Interview/ Mostafa Sarwar Farooki, filmmaker and cultural adviser, Bangladesh
Growing up in Nakhalpara, a middle-class neighbourhood in Dhaka where storytelling was a daily ritual, Mostafa Sarwar Farooki first picked up a video camera to capture fragments of his childhood. One frame, still vivid in his memory, is of him unconsciously copying a famous photograph of the renowned filmmaker Satyajit Ray at work, an image rooted in the shared cultural imagination of India and Bangladesh. Cinema and cricket, cultural spaces shared by the two countries, shaped Farooki’s imagination and helped his films travel across borders, resonating deeply in India. Yet he has not visited the country for three years.
After the 2024 student-led protests, Farooki was appointed cultural adviser in the interim government led by Muhammad Yunus. Today, he finds himself in an unusual place for a filmmaker. He works from Sheikh Hasina’s former residence, overseeing its transformation into a museum documenting the July uprising. The long road, flanked by manicured gardens with scattered sculptures on its edges, which once led into Hasina’s residence, now opens into an ordinary office. This is where Farooki sits, guarded by armed security personnel in police fatigues. “Although this is not the regular office of the cultural minister, I have to sit here as I am also working as the curatorial director and chief planner of the museum,” he says, in an exclusive interview with THE WEEK. On ties with India, he says recovery is possible only through honest introspection. Edited excerpts:
Q/ As a filmmaker who has brought real-life experiences to the screen, how do you see society in Bangladesh changing today?
Any mass uprising or revolution is essentially a cultural event to me. Yes, it has a political expression and political results are the apparent goal, but it is the cultural fault lines that cause the political earth to shake. Big uprisings offer people an opportunity to reflect, to think about who they are, where they have come from, how they have reached here, and where they need to go from here. In this process, many things come out which were probably swept under the carpet for years. This is a challenging phase, to process all this and find a balanced path for the future.
Q/ Bangladesh has a powerful history shaped by language, resistance and liberation. Today, edifices that once defined it have crumbled.
We have a long history of living under oppression. We lived under double colonialism—of the British and the zamindars. We saw how the dream of an independent state of Bengal was shattered and Bengal was divided, which left us with a singular option of having an independent state of our own, Pakistan. Soon, we realised that ‘freedom’ was still a far cry. So our history has been a complex one. However, in recent years, we were forced to accept a one-sided narrative of what actually happened. After the uprising, it naturally resulted in some chaos, as has happened in many countries. But at the same time, it is also true that Bangladeshi people took control of things quickly, which is a sign that we are heading towards evolution. We will go through rough rides, but we will get there.
Q/ Talking about freedom, how do you see assaults on freedom of expression, journalists, artists and others?
Freedom of expression is fundamental for any society. However, societies often struggle to ensure this. For example, the country you come from has long struggled on this front. Even societies that appear modern have their own limitations. As for attacks on singers, journalists and the freedom of the press, it is difficult to answer if you do not specify. If you are referring to the heinous arson attacks on Prothom Alo and The Daily Star, they are absolutely despicable, and the government has already arrested a large number of accused persons. Press freedom is not under any sort of threat under this government. Yes, there have been a few incidents where some Baul programmes (the mystic folk music tradition of Bengal) were initially stopped, which we later organised.
The fact is that Bangladesh has seen unprecedented cultural activity over the past year in terms of diversity, inclusivity and variety. From musical performances at shrines to Baul programmes, rock and rap, there has never been a better time in terms of cultural programmes organised by the ministry of cultural affairs. For the first time in Bangladesh’s history, all ethnic groups came together and joined the central Noboborsho rally at Shahbag, creating the biggest and most colourful rally in our history. Earlier, it was reserved only for the dominant Bengali population. The ministry has celebrated Eid, Buddha Purnima, Durga Puja and Christmas again, for the first time.
You know about Lalon, right? Probably the most influential philosopher, poet and musical maestro this land has ever produced. His verses gave a new meaning to humanity, beyond race, caste and religion. His questions challenged the religious status quo in many ways. This great maestro has long been admired by the people, but the state and establishment never dared to accommodate him due to perceived sensitivities. The interim government has declared his death anniversary as the highest-level culturally important national day, alongside Tagore and Kazi Nazrul. We organised programmes in all districts, with Kushtia and Dhaka being the main centres. The Kushtia Lalon Mela saw an unprecedented one and a half million visitors celebrating Lalon songs, which are among the most secular in nature.
On Victory Day, December 16, songs from Swadhin Bangla Betar Kendra (the clandestine radio station during the 1971 war) were performed in all 64 districts to celebrate the victory in our Liberation War. So, contrary to the propaganda narrative being circulated, culturally the interim government has proved to be more active and inclusive.
Now let me return to the main point. Arson attacks on newspaper offices did not begin during our term. Attacks on Bauls, for that matter, have not happened for the first time either. No attacks are justified in any way. But my problem lies with how this is being narrated. It is being presented as if all these changes began after the fascist fled to India or as a result of the interim government’s complicity. That is not true. Newspapers like Shongram and Amar Desh had their offices burned down by the fascist government. Bauls have regularly come under attack over the years. Does that mean we are complicit in unlawful activities? No. Should this continue as it did before? No. But you must recognise the challenges this government is facing.
Q/ The strongest thread of shared culture between India and Bangladesh seems to have come under strain. How do you see this relationship changing in the coming days?
Nations are often obsessed with their past. However, diplomatic relations and friendships between countries are mostly driven by the present. Nations become friends based on shared interests and mutual respect in the present. We had a war with Pakistan; does that mean we should forever exchange hatred? India–Bangladesh relations have reached their lowest point, let us accept that. Let us also identify and accept the reasons that brought us here. Only then will we find a way forward.
The starting point of Bangladesh–India relations should be acceptance of the people’s will, as expressed through the July uprising. India is currently hosting those who fled Bangladesh following the uprising. What are Bangladeshis’ main grievances? I would ask you to put yourself in our position and reflect. As an Indian, you would not welcome interference from another country. Bangladeshis want the same simple thing. We want friendship with our neighbours, but that friendship must begin with mutual respect and a genuine commitment.
Q/ Bangladesh chose to pull out of the T20 World Cup, leading to a major controversy that also involved Pakistan. What possible steps can be taken to salvage the situation?
To be honest, cricket lost big time. Bangladesh sought a change of venues citing valid reasons. In the past, India, Pakistan and Australia have made similar requests and had them granted. Bangladesh, however, was denied the same consideration. As a result, trust in the idea of fairness has taken a serious hit. I do not know exactly how this can be repaired, but restoring that trust has to come first. There is no doubt that India is the biggest player in the cricket economy. But that position also comes with responsibilities. I hope India plays its part and helps restore confidence in the cricketing world by placing the principle of fairness above everything else.