Renowned fiction writer and journalist Mahbub Morshed has called on authors to document the defining events of the July mass uprising and the oppressive measures inflicted upon the people by the ousted authoritarian Sheikh Hasina government. He stressed the importance of preserving these crucial historical moments in literature to safeguard them from being lost to collective memory.

"Many of the country’s landmark historical events, such as the 1971 Liberation War and the 1990 anti-Ershad movement, remain absent from our literature. If the story of the student-led uprising of 2024 is not preserved in literary works, future generations risk losing knowledge of this defining moment," said Mahbub Morshed while delivering a memorial lecture titled "Post-Uprising Literature: Crisis and Possibilities,"  held at the Kabi Shamsur Rahman Conference Room, Bangla Academy on Tuesday.

The programme was organized by the Oitijjhya publication in celebration of its two-decade milestone. In his speech, Mahbub Morshed, who is also the Managing Director and Chief Editor of Bangladesh Sangbad Sangstha stressed that literature should reflect the pervasive authoritarianism that had seeped into every aspect of national life over the past 15 years.

Mahbub encouraged writers to use symbolism and metaphor when documenting Awami authoritarianism and the July uprising to ensure the events are accessible and resonant for readers.

"Even if the details of the oppression aren’t directly stated, readers will understand the depth of the suffering during that regime," he said.

Reflecting on the aftermath of the uprising, Mahbub expressed disappointment, noting, "We've drifted from our goals, forgetting the atrocities, disappearances, and extrajudicial killings that marked that period. We seem to have lost sight of the significance of this uprising that led to Sheikh Hasina’s ouster."

"We still bear a mindset of defeat, not realising that we are the victors," noted fiction writer Mahbub Morshed said.

He warned against complacency, observing that, "After removing the visible symbols of the Awami League, many assumed the party had disappeared—but they’re still here, hidden in plain sight. And here we sit idly, after witnessing the tragic loss of nearly two thousand lives."

Recalling the climate of fear under the previous regime, Mahbub said, "We faced constant insecurity whenever we attempted to write critically; we never knew when the police might come to seize our devices."

Even the newspapers and television are busy with daily events after such a major political changeover forgetting the atrocities of fascism. However, a handful of news stories are seen nowadays on the corruption of the ousted government, said Mahbub noting that some media outlets sometimes publish some stories on corruption, he said, adding, "While corruption and irregularities of major players including Sheikh Hasina and her MP's as well as the ministers are absent in the media".

Recalling the fascist regime, Mahbub said, "We had to face insecurities whenever we tried to write something as we didn't know when police would come and seize our devices".

BSS Chief lamented that mainstream media has largely returned to covering routine news, sidelining the serious examination of atrocities from the previous regime. "Some reports on corruption emerge occasionally, but the vast corruption and abuses of major players, including Sheikh Hasina, her MPs, and ministers, are barely touched upon," he noted.

BSS Chief lamented that mainstream media has largely returned to covering routine news, sidelining the serious examination of atrocities from the previous regime. "Some reports on corruption emerge occasionally, but the vast corruption and abuses of major players, including Sheikh Hasina, her MPs, and ministers, are barely touched upon," he noted.

BSS Chief lamented that mainstream media has largely returned to covering routine news, sidelining the serious examination of atrocities from the previous regime. "Some reports on corruption emerge occasionally, but the vast corruption and abuses of major players, including Sheikh Hasina, her MPs, and ministers, are barely touched upon," he noted.

The writer also called for using simile and metaphor in literary works while writing about the Awami fascism and July uprising to make it lucid for the readers to understand the events.

The discussion was conducted by Imran Nafis of Bangladesh Study Forum and featured other prominent attendees, including Arifur Rahman Nayeem, Chief Executive of Oitijjhya publication, and Tanim Nawshad, a lecturer at Dhaka University’s Institute of Modern Languages.