When social media influenced political movements first came to the limelight there was a huge enthusiasm. People expected oppressions around the world will collapse under the weight of some 20 something’s phone camera. It didn’t pan out that way. Rather we also witnessed a kind of counter revolution. A lot of oppressors around the world now have a big social media army to back them up. It’s true from Putin to Trump. The fundamental assumption behind political action, is that you need to free yourself first. Social media is a communication medium. You can use it to shackle yourself tighter too.
In the post social media political movements, there was a talk of “post-Truth” politics. A politics where “truth” doesn’t matter anymore. Problem is this truth is not so well defined like its proponents wants you to believe. But there’s a talk of alternate reality where different political communities reside different bubble. I think the problem we face in Bangladesh is more complicated.
In Bangladesh, we’re not just living in alternative realities. We’re kind of living in “alternative past”. There are fundamental disagreements about “who we are and where do we come from”.
And that’s where Rifat Hasan comes in. He wishes for reimagination of what we could be.
I first learned about Rifat Hasan in 2009. I used to spend a lot of time in somewhere blog. One day Solimul Shihab vai told there’s writer he likes. He also cautioned me as he thought the writer was a bnp supporter. It was difficult to publicly acknowledge a guy like that and not to incur wrath from the ruthless A Team, which used stuff like the KP test to police people’s online behavior. It all sounds hilarious and Kafkaesque now, but back then it felt serious. Definitely, my naivete played a role here.
Although I refrained from publicly saying anything, I used to read all his stuff. I still do. He’s a original thinker in a crowd of derivative mediocrity.
My own political and ideological alignment changed a lot from 2009. The biggest shift occurred during 2013 and 2014. At time Rifat vai`s writing helped me a lot to restructure my own thought. I still remember his review of Tareq Masud Matir Moyna influenced me a lot. He identified some subtle issues which neither the proponents or the detractors of the film usually notice. You can compare his assessment to shahaduzzanan`s to understand what I’m talking about.
The aspiration, dreams and political consciousness of eastern people is not well understood in our intelligentsia. Neither left or the right never understands why people unapologetically supported both Pakistan movement and liberation movement. And people at large don’t find it contradictory. Rifat vai along with some others are filling this specific gap in our understanding.
Although I have been following him for ages, I never bought his books, mainly because I was already familiar with writing. Which was pretty lazy in my opinion. So I bought the two books I am more interested in.
Hoping we will get more books in coming years from him
Ariful Hossain Tuhin, Writer
