“They Humiliated Us After Giving the Award”: Salimullah Khan

Staff Reporter

Writer and essayist Salimullah Khan has spoken out about the controversy surrounding the Bangla Academy Literary Award ceremony, where award recipients were made to stand behind the chief guest and other dignitaries. A photo of the event went viral on social media, sparking widespread criticism.

Speaking at a seminar titled “Independence, Equality, and Harmony: The Poetry of Bangladesh,” held on Sunday at the Hakim Chattar near Dhaka University’s Central Library, Salimullah Khan expressed his frustration. “If Bangla Academy does not know how to honor people, should we rebel against them? What can we do if they lack basic etiquette? People are asking me why I accepted the award. Well, they humiliated us after giving the award,” he said.

The seminar, part of the closing day of the National Poetry Festival organized by the National Poetry Council, was chaired by writer and senior professor Abul Kasem Fazlul Haq.

During the Bangla Academy Literary Award ceremony on Saturday, award recipients were made to stand behind the chief guest, cultural advisor, and the director-general of Bangla Academy, who were seated on chairs. This arrangement drew sharp criticism on social media, with many users sharing the photo and expressing their disapproval. Some commented that it was unacceptable for the awardees to stand like “enslaved individuals” while less distinguished figures occupied the front seats.

Addressing the controversy, Salimullah Khan said, “Many are trolling Bangla Academy over the award ceremony. They are asking me why we stood behind while students were seated in front. I told them, those seated represented power. If Bangla Academy does not know how to honor people, should we rebel against them? What can we do if they lack basic etiquette?”

He added, “We must end this culture of subservience. To end subservience, we must unite. If we are not equal, we cannot be united.”

The event also featured discussions by Manzurur Rahman and Kudrat-e-Khoda, with journalist Sohrab Hossain moderating the session.