During the Vietnam War, Noam Chomsky was critical of the role of intellectuals, identifying them as subservient to power while the US was abusing human rights in the war. US social scientists and technocrats provided pseudo-scientific justifications for the crimes committed by their state during the war. Dwight Macdonald, after the Second World War, questioned the responsibility of the German and Japanese people for the atrocities committed by their governments. Following Macdonald, Chomsky also questioned to what extent the British and American people were responsible for the vicious bombings of Hiroshima and Nagasaki. He emphasised that each intellectual must ask, "What have I done?"

There are many instances in history where intellectuals either took part in or supported the injustices of their state or colonial powers. At the same time, many intellectuals spoke truth to power. Indeed, intellectuals are most respected when they do so. Although we now understand that 'truth' is multifaceted, it is the responsibility of intellectuals to debunk these various truths. Moreover, power must be opposed whenever it acts against humanity.

The roles of intellectuals in 1971 and before were glorious. Many sacrificed their lives on December 14, just before our independence. We owe the existence of our state to their sacrifices. As the successors of the intellectuals of 1971, should we not ask ourselves in 2024, "What have I done in July 2024?" "What have I done in the last sixteen years?" "How did the autocrat manage to commit all these crimes—abductions, extrajudicial killings, money laundering?" "How has Bangladesh become a state run by mafias?" "What have I done when the right to free speech was silenced through three consecutive acts by the government, culminating in the ousting of the government on August 5, 2024?"

Some intellectuals spoke truth to power in the last sixteen years, yet many remained silent. They supported and nurtured the government as it became a demonic force that killed over 1,500 students and members of the public, leaving 22,000 injured during the July uprising. These are not just numbers but represent students, children, and ordinary citizens, each with unique life stories, relationships, and dreams. How they were killed, injured, treated—or not treated—and how they suffered, losing limbs and enduring untold pain, are stories yet to be fully revealed.

All of us have different ideologies and take stances according to them. However, the violation of human rights should be the dividing line, prompting us to act on behalf of those who do not share our ideological beliefs. Surprisingly, this basic understanding has vanished in recent times. Intellectuals have decided whether or not to act in response to human rights violations based on selective criteria tied to their vested interests. Intellectuals must urgently ask themselves how they can contribute to improving the situation.

Mirza Taslima Sultana is a Professor in the Department of Anthropology at Jahangirnagar University.