‘Communal forces becoming stronger, united efforts needed to thwart’

Communal forces are gathering their strength in different ways while the cultural activists are failing to evoke emotional appeal to the people like they did in the past.

The communal forces are being given political patronization in the garb of democracy. All pro-liberation forces must be united to thwart the communal forces.

Speakers at the eighth council of Ghatak Dalal Nirmul Committee made these remarks today, Saturday. The council was held at Osmani Memorial Auditorium in the city.

Speaking at the event as chief guest, liberation war affairs minister AKM Mozammel Haque said cultural activists would evoke anti-communal spirit during the liberation war and even 40 years ago but such activities have become rare.

Meanwhile, the communal forces are gathering strength in various ways. Especially on social media, there is a lack of initiative from the pro-liberation people in debunking the propaganda of communal forces.

“The communal forces have expanded more now than in the past. Women are being attacked and division is being created based on religious identity. It’s due to our failure that they are gathering more strength,” the minister said.

He said the government alone cannot do away with communal forces and civil society and cultural activists have to get united to fight communalism and terrorism.

Ghatak Dalal Nirmul Committee’s vice president Shyamali Nasreen Chowdhury presided over the main session of the event.

“Our freedom fighters sacrificed their lives to establish a liberal, humane and democratic society. But the war criminal, communal forces are again creating division in the society. All the pro-liberation forces must unite against this evil force,” said Shyamali Nasreen Chowdhury.

Workers Party of Bangladesh’s president Rashed Khan Menon said, “We fought in the liberation war to create a democratic and humane society but we’ve veered from the path now.”

Ramundu Majumder said although the pro-liberation force is in state power, the society is slowly going under the control of communal forces.

He said some people in administration sometimes patronize the communal forces.

Jatiya Samajtantrik Dal’s president Hasanul Haq Inu, Gram Theatre’s president Nasir Uddin Yousuf, Sampriti Bangladesh’s convener Pijush Bandyopadhyay, Sammilita Sangskritik Jote president Golam Kuddus, among others, spoke at the event.

Earlier in the morning president Md Sahabuddin inaugurated the council programme. Shahriar Kabir presided over the opening session.