Signs of new fascism being heard: Anu Muhammad

Professor Anu Muhammad, a member of the Committee for Democratic Rights, said that the signs of a new form of fascism are becoming apparent.

“Given the current situation, we are hearing the signals of a new fascism emerging,” he said. “Across society, there are signs of movement from a new fascist force. We must protest against this.”

He made these remarks on Saturday afternoon while speaking at a Citizen Solidarity Rally held in front of the Raju Sculpture at the University of Dhaka.

The rally was organised in protest against the impunity granted to convicted war criminal ATM Azharul Islam, as well as the attacks by Jamaat-Shibir on rallies of the Democratic Student Alliance at Rajshahi University and in Chattogram. The event was organised by the Democratic Student Alliance.

At the rally, Professor Anu Muhammad said that during the mass uprising, there was a hope for change, and the people had envisioned a new political structure. “But in reality,” he said, “the government's role appears indifferent—it hardly feels like they exist. In fact, in some cases, there is evidence of state forces being involved in the attacks and repression.”

He continued, “Whenever women, students, workers, teachers, or people from any segment of society speak up for their rights, they are attacked. And those who carry out these attacks go unpunished because they have protectors within the government itself.”

On 27 May, a peaceful rally by the Democratic Student Alliance at Rajshahi University was attacked. In protest, another rally was held on 28 May at the Chattogram Press Club, also organised by the Democratic Student Alliance, where another attack occurred—this time in the presence of police. In both cases, it has been alleged that the attackers included current and former leaders of Shibir, the student wing of Jamaat-e-Islami, under the banner of the “Anti-Shahbagh Unity.”

Raising questions about the impunity granted to a convicted war criminal, Anu Muhammad said, “ATM Azharul Islam was a leader of a war criminal organisation in 1971. The charges against him were supported by documents and evidence. Even if the court overturns the previous verdict due to some procedural flaw, the truth of the war crimes cannot be erased.”

He added, “Declaring someone who has been identified by history as a war criminal to be innocent is a distortion of history. It is a betrayal of the martyrs of 1971, of the women who were tortured, and of the freedom fighters.” He also said, “Many of the current young members of Jamaat and Shibir were not born in 1971. They didn’t commit those war crimes themselves. But if they continue to carry forward that same political ideology, they cannot be free from its responsibility.”

Anu Muhammad also addressed the claim that the trials of war criminals are 'anti-Islam,' calling it a dangerous lie. “Most of the people who were martyred in 1971 were devout Muslims. So to call the trial of their killers anti-Islam is to insult Islam itself.”

He called for collective resistance against those who distort history and promote politics of inequality and oppression. “As long as the politics of war criminals persists,” he said, “the struggle for democracy and human rights must continue. That struggle will be the foundation for building an equal and humane Bangladesh.”

Harun ur Rashid, General Secretary of the Bhasani Parishad, and Manzoor Al Matin, a member of the Committee for Democratic Rights also spoke at the event. The event was shortened due to heavy rain. The rally was moderated by Jabir Ahmed, coordinator of the Democratic Student Alliance.