“Endless Revolutions”

The sparks that keep coming back

Maliha Mohsin

Eliot Weinberger, Ahdaf Soueif, Tariq Ali and Pankaj Mishra.

  The recent events in the global scene have awakened our consciences to stir from within. Egypt, Tunisia, America and even Bangladesh are some of the examples of how we’ve found ourselves in a world full of rebellion and revolt against the wrong and the fight for justice, equality and social welfare, in a time that almost seemed standstill and unimportant in the pages of history.
“Endless Revolutions” silenced the packed auditorium from 5:30-6:30pm on the second day of Hay Festival Dhaka 2013 (Friday), as it drew the audience into a dynamic conversation between Tariq Ali, Ahdaf Soueif and Pankaj Mishra along with Eliot Weinberger.
Revolutions of the past were recalled and the monsters wriggling within present societies and nations were talked of fearlessly. The parallels in the social wrongs present now and present in our past mistakes were highlighted. Bangladesh’s journey from before its birth until now was unfurled by Tariq Ali. Egypt’s circular struggle back into a regime was talked about by Ahdaf Soueif. South Asia’s struggle to come to terms with fair democracies was brought into light. How revolutions have changed now, and what they can and cannot become were discussed about.
The world’s revolutions and changes have shaped literature over the course of time in so many ways, and the session marked it well.