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Writer and professor Salimullah Khan on Friday at a discussion in Dhaka said that the July-August uprising resulted in only a transition of power and nothing new was born completely in the past two months.

He made the remark at the discussion titled Diversity and Plurality of Culture in Bengal: Tangle and Salvation at the Bangla Academy’s Poet Shamsur Rahman Auditorium, organised by the Sangskrti Bangla. 

Salimullah Khan also pointed out that the spirit of the War of Independence was not reflected in the 1972 constitution.

Mentioning that they had gone to the reign of King Akbar, he said, ‘Akbar listened to all religions. He believed in peace with all.’

He also said that the history of the Liberation War started from 1948, but the struggle of the people had in the British history was not taught in secondary level. ‘Akbar came to this country as a Turk, and spread the message of peace.’

Dhaka University world religions and culture professor Father Tapan Camillus De Rozario, Ramakrishna Math and Mission monk Swami Debdhyanananda, Uttara  Buddhist Mahabihar principal Srimath Mudita Pal Ther, national minority leader and human rights activist writer Ilira Dewan and Tongi An-Noor Jame Masjid Khatib Shaikh Ali Hasan Tayyab also attended the programme as discussants.

Moderated by poet-essayist Sohel Hasan Galib, Jahangirnagar University archaeology department professor Masud Imran read the concept paper at the discussion.

Masud Imran said in the concept paper that Muslim nationalism based on religion and Bengali nationalism based on language have tried to reject each other.

Mentioning that the July uprising brought several questions to the fore, he stressed on building a nationalist politics-free Bangladesh instead of participation of all opinion-paths.

Tapan Camillus De Rozario said, ‘We are all human beings, religion is only part of our identity. Culture of Bangladesh is all of us.’

He said, ‘Historically, we are in a quagmire. The current conflict is because the balance between religion-based and language-based politics has not been maintained.’

Swami Debdhyanananda said that there were attacks on minorities in different parts of the country. ‘The Prophet Muhammad (PBUH) is being taunted. This is a critical situation.’

‘By knowing and understanding the philosophy of unity, we who are people of diverse culture in Bengal can stay united,’ he added.

Pointing out that other languages ​​of the country has been denied by referring to the national language Bangla in the 1972 constitution, Ilira Dewan said, ‘During any event or day, we are presented out of the showcase.’

Highlighting the importance of coexistence of people of all religions by quoting the Holy Qur’an and Hadith, Ali Hasan Taiyab said that violence in the name of religion was not the work of religious people.

Among others, poet-essayist Razu Alauddin, poet Chanchal Ashraf, poet Janice Mahmoun, writer Jasmine Munni, journalist Nasrin Akhtar, and poet Shams Al Momin, among others, attended the discussion.