genocides — and small massac... more For many decades, Israel has been committing small genocides and big genocides — and small massacres and big massacres — against Palestinians and others in the region. The current genocide that started in early October 2023 and still continues is perhaps the cruellest and most revolting as well as most widely reported, thanks to the availability of alternative media. Israelis who are committing this genocide identify themselves as Jews. Therefore, like Israel’s genocide in Lebanon in 1982, the current one in Gaza may stir up anti-Jewish sentiment.
Unfortunately, not many of our writers and commentators bothered about their plight. Even writers... more Unfortunately, not many of our writers and commentators bothered about their plight. Even writers and columnists among university professors didn’t talk about the sufferings of their own students at the hands of Chhatra League. General students finally took it upon themselves to liberate us all. And they amazed the whole world by standing up to Hasina’s tyranny and forcing her to flee. Kudos to our students for facilitating the downfall of a tyrant!
In this essay, I have elaborated the cases of two writers, one of whom Wikipedia characterises as... more In this essay, I have elaborated the cases of two writers, one of whom Wikipedia characterises as Bengali and the other as Indian. I have argued that Bangladesh should be included in their identity even if in a hyphenated form. There are a host of other pre-1971 writers whose identity should not remove their geographical affiliation to what is now Bangladesh. I hope Wikipedia entry-producers and others will consider describing writers with provenance in the spatial (not temporal) boundary of Bangladesh as Bangladeshi.
Many capable intellectuals and opinion leaders prioritise their own safety and comfort over the i... more Many capable intellectuals and opinion leaders prioritise their own safety and comfort over the independence of their mind and their sense of responsibility to the nation. Some of them continued writing but never touched on the wrongdoings of the government of Sheikh Hasina. They explored the aesthetics of flora and fauna or the serenity of lakes, and similar bland subjects. Others provided epistemic cover-ups to Hasina's autocracy by seeking to establish moral equivalence between the then and previous governments. The enthusiasts among them eulogised the regime for its mega development projects without touching on their high pricing and massive corruption through which people in the government pocketed money with both hands.
WB Yeats's literary career was largely inspired by the troubles in his country, Ireland, and he w... more WB Yeats's literary career was largely inspired by the troubles in his country, Ireland, and he wrote to fix them. But, according to WH Auden, Yeats's work didn't do much to establish peace and stability in Ireland. Likewise, Hasina's autocracy got me out of my academic cocoon and motivated me to write essays on down-to-earth issues that affected Bangladesh during her rule. Regardless of its effects on others, my writerly commitment to noble causes serves as a source of moral comfort for me.
It is almost impossible to make meaningful and constructive comments on the failures of a governm... more It is almost impossible to make meaningful and constructive comments on the failures of a government and on its corrupt and unjust practices without holding its executive head responsible. But many critics of Hasina’s autocratic government followed this strategy and kept mum about her role in brutal oppression that targeted political opponents and dissent voices. During her rule, corruption gripped the entire administrative hierarchy, but almost none dared to associate it with her. The vast majority assiduously and artfully avoided the elephant in the room.
Had things turned out differently on that day and Sheikh Hasina managed to cling to power by spil... more Had things turned out differently on that day and Sheikh Hasina managed to cling to power by spilling more blood on the streets, our fate would have been sealed for a very long time. More foreign envoys would have gone to Gono Bhaban to congratulate her and to take advantage of our country in all possible ways. She would have removed all guardrails, and we would have forgotten our dreams of freedom for a foreseeable future. Hasina’s autocracy would have gained normalcy, and a section of our intellectual elites would have continued to give her epistemic cover-ups. Freedom is not free. We should never forget that our students and young people have paid for it with pools of blood. Our country occupies a small area in the world map, but has a large population. It was a price worth paying for the freedom of all Bangladeshis.
The comparable patterns in the behaviour of Bashar al-Assad and Sheikh Hasina are staggering and ... more The comparable patterns in the behaviour of Bashar al-Assad and Sheikh Hasina are staggering and tempt us to believe that one autocrat followed the playbook of the other. Both put the blame of the killing of their victims on their opponents. Both forced the bereaved family members of their victims to meet them, as they contrived to manufacture and show sympathy to them in public. Both presented themselves as kind and compassionate to the family members of their victims and promised them investigation and justice. Both ordered the use of force to crush protesters and perpetuate their rule. However, eventually, it has worked for one so far, but didn't work for the other.
