Crafted behind the barbed-wire fence of an open-air prison, Sirajul Islam’s “Resistance for Existence” encounters mainstream narratives, and powerfully testifies to the status quo of the tyrannised, otherised Rohingya with being in a political limbo. Through his honestly emotional and raw poetry, he elucidates cynicism and optimism. He writes about resilience, resistance, existence, frustration, yearning for freedom, and of struggles for a world where everyone deserves life. It’s as striking, piercing and fierce as the wounds and despair he bears in his pain-sketched heart are deep. Poetry in this book serves as a shield against the erasure of the Rohingya, and a tribute to their resilience. It chronicles their lived experiences, struggles for human rights and freedom and upholds their identity, history, and existence. This compelling collection of poetry offers a wide window to the outside world to learn about the plight of the Rohingya that cannot be browsed on Google as he writes about what barely appears in the headlines.
Buy copies of ‘Resistance for Existence’ by Sirajul Islam here.
Sirajul Islam is a Rohingya poet, writer and human rights activist. He was born in Buthidaung Township, Arakan State, Myanmar. In 2017, following the apocalyptic crackdown by the Myanmar military, he fled to Bangladesh to seek a shelter. He is now based in one of the makeshift camps in Cox’s Bazar District. His life is shaped by apartheid and struggles for a world where he deserves life. He is a poet as witness to the lived experiences and the struggles of his community for human rights. His writing is activist advocating for human rights, amplifying the voice of his marginalised people, and shedding a global spotlight on their unending plight. He has internationally published three collections of poetry to date, including this one.
Rohingya Futures 