Soumitra Dasthidar: "The people of Bangladesh are still against Hasina"

Soumitra Dasthidar, a left-wing leader, filmmaker, and writer from Kolkata, recently gave an interview to an online channel about the ongoing political movements in Bangladesh. In the interview, he made a bold statement, saying, "The people of Bangladesh are still against Hasina."

He went on to elaborate, "From Kolkata, we have only seen Bangladesh through the eyes of the Awami League. Sheikh Hasina openly said that Yunus Sahib should be dunked in the Padma River twice, and she explained that no more than three times should be done, because he could die. This vengeful attitude—who is the main instigator behind it?"

However, he clarified that he is not in favor of banning Sheikh Hasina or her party. He pointed out, "There have been many trials in Bangladesh in the past, even executions. Personally, as a writer and filmmaker, I do not support the death penalty. But if the current government of Bangladesh believes that Hasina's actions have harmed the people of the country, they have every right to raise their voices."

Dasthidar also criticized the Awami League for what he called a "ridiculous" move when they planned to take to the streets wearing masks of Donald Trump. He said, "Unfortunately, some media tried to portray that Trump supporters were being attacked. It's like when we call our elder brother to resolve a neighborhood dispute. This is a childish tendency—thinking that Trump, by wearing a mask, will come to their rescue. It doesn’t make sense. Even if Trump comes to power, their policies will not change much."

He further pointed out, "India is a big country. Why should they only maintain relations with the Awami League? They could ease things a bit. If they do that, we too will have a chance to speak."

In the interview, he also provided some constructive suggestions regarding the relationship between Bangladesh and India, indicating the need for more balanced diplomatic ties between the two neighboring nations.