Nobel laureate Muhammad Yunus’ eyes hold the tears of all Bangladeshis who suffered under Sheikh ... more Nobel laureate Muhammad Yunus’ eyes hold the tears of all Bangladeshis who suffered under Sheikh Hasina’s iron-fisted autocratic regime. I hope he and his colleagues who are now running Bangladesh will continue to remember all the sacrifices people in Bangladesh and in the diaspora made to facilitate a new beginning for us. One major way to do justice to the tears of tens of millions of us is to bring the perpetrators of human rights violations to book and to strive to have a just country — a Bangladesh free from repressive and corrupt practices.
In post-1971 Bangladesh, people in Bangladesh failed to adhere to the virtues of benevolence, mag... more In post-1971 Bangladesh, people in Bangladesh failed to adhere to the virtues of benevolence, magnanimity and altruistic sentiment. Duped or driven by vested interests, a section of our intellectual elite spent much effort sowing divisions among us. In post-Hasina Bangladesh, let us remember Mandela’s words and make a strong resolve to foster unity among us. We should begin with promoting decency, fairness and justice in conducting our affairs. Importantly, we must be vigilant so that Hasina-style misrule can visit our land never again.
After committing mass slaughter and other gruesome crimes, Sheikh Hasina’s government took furthe... more After committing mass slaughter and other gruesome crimes, Sheikh Hasina’s government took further punitive measures — such as mass arrests and mass prosecutions — to frighten protesting students and others into political acquiescence. It also made offensive and pejorative remarks to caricature the student protesters. Additionally, it unleashed ruling party men who attacked the protesters with firearms and conventional weapons, often resulting in fatalities and injuries — to which people of Bangladesh were subjected for more than a decade. Adding insult to injury, Sheikh Hasina declared July 30 a national day of mourning to commemorate those who her government had killed. Earlier on July 28, she arranged a session to meet some of the bereaved family members and to shed crocodile tears over their losses. It was part of her efforts to evade responsibility for all the killings. After using degrading words to slander and malign the student protesters, her government used all such gestures evidently for the purpose of making fun of the victims of its crimes.
University students in Bangladesh have been enduring all forms of mistreatment; many had hoped th... more University students in Bangladesh have been enduring all forms of mistreatment; many had hoped that upon graduation they would get government jobs. The quota system hammered the last nail in the coffin of that aspiration for a better future. Seeing no other options, like Thomas Gray's “village-Hampden … with dauntless breast,” students in Bangladesh are rising up against tyranny in their land. In a climate of cowardice and sycophancy, their exemplary courage and bravery and their faith in themselves and one another have given Bangladesh a renewed patriotism and a glowing confidence in the country's future. The government has been trying to contain students through bullets, blood and poison gas, but the number of John Hampdens is perhaps too many for it to suppress. Meanwhile, forces beyond our control have continued to whittle down our country to its bones.
The absence of a contractual relationship between the ruler and the ruled in Bangladesh removed t... more The absence of a contractual relationship between the ruler and the ruled in Bangladesh removed the government’s sense of accountability to the population and thus vitiated the political system. Therefore, killings in the streets make the government unpopular, but it still feels safe because people’s votes are not deemed necessary for it to remain in power. Given the absence of electoral democracy in present-day Bangladesh, people are not able to demonstrate their resentment through free and fair elections.
This essay mentions some topics that khatibs can choose while preparing their Friday khutbahs. Th... more This essay mentions some topics that khatibs can choose while preparing their Friday khutbahs. There are many other down-to-earth issues—such as irresponsible use of social media—that they can consider while selecting the topics of their Friday addresses. I also believe that masjid authorities or management committee members have a role to play in addressing matters of topic selection for khutbahs.
The plight of Palestinians in Palestine and in the diaspora is a result of Israeli settler coloni... more The plight of Palestinians in Palestine and in the diaspora is a result of Israeli settler colonialism. Israel's atrocious behaviour to colonised Palestinians is manifested through a myriad of crimes such as blockading occupied territories, demolishing homes, educational institutions, hospitals, and places of worship, restricting their movements, cutting power and communication, killing rampages, massacres to the extent of genocide, and other gruesome violations of human rights-all designed to force Palestinians off their lands and to eventually occupy them. Among academic disciplines, postcolonialism is most relevant to the discourse of Israel and Palestine and most promising to the cause of justice and the promotion of human rights in the region. In this essay, I argue that, owing to Edward Said's pioneering role in the development of postcolonial studies, the origin of this intellectual and literary movement is traced back to Palestinian resistance to Israeli colonisation. Therefore, practitioners of this decolonial discourse are in principle obligated to address the issue of Palestinian liberation from Israeli colonial oppression. Later in this essay, I also offer a cursory glance at some remarks of Salman Rushdie on the Israel-Palestine issue and discuss a perceived need for decolonising postcolonial studies.
