Sohel Hasan Galib (Bengali: সোহেল হাসান গালিব; born November 15, 1978) is a noted Bangladeshi poet, essayist, academic and cultural activist.[1][2][3][4][5][6][7] He is also an associate professor of Bengali language and literature and the editor of the literary magazine Prospor. A campion of cultural pluralism, Galib has organised an interreligious dialogue after the July Revolution in 2024.[2]
His work has sparked significant controversy, particularly following his arrest in February 2025 over allegations of "hurting religious sentiments" through a poem in his poetry collection titled Amar Khutba Guli.[8] His arrest prompted widespread protests from writers and activists, who argue it reflects growing state curbs on free expression amid stricter blasphemy laws.[2] Pen Bangladesh condemned the arrest of the poet, saying that "opinions and ideas can only be countered by opinions and ideas, and not by stifling thought."[5]
Works
Poetry collections
- Choushatti Danar Uddayan (Flight of Sixty-Four Wings, 2007)
- Dwaipayan Bedanar Theke (From Island-born Agony, 2009)
- Raktomemorandum (Blood Memorandum, 2011)
- Ananga Ruper Deshe (In the Land of Formless Beauty, 2014)
- Timire Tarana (Melody in the Gloom, 2017)
- Amar Khutba Guli (My Sermons, 2024)
Essay collections
- Bad-maghrib: Bhasha-Rajnitir Gopon Path (After Maghrib: The Secret Lesson of Language Politics, 2018)
Edited anthology
- Shunyer Kabita (Selected Poems of 2000s, 2008)
Interview book
- Kahankatha (Selected Interviews of Selim Al Deen, 2008)
References
- ^ "PEN Bangladesh condemns arrest of poet Sohel Hasan Galib, demands his release". The Business Standard. 2025-02-21. Retrieved 2025-02-22.
- ^ a b c "Writers, publishers, activists demand poet Galib's release within 72 hours". bdnews24.com. Retrieved 2025-02-22.
- ^ "Seminar commemorates poet Farrukh Ahmad's 50th death anniversary". UNB. Retrieved 2025-02-22.
- ^ "Poet Sohel Hasan Galib put on 2-day remand". Prothom Alo. 2025-02-17. Retrieved 2025-02-22.
- ^ a b "PEN Bangladesh condemns arrest of poet Sohel Hasan Galib". Dhaka Tribune. Retrieved 2025-02-22.
- ^ ধর্মীয় অবমাননার অভিযোগে গ্রেপ্তার কবি সোহেল হাসান গালিব কারাগারে. Prothom Alo (in Bengali). 2025-02-15. Retrieved 2025-02-22.
- ^ "কবি সোহেল হাসান গালিব ওএসডি". The Daily Ittefaq (in Bengali). Retrieved 2025-02-22.
- ^ "Poet Sohel Hasan Galib sent to jail for 'hurting religious sentiment'". The Business Standard. 2025-02-15. Retrieved 2025-02-22.