Prothom Alo English

Interview

Unpublished interview of Akbar Ali Khan

'Young leadership can change the country, the aging can do nothing'

Sohrab Hassan &

Rafsan Galib

Updated: 12 Sep 2022, 22: 00

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Akbar Ali Khan (1944-2022)Zahidul Karim

Writer and thinker Akbar Ali Khan passed away on 8 September. On 15 August, in a conversation with
Prothom Alo, he spoke at length about the country, politics, democracy, the administration and his
writing. This is, as far as we know, the last interview he had given to any newspaper or media outlet.
The interview was taken by Sohrab Hassan and Rafsan Galib.

Your book on Jibananda and Banalata Sen has been much discussed.
Actually I came to the right way by a wrong track. I had first seen Banalata as a courtesan, but had no
proof. But once Jibananda's diary was published, I had no doubt left in my mind about what he
wanted to say. I had said a lot of things that I shouldn't have because I hadn't read his diary. Many
may criticise me, but that won't change my interpretation. They can swear at me if they want, but I
think that the explanation that I gave about the poem 'Banalata Sen' is accurate. No one read it in
that matter, or thought of it in that manner. Jibananda's philosophy of life is visible in 'Banalata Sen'.
No one really gave this aspect much importance.