Poet and thinker Farhad Mazhar has expressed deep concern over the United States’ policy-level contact with Bangladesh Jamaat-e-Islami, calling it a potential warning for Bangladesh’s future political landscape. “This silence signals their political stance,” he said. “It is clear there is a space of policy understanding between the United States and Jamaat, which is why the US is clarifying its position in advance,” he noted. Addressing Indian influence, Mazhar observed that while anti-India rhetoric was prominent in Bangladesh, there was limited discourse among intellectuals on US imperialism, reflecting a double standard. Speakers highlighted the ongoing crises in gas, electricity, and safe water, while emphasizing the role of civil society in post-uprising state reforms.

Source: Dhaka Tribune January 23, 2026 13:03 UTC