Rifat Hasan
Rifat Hasan (Bengali: রিফাত হাসান; born 17 January 1980) is a Bengali writer and critic.[1] [2] [3] [4] He is the author of Shomporko, Bondhutto O Rajniti, a nonfiction book published in 2014 that sparked both debate and criticism for its ideas on friendship (Bengali: বন্ধুত্ব), critique of modern politics, and its exploration of the complexities of political practices in post-independence Bangladesh. [5] [6] [7] [8] Over the last 12 years, his books, op-eds, public lectures and interviews made a notable impact on young writers and thinkers.[7] [9]
Rifat Hasan | |
|---|---|
 Rifat Hasan in 2024 | |
| Born | January 17, 1980 Chittagong |
| Occupation | Writer, critic |
| Nationality | Bangladeshi |
| Website | |
| rifathasan | |
Biography
changeIn 2013, Rifat was one of the first few intellectuals to denounce the massive Shahbag demonstrations, termed the movement as fascist in nature and inimical to the idea of justice.[9][10] In a March 2014 interview, he further condemned Shahbag protesters for restricting liberal discourse in society and failing to critically assess the war crimes tribunal under Sheikh Hasina’s regime, which, to rifat, created a point of no return in Bangladeshi politics and society.[9]
Following the 2024 Student–People's uprising in Bangladesh, Rifat Hasan's proposal for post-fascist restructuring and constitutional reform gained prominence. [8] [1] [4] In his After Fascist manifesto, Hasan argues that the current constitution has lost its ethical authority, especially after the July massacre,[2][11] and calls for a new constitution to restore public ownership of the country. [12] [1] [13] He proposes forming an all-party Guardian Council to oversee the drafting process, with a constitutional reform commission preparing a draft to be adopted through a referendum. [14] [3] [15]
Criticism
changeSeveral critics harshly condemned Rifat in 2013 for allegedly defending the views of Hefazat and accused war criminals. Progressive left activists claimed Rifat’s stance on the Shahbagh movement was overly lenient toward Jamaat-e-Islami’s position on the 1971 Liberation War and sympathetic to Hefazat, arguing that he was more critical of the Shahbagh uprising than of these groups.[16] In 2024, Mixed reactions have emerged in response to Hasan’s proposal for an all-party Guardian Council. Justice M.A. Matin, a retired judge of the Appellate Division of the Supreme Court of Bangladesh, and Ridwanul Hoque, a constitutional expert, see the Guardian Council as essential for reform process. [8] However, they note that a constitution is more than a written document; under this same constitution, Bangladesh has at times experienced better governance than at others. [8] Others, like Nayel Rahman, view Hasan’s call to rewrite the constitution as a bold move for change in Bangladesh. [4]
Books
changeProse
change- Shomporko, Bondhutto O Rajniti (Relations, Friendship and Politics, 2014)[5]
- Ei Shomoiti Apni Kibhabe Udjapon Korben (How to celebrate this fascist time, 2016)[17]
- Text, Conspiracy O Rupkotha (Text, Conspiracy and FairyTale, 2021)[7]
Poetry
change- Jolladkhanai Boisha KobitaPat (Reading poetry in a slaughterhouse, 2020)[18]
References
change- ↑ 1.0 1.1 1.2 Bangla Outlook (6 October 2024). "Beyond band-aids: Reconstruction debate points out need for fundamental constitutional change".
- ↑ 2.0 2.1 প্রথম আলো (3 October 2024). "'সংবিধান হতে হবে সব মানুষের সম্পৃক্ততায়'" (in Bengali).
- ↑ 3.0 3.1 সকাল সন্ধ্যা (21 September 2024). "সংবিধান : অভিভাবক কাউন্সিল গঠনের মাধ্যমে গণমত গ্রহণের দাবি" (in Bengali).
- ↑ 4.0 4.1 4.2 New Age (10 October 2024). "Of our hopes and fears".
- ↑ 5.0 5.1 banglanews24.com (24 February 2014). "সম্পর্ক, বন্ধুত্ব ও রাজনীতি নিয়ে বইমেলায় রিফাত হাসান" (in Bengali).
{{cite news}}: CS1 maint: numeric names: authors list (link) - ↑ বাছবিচার (4 September 2024). "রিফাত হাসান" (in Bengali).
- ↑ 7.0 7.1 7.2 দেশ রূপান্তর (20 June 2021). "টেক্সট, কন্সপিরেসি ও রূপকথা: দুঃসহ সময়ের ঘটনা আর চিন্তার ডায়েরি" (in Bengali).
- ↑ 8.0 8.1 8.2 8.3 প্রথম আলো (20 September 2024). "নতুন সংবিধান প্রণয়ন সম্ভব, কিন্তু চ্যালেঞ্জগুলো কী কী" (in Bengali).
- ↑ 9.0 9.1 9.2 Rifat Hasan (22 March 2014). ""সম্পর্কের জ্ঞান হচ্ছে রাজনীতি"—রিফাত হাসান এর ইন্টারভিউ (২০১৪)" (Interview) (in Bengali). Interviewed by আশরাফুল আলম শাওন. Bangladesh: সাম্প্রতিক.কম. Retrieved 22 March 2014.
- ↑ Salim Reza Newton (29 April 2013). "হেফাজতে ইসলাম নিয়ে অল্প কয়টা কথা". salimrezanewton.com (in Bengali). Archived from the original on 19 July 2024.
ভাববেন না যে আমি আলাদা করে হেফাজতের হুজুরদের দোষ দিয়ে আনন্দ পাচ্ছি।
- ↑ সকাল সন্ধ্যা (3 October 2024). "'জনগণের সার্বভৌম ইচ্ছার দলিল হিসেবেই নতুন সংবিধান দরকার'" (in Bengali).
- ↑ মানবজমিন (5 October 2024). "'সংশোধন নয়, নতুন সংবিধান প্রণয়ন করতে হবে'" (in Bengali).
- ↑ themirrorasia (6 November 2024). "চট্টগ্রামে ফ্যাসিবাদবিরোধী সাংস্কৃতিক সংগঠন জনমুক্তির আত্মপ্রকাশ".
- ↑ দৈনিক সমকাল (22 September 2024). "নতুন সংবিধান প্রণয়নে সর্বদলীয় অভিভাবক কাউন্সিল গঠন জরুরি" (in Bengali).
- ↑ নয়া দিগন্ত (22 September 2024). "নতুন সংবিধান তৈরিতে সবার অংশগ্রহণ ও সম্মতি নিশ্চিত করার দাবি" (in Bengali).
- ↑ Salim Reza Newton (29 April 2013). "হেফাজতে ইসলাম নিয়ে অল্প কয়টা কথা". salimrezanewton.com (in Bengali). Archived from the original on 19 July 2024.
ভাববেন না যে আমি আলাদা করে হেফাজতের হুজুরদের দোষ দিয়ে আনন্দ পাচ্ছি।
- ↑ "সময় উদযাপন শেখাবেন রিফাত হাসান". thereport24.com. February 27, 2015. Archived from the original on February 28, 2015. Retrieved February 28, 2015.
{{cite news}}:|archive-date=/|archive-url=timestamp mismatch; November 29, 2022 suggested (help) - ↑ দেশ রূপান্তর (16 December 2019). "রিফাত হাসানের 'জল্লাদখানায় বইসা কবিতাপাঠ'" (in Bengali).