The Hunters

How can Bangladesh's fractured society, burdened by layers of trauma, begin to heal?

- Shahadat Swadhin

IN the first week of July, during the eruption of the ‘anti-discrimination student movement’ in Bangladesh demanding quota reform, I was in Dhaka. Having closely observed most recent student movements in the country, I paid particular attention to this one from its outset. By the second week of July, when I returned to Delhi, the protests were still ongoing. On the very day of my return, news broke of an attack on students at Jahangirnagar University, my alma mater. Under the cover of darkness, they were assaulted, with female students among those injured. That night, I could not sleep—it felt as if a shadow of the oppressive Pakistani regime had returned to Bangladesh.

On July 17, the martyrdom of Abu Sayeed infused new fervour into the resistance against Sheikh Hasina’s governance. However, that very night, the internet was shut down across the country, cutting off communication. During this blackout, I spent my days in dialogue with Indian journalists, trying to amplify the movement’s story. To steady my own resolve, I immersed myself in reading Jahanara Imam’s book Days of ’71. As someone representing this generation, I found deep parallels between the July uprising and the heroic struggle of Bangladesh’s liberation war in 1971.

Much like the period following 1971, Bangladesh is currently navigating a transitional phase in the post-Hasina era. This moment is marked by widespread chaos, trauma, anxiety and heightened societal expectations. However, it is commendable that despite the upheaval, the country has managed to avoid descending into civil war or communal riots—a testament to the resilience of its society, government and other stakeholders. Nevertheless, the young generation, in particular, is grappling with the lingering effects of postconflict trauma.