Anu Muhammad

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Anu Muhammad Anisur Rahman, better known as Anu Muhammad (Bengali: আনু মুহাম্মদ; born September 22, 1956), is an academic, economist, public intellectual, writer, editor, and political activist from Bangladesh. He was a professor of economics at Jahangirnagar University (1982-2022), he also taught anthropology (1991-2005) at the same university.^[1] He was a visiting scholar in Columbia University, US (1993) and Manitoba University, Canada (2001), taught at University of Winnipeg (2001).

Muhammad stands against class-gender-ethnic-religious discrimination, exploitation, environmental destruction, colonial domination, neo-liberal aggression in Bangladesh and elsewhere in the world. Beside performing academic responsibilities he has been working for social-political-cultural organizations and movements. He was the General Secretary for four terms of Bangladesh Lekhok Shibir, the leading writers organization at that time from 1984 to 1993.^[2] He was the elected general secretary for two terms of Jahangirnagar University Teachers Association (1986, 1987). He also played a key role in drafting ‘policy against sexual harassment’ in Jahangirnagar University following large anti-rape movement in 1998. That policy was the first document that helped make it a national policy.^[3]

Muhammad was the organizer of Committee to Protect Fundamental rights in Chottogram Hill tracts (1992-98).^[4] He was also involved in the movement against war criminals of 1971 since 1991.  He organised peoples tribunal against the World Bank, International Monetary Fund (IMF) and Asian Development Bank (ADB) for their misdeeds in the name of development ‘aid’ in 2007.

Muhammad started work with the National Committee to Protect Oil Gas Mineral Resources, Port and Power (NCBD) in 1999 and led the broad alliance as member secretary from 2005 to 2021.^[2] During this period he led various movements to assert peoples ownership over their lives and resources and also to strengthen the peoples authority to bring environment friendly development for people. His writings and activism helped to build national movement against export of gas, anti-people contracts with multinationals and neo-liberal reform. He also led the movements against open pit mining in Phulbari by British-Australian company and Bangladesh-India joint Rampal coal fired power plant on Sundarban. After peoples uprising against Phulbari coal project the then government was forced to sign an agreement with the people to cancel the project. On behalf of the people Anu Muhammad signed the agreement on 30 August 2006. He also opposed the coal power plants from China and Japan, and nuclear power plant from Russia in writings and in public protests.^[5]

Muhammad initiated research work with experts from home and abroad for getting better, cheaper and environment friendly alternative power system for Bangladesh. In the process he became the coordinator of an expert panel that prepared an ‘alternative master plan for energy and power’ solution for Bangladesh mostly based on renewable energy and national capability that was made public in 2017.^[6]

His public speeches, writings and his anti-establishment position led to many physical attacks and threat since 1995. He  received death threats many times. He was seriously injured and hospitalized by the police attack in September 2009 during a demonstration protesting highly biased Production Sharing Contract (PSC) with US multinational oil companies.^[7] This event led to protests by different organizations and sections of the people in the country, a half day general strike was observed and an open letter condemned the event, signed by intellectuals, academics, and activists from around the world. He was arrested during a general strike he was leading in 2011.^[8] He received death threat for leading movement against Rampal Coal Fired Power Plant on Sundarbon.^[9]

Muhammad edited various journals and periodicals. He was the editor of Samaj biggan sameekkha, Social Science Journal (2016-2021) JU; Executive Editor,Sanskriti (1981-1999); Editor,Trinomul (1998-2000) and Natun Path (2002-2003); Editor,Meghbarta, first online journal (1998-2008). He is now Editor: Sarbojonkotha (Public Voices), a Bangla journal on socio economic issues, published quarterly since November 2014.^[10]

Muhammad has written several books, chapters in edited books and articles in Bangla and Englishon social-economic and political issues,Some of his articles were published in Monthly Review and Economic and Political Weekly. List of his published books is given below:^[2]