I want to make a moral appeal to senior academics to be more active in research and publication a... more I want to make a moral appeal to senior academics to be more active in research and publication and to have unwavering commitment to quality work. Their meaningful engagement in research and publication will have a positive impact on the way they teach and on the course content that they transmit to their students. Needless to say, that will help protect their country from intellectual slavery to hegemonic foreign powers. Therefore, this is the best way for academics to serve their country and its people. If they choose otherwise and remain busy establishing links with, and seeking favours from, the corridors of powers, they may gain instant perks and popularity, but that will amount to intellectual betrayal to the nation.
Israel has killed tens of thousands of Palestinian children, women, and men — and maimed and inju... more Israel has killed tens of thousands of Palestinian children, women, and men — and maimed and injured many more — in this ongoing genocide that started on 7 October 2023. Israeli bombings have reduced houses, schools, universities, hospitals, and other infrastructures to rubble. Israel has done everything to ruin Amal’s opportunity to receive a normal education. Thus, the apartheid state kills Palestinians and threatens to shatter their dreams. But it is defeated by their great courage and unshakeable resolve. Israel exhibits its dastardly cowardice with every bomb it drops on Palestinians.
The extent to which the United States has contravened its own principles and international laws t... more The extent to which the United States has contravened its own principles and international laws to show allegiance to Israel does not suggest that it has acted independently. It is time for the US to realise how it has subverted its own interests and prestige, and follow its own interests as a sovereign country. With students' encampments at US universities, the movement for US "independence" from Israel has started. The sooner it materialises, the better for the US and for the rest of the world. Importantly, the freedom of Palestine from Israeli occupation is dependent on US "independence" from Israel.
Although Charles Dickens condoned colonial exploitation, no one censured him then for his unprinc... more Although Charles Dickens condoned colonial exploitation, no one censured him then for his unprincipled and opportunistic stance. But as we now know, time has not forgiven him for his racist and imperialist views. Likewise, there are many writers and intellectuals in our time who have gained fame and fortune and enjoy prestige and perks due to their creative and scholarly achievements. But they are indifferent, apathetic, or oblivious to the victims of the Israeli genocide in Gaza or are somehow complicit with the mass murder. One day, time will bring them to justice and posterity may not forgive them.
The pinnacle of the glory and global prestige of English literature is perhaps behind us. Therefo... more The pinnacle of the glory and global prestige of English literature is perhaps behind us. Therefore, learning its texts from Muslim perspectives may generate new insights and provide it with new trajectories of academic research. This new lens will make English literature relevant to, and prolong its prevalence in, Muslim societies by way of exploring points of convergence and divergence between Islam and the literary tradition. Needless to say, any literary tradition bears the risk of anachronism if it loses relevance to the real world of its audience or if it does not enrich readers’ understanding of the meaning of life. What students encounter in the text should offer an analysis of the past and present (oppressive) social conditions and have a perennial appeal to the reader globally. This will spare English literature the charges of Eurocentric bias, disconnect, or anachronism.
For many decades, Israel has been committing small genocides and big genocides — and small massac... more For many decades, Israel has been committing small genocides and big genocides — and small massacres and big massacres — against Palestinians and others in the region. The current genocide that started in early October 2023 and still continues is perhaps the cruellest and most revolting as well as most widely reported, thanks to the availability of alternative media. Israelis who are committing this genocide identify themselves as Jews. Therefore, like Israel’s genocide in Lebanon in 1982, the current one in Gaza may stir up anti-Jewish sentiment.
Civilization and Society is a collection of essays written in the late 1980s and early 1990s. I a... more Civilization and Society is a collection of essays written in the late 1980s and early 1990s. I am fully aware that I cannot speak for anybody but myself. I can claim, however, that I have judged issues from the perspective of a Muslim, keenly conscious that while he cannot understand either himself or the world without reference to Islam and its history, he must also be alive to the fact that there is a large area of his experience which he can explain only in the light of events in the non-Islamic world. This can sometimes create agonizing problems. But the truth has to be faced boldly.
The urge to express creatively in English among the people of what is now Bangladesh goes back to... more The urge to express creatively in English among the people of what is now Bangladesh goes back to the early days of their colonial encounter with the British. However, the tradition of Bangladeshi literature in English lagged behind its Indian, Pakistani and Sri Lankan counterparts, which have claimed precedence in literary history books and attracted considerable critical discussion. However, it should not be forgotten that from 1947 to 1971, Bangladesh (then East Pakistan) and Pakistan (then West Pakistan) constituted a single country, combinedly known as Pakistan. Consequently, the literary contribution of East Pakistani writers in English during that 24-year period became part of Pakistani literature in English. The first-ever critical anthology on Bangladeshi Anglophone literature, this book argues that the literary tradition has prolific and distinguished historical origins. It marks the beginning of more research in this area, as Bangladeshi literature in English has been growing steadily, especially in the twenty-first century.
