Since the revolutionary tide swept away Sheikh Hasina one week ago, the masses, led by the students, have continued to mobilise. Committees have been expanding across the country – especially, but not exclusively, among the students. In many places they have displaced the functions of the state. The ruling class is suspended in midair. A kind of dual power exists. But the revolution now faces new dangers – not only of conspiracies by the deposed Awami League, which continue, but of confusion as to the direction of travel.

Recently, a figure of 186,000 projected deaths in Gaza has been circulating in the press and on social media. This horrifying death toll originated from a letter to The Lancet, the most prominent British medical journal, which the Israeli regime and its Western cheerleaders have attempted to discredit as baseless ‘blood libel’. In fact, when months of relentless bombing are combined with the malnutrition and disease caused by Israel’s blockade, this figure might end up being tragically conservative.

Today, Bangladesh is glowing with the white heat of revolution. The masses have once more entered the arena of struggle. They are rediscovering a rich revolutionary tradition that goes back decades. Really, the tasks of this revolution are the unfinished tasks of an unfinished revolution, which began more than fifty years ago and culminated in the War of Independence against the domination of Pakistan in 1971. Learning the lessons of that period is vital to not only understanding the present, but to ensuring that the revolutionary struggle today is carried forward to victory.

The spring of 1918 was a time of unprecedented difficulty for the young soviet republic in Russia. The civil war and the recently-signed treaty with Germany had led to a drop in grain production. Combined with the collapse of the rail network, whole towns were left starving. Factories had to close down due to the lack of coal and unemployment was rising.

The neo-noir classic Chinatown was released 50 years ago. Despite the controversy surrounding its disgraced director, Roman Polanski, its complex themes and impeccable technical craftsmanship retain all of their impact today. The film is a product of a brief renaissance in 1960s-70s Hollywood, an era that hints at what can be achieved when artists are allowed to freely pursue their ambitions. This period also highlights the contradictions imposed on art by a society enslaved by the market, and poisoned by exploitation.

This week, stock markets fell as speculators grappled with the latest employment data coming out of the US. On the surface, the data doesn’t seem all that alarming, and stocks have recovered – for now. But the markets are right to be concerned.

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Far-right rioting has spread across Britain, with fascist gangs launching pogroms against Muslim and Asian communities. Appeals for ‘calm’ will not suffice. To eradicate this scourge, organised workers and youth must take militant mass action.

The unbearable cost of living has sparked furious protests across Nigeria, with thousands taking to the streets shouting the slogan “We are hungry!” The masses have been forced to temporarily retreat under a deadly police crackdown, but we have been given a foretaste of greater battles to come. 

Last week Talha Mahmud Chowdhury, a student and supporter of the Revolutionary Communist International, was abducted by members of the Chhatra League, the thugs of Hasina’s Awami League, and imprisoned on serious, trumped-up charges of attempted murder and vandalism. Today we received the news that, following the fall of Hasina’s regime, he is expected to be released tomorrow.

The revolutionary masses have overthrown Hasina, ending her 16 years of brutal rule! As we write these lines, millions have descended on Dhaka, with millions more expected to arrive in the course of the day. The masses have taken possession of the Ganabhaban (the Prime Minister’s residence). As of 14:25 local time, Sheikh Hasina and her sister were flown to the air force base in Kurmitola, and from there will flee the country. But conspiracies are afoot in the army to steal the people’s victory. The masses must be more vigilant now than ever! We say: all power to the workers’ and students’ committees!

The menace of the far right has once again reared its ugly head and bared its teeth this week. Migrants and Muslims have been targeted in a wave of xenophobic riots and attacks across Britain. The labour movement must mobilise workers and youth to meet this threat head on.

The killing of Hamas’ main leader and chief negotiator, Ismail Haniyeh, while he was in Tehran, Iran is part of a cynical attempt by Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu to provoke an escalation of the conflict in the Middle East just so that he can stay in power. In this he can count on the complicity of Western imperialism, which allows him to remain in office as their main reliable ally in the region. 

History has produced a generation of communists in the United States. Now, a new political party has been officially founded to unite them under a common banner: the Revolutionary Communists of America.

Talha Mahmud Chowdhury, a student of East Delta University (CSE Department, Spring Intake 2020), was forcibly abducted by 20-30 members of the Bangladesh Students’ League (the student wing of the ruling party Awami League) at 8:48pm on 17 July. This abduction took place at the intersection of Road No. 5 in the Agrabad CDA residential area. They checked his mobile phone and, upon finding posts on his Facebook supporting the ongoing quota reform movement, handed him and three others over to the patrolling team of the Chittagong Double Mooring Police Station.