‘We must stay united for Bangladesh’: Drissho Madhyam Shilpi Shomaj announces July plans
One year after the July Movement peaked, the Drissho Madhyam Shilpi Shomaj—a collective of theater, television, and movie artistes, filmmakers, cinematographers, and cultural activists—reconvened. Last year, they had staged a protest at Farmgate, raising their voices against the then-fascist government and supporting the students' nine-point demands.
This year, the Drissho Madhyam Shilpi Shomaj held a special press conference at Shilpakala Academy at around 11 AM, marking their reunion. They also announced their upcoming day-long program, "Kolija Kapano 36 Din: Gono-Obbhutthan O Sangskritik Nirman," scheduled for August 2 at the Bangladesh National Museum.
For all latest news, follow The Daily Star's Google News channel. The press conference began with a minute of silence to honor those who lost their lives during the July Movement, followed by the national anthem.
Members of Drissho Madhyam present included Azmeri Haque Badhan, Tanim Noor, Krishnokoli Islam, Shaheen Dill-Riaz, Munem Wasif, Dr. Samina Luthfa, Asaduzzaman Asad, Tanha Zafreen, Dr. Aanon H. Siddiqua, Mushfiqur Rahman Manju, Mohammad Ali Haider, Bithi Ghosh, Habibur Rahman, Barkat Hossain Polash, Jagannoy Pal, Mitu Rahman, Shadab Shahrokh Hai, and Rafi Uddin.
Taslima Akhter moderated the event, while Akram Khan, Krishnendu Chattopadhyay, Fariha Shams Seoti, and Sarker Prateek jointly read the keynote statement.
Azmeri Haque Badhan shared, "Every one of us present here came together under the banner of Drissho Madhyam. We stood in the streets for an hour on August 1 to show our solidarity with the students. All of us stood together against genocide and the arrest of countless people, against the way people were tortured. I don't think anyone could stay home and watch that in silence. The July uprising gave us a kind of freedom from a fascist regime. But even now, I feel disappointment with the state of things. It hurts deeply to witness what continues to happen. Still, I hold on to hope. I dream of a beautiful Bangladesh. And for that dream to become real, we all must stay united."
Noted director Tanim Noor expressed his happiness at seeing everyone come together again. "At that time, the way we all came together, and that we are still together now, speaks volumes of what we want, and that is to speak up against injustice. We will always stand tall against any sort of fascist government. August 5 will always remain one of the most important days of my life. I hope to see everyone on August 2."
Theater and cultural activist Dr. Samina Luthfa recalled that when they announced a human chain under the banner of Bikkhubdho Theatre Kormi in front of Jatiya Sangsad Bhaban on July 19, the internet was still accessible. However, it was shut down the day before their program.
The professor said, "On July 19, we were amazed to see so many people come to our protest that day—at least 200 to 300 cultural activists, teachers, and people from across different fields. We stayed there for about an hour after facing so many obstacles. They tried to attack us and took our microphones, but we still went on with our program. At that time, we felt that we needed almost all cultural people to come under one umbrella, not just intellectuals, teachers, and theater artistes."
"What started on July 19 led to many other banners coming together. Drissho Madhyam and others arranged cultural programs that broke curfew. Later, on August 2, we all came together for the Droho Jatra. People from all walks of life joined the protests against injustice. The movement eventually turned into a one-point demand and helped us dethrone a fascist leader. However, if we compare what we hoped for last year with what we have achieved, almost none of it matches expectations. Still, I believe the dreams we envisioned during those 36 days are worth holding on to. If we want the Bangladesh we dreamed of, we must work hard and always pressure the government so that no one can ever try to be a fascist or tyrant again," concluded the cultural activist.
Asaduzzaman Asad, one of the foremost cultural activists of the July Movement, stated that without the unity of the "July warriors," it would not have been possible to remove fascism. "Drissho Madhyam is such a platform that gave us power. Just as fear can be a virus, we can also win over fear with our courage. When we, as artistes, come together, when we speak, nobody can stop us. One year after the July Movement, we want to say one thing: We did not unite under any political influence. We came together for the sake of the people," he noted.
After the event, filmmaker Dhrubo Hasan screened a short presentation of photographs featuring moments from the July Movement, alongside pictures of the martyrs who sacrificed their lives to free the country from fascist rule.
Filmmaker and writer Jaheen Faruque concluded by sharing details about the "Kolija Kapano 36 Din: Gono-Obbhyutthan O Sanskritik Nirman" event. The day-long program will include a procession remembering martyrs, live graffiti, discussions, theater performances, musical acts, poetry recitation, and exhibitions of pictures and posters from the July Uprising. They are also planning a month-long online program focused on the impact of the movement.
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