There is a tendency to regard (English) literature as beyond the pale of religion and conventiona... more There is a tendency to regard (English) literature as beyond the pale of religion and conventional morality. Advocates of the postulates of the art for art’s sake school are perhaps predisposed to dismiss academic endeavours of relating Islam to literary discussion. This is despite the fact that there are millions of Muslim students of English literature who are exposed to Western/(neo-) European values and cultural assumptions through the subject. The conventional, impressionable teaching and learning of English literary texts, de-contextualising them and failing to distinguish between the good and the evil they carry contribute to the proliferation of alien views and ways of life in non-Western, Muslim-majority societies. This book represents a humble attempt to go a few steps beyond the conventional mode of English literary criticism. It looks at the subject with a sense of discrimination and is intended to enhance learners’ religio-cultural understanding and competence. It aims to help students conceptualise the world as presented in English texts through the prism of Islamic teachings. The arguments in this book show the concrete relevance of Islam to issues discussed in the selected works of major authors of twentieth-century English literature, such as: Joseph Conrad (1857 – 1924), Rudyard Kipling (1865 – 1936), Virginia Woolf (1882 – 1941), T. S. Eliot (1888 – 1965), W. H. Auden (1907 – 1973) and Doris Lessing (1919 – 2013). It is a useful reference material for those who teach and study twentieth-century English literature.
This book contains English essays on gender issues the author Shah Abdul Hannan originally wrote ... more This book contains English essays on gender issues the author Shah Abdul Hannan originally wrote in Bangla over more than two decades. As part of his continuing quest for justice, he has been passionate about establishing gender egalitarianism in Bangladesh society. Even though the sociocultural reality of Bangladesh has been at the back of his mind while penning his thoughts transmitted in these essays, they can be effective in addressing gender disparities in other societies as well. The crux of his arguments with regard to gender issues corresponds with what the emerging Islamic feminist discourse promotes, that is, the best way to address gender inequities and gender based discrimination is to go back to the teachings of Islam. At the same time, Shah Abdul Hannan believes, it is important to understand the primary sources of Islam – the Qur’an and the Sunnah – in the context of contemporary concerns and perspectives. This book should be highly useful to all those who are interested in Islam and gender as well as policy makers and researchers in this field.
In this memoir, the author mainly describes his arrival to and life in Britain – which he has fon... more In this memoir, the author mainly describes his arrival to and life in Britain – which he has fondly adopted as his homeland – as well as his enthusiastic embrace of voluntary community work, the challenges it entails and the pleasures it offers. His odyssey (what he terms ‘jihad’ or ‘quest and effort’ in the book) represents his most determined and natural human striving towards self-realisation in a new ethno-cultural landscape and becoming a respected member of its community. His story is one of openness, successful acculturation and development of national identity of a British-Bangladeshi professional, especially in terms of social commitment and integration. Abdul Bari, in this respect, embodies a connection between most first-generation British Muslims and their descendants. He states: ‘I have endeavoured to bridge two worlds all my life: between the ‘old guard’ Muslim elders and the newer generations, between factions within communities as well as between ethnic and religious communities’ (p. 5). His narrative makes a strong statement against resistance and inability to integrate into, and adapt to, a Western host country.
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Papers by Md. Mahmudul Hasan
our country to its bones.
our country to its bones.
This book represents a humble attempt to go a few steps beyond the conventional mode of English literary criticism. It looks at the subject with a sense of discrimination and is intended to enhance learners’ religio-cultural understanding and competence. It aims to help students conceptualise the world as presented in English texts through the prism of Islamic teachings. The arguments in this book show the concrete relevance of Islam to issues discussed in the selected works of major authors of twentieth-century English literature, such as: Joseph Conrad (1857 – 1924), Rudyard Kipling (1865 – 1936), Virginia Woolf (1882 – 1941), T. S. Eliot (1888 – 1965), W. H. Auden (1907 – 1973) and Doris Lessing (1919 – 2013). It is a useful reference material for those who teach and study twentieth-century English literature.
Forgotten.
Having nowhere to go.
Heart-breaking tales of persecution, forced migration, separation,
exploitation and nostalgia.
Anecdotes of courage, resilience, faith and hope.
respect, embodies a connection between most first-generation British Muslims and their descendants. He states: ‘I have endeavoured to bridge two worlds all my life: between the ‘old guard’ Muslim elders and the newer generations, between factions within communities as well as between ethnic and religious communities’ (p. 5). His narrative makes a strong statement against resistance and inability to integrate into, and adapt to, a Western host country.