# Nishiddho Sompadokiyo

"Nishiddho Sampadokiyo" (Bengali: নিষিদ্ধ সম্পাদকীয়, lit. 'Banned Editorial') is a poem written by Helal Hafiz in 1969. Set against the backdrop of the Bangladesh Liberation War, the poem primarily focuses on the 1969 East Pakistan mass uprising. Later, it was included in the poetry collection titled "Je Jole Agun Jole", published in 1986. The poem calls for an armed struggle within the movement.
When the poem was submitted for publication in the Daily Pakistan, literary editor Ahsan Habib refused to publish it, deeming it anti-state. Subsequently, Ahmed Sofa and Humayun Kabir wrote the first two lines of the poem on papers and pasted them on the walls around the University of Dhaka. The poem was frequently recited at various political gatherings of the East Pakistan Students' League. After independence, from the Mujib era onwards, leftist political parties in Bangladesh widely used the poem. It also gained significant attention during the 1990 Bangladesh mass uprising, resonating deeply with the people.

## Background

In January 1969, during the mass uprising in East Pakistan, poet Helal Hafiz witnessed members of the police and the East Pakistan Rifles suppressing protesters in Gulistan, while on his way from Old Dhaka to the University of Dhaka. At that time, a rickshaw puller encouraged the protesters to fight back, stating that killing for patriotism was justified. Inspired by these words, the poet completed writing the poem in 1 February 1969. Later, along with Ahmed Sofa and Humayun Kabir, Helal Hafiz took the poem to Ahsan Habib, the literary editor of the Daily Pakistan, for publication. However, after reading the poem, the editor refused to publish it, fearing that it would be deemed anti-state, potentially leading to loss of his job and even the newspaper’s shutdown. After failing to get the poem published in the newspaper, Sofa and Kabir wrote the first two lines on papers and pasted them on the walls of the university area. Eventually, in 21 February 1969, the poem was published in a little magazine for the first time. In 1986, the poem was included in Helal Hafiz’s first published poetry collection titled "Je Jole Agun Jole". Later, it was translated into English, French, German and Hindi.

## Theme

Set against the backdrop of the Bangladesh Liberation War, the poem's central theme is the 1969 mass uprising. The poem calls for armed struggle in the movement. Additionally, the poem presents independence as the ultimate solution, contrasting it with the suffering depicted in the poet’s writings.

## Reception

According to Musarrat Naushaba, the poem is rich in political awareness, where the depth of patriotism is expressed effortlessly. She describes it as containing a "timeless depiction of life" with a sense of completeness. Mustafa Haider considers it an enduring poem that captures the consciousness of the youth in the context of independence. According to Jubak Anarya, this poem was what brought Helal Hafiz to fame. Writing about it, he notes, "It is as if poet Helal Hafiz himself is consumed by a melancholic despair. He sees beauty in shackles and roses declared outlaws. Yet, he never turns his poetry into mere slogans." Mohammad Ali argues that in this poem, Helal Hafiz portrays a lover who sacrifices his youth for patriotism, treating the enemy of the nation as his adversary who have to be killed.

## Legend

During the pre-independence era of Bangladesh, this poem was recited at various political gatherings of the East Pakistan Students' League. In 1971, it was used both to inspire young people to join the Bangladesh Liberation War and to boost the morale of the Muktibahini. After independence, from the Mujib era onwards, the poem became widely used by leftist political parties in the country. It remained relevant in Bangladesh's history of independence and later gained renewed attention during the 1990 Bangladesh mass uprising, resonating deeply with the people. The first two lines of the poem have become one of the most widely used slogans in Bangladesh’s political landscape.
In 2015, under the initiative of Sabed Sathi, the poem was adapted into a song featuring North America-based singer Kaushali Ima, accompanied by a music video. During the 2018 Bangladesh quota reform movement, when the government accused the Bangladesh Nationalist Party and Bangladesh Jamaat-e-Islami for the involvement on the student-based movement, writer Anisul Hoque referenced this poem, urging the authorities to swiftly address the students' demands. In 2020, amidst the COVID-19 pandemic, Mashrafe Mortaza, then-captain of the Bangladesh national cricket team, imitated the poem’s first two lines to encourage people to stay home. He posted on Facebook: "এখন যৌবন যার বাসায় থাকার তার শ্রেষ্ঠ সময়..." (lit. 'Now is the best time for youth to stay at home...').