In a recent, expansive conversation with Future Startup, journalist and writer Sabidin Ibrahim offered a glimpse into the intellectual foundations and lived realities that shaped his worldview. The interview, spanning his formative years in Cumilla to his interesting student life at Dhaka University, serves both as a personal reflection as well as a sociological critique of institutional decay and shifting cultural values in Bangladesh.
Here are 8 takeaways from our introspective conversation with Sabidin Ibrahim.
Self-reliance born from absence.
Sabidin embodies the spirit of an independent thinker. This fierce independence led him to pursue unconventional and unorthodox paths, showing little regard for expected middle-class conformity or social norms.
A significant factor in his unorthodox nature was the early passing of his father. Growing up without a consistent, heavy "fatherly figure" forced him to be self-sufficient and depend on himself, thus cultivating an early and enduring sense of independence. When asked about his source of independent thinking, he said: “I didn't understand this when I was young. Later, I tried to investigate and find out for myself why I’m the way I am. If you remember, in our discussions on campus in those days, I used to talk about the idea that: "If you want to be something, kill your father." What does "fatherly figure" mean? Someone who dominates you, gives you direction, tells you what to do, and what not to do. This is what you must do; there's no other way.
Since my father passed away early, I actually didn't have any fatherly figure directly overseeing me. There was my maternal grandfather, but he was distant. His influence wasn’t a constant presence. My maternal cousin played a role in my early career stages from afar. Other than that, due to the absence of a fatherly figure, I largely had to figure things out for myself. I had to find a way to rely on myself.”
The transformative power of reading.
Sabidin said he struggled with reading in his early years. It took him until class two and special attention from his mother to learn to read. But when he finally learned to read properly in Class Two, it fundamentally altered his life, transitioning him from a struggling backbencher to the top of his class. He described the ability to read as "huge," opening up a "fascinating world of books".
“The importance of being able to read is huge. It opens the world up to you. In class two, finally, when my cousin and a few teachers provided special nurturing, I learned "Adorsholipi" a bit better. I learned to identify the alphabet. After learning to read, I could read Bengali and English. This reading skill took me into a fascinating world. I started to find joy in reading and read everything that I could get my hands on. In class two, I might have been a backbencher. In class three, I became second. From class four, I became first. Learning to read changed my life. My mother had an important role in this. She ensured I studied regularly and genuinely tried.”
The optimistic aspiration of the nineties and subsequent decline
Sabidin’s adolescence unfolded during the 1990s, a period he recalls as a "hopeful era" characterized by a widespread belief in upward social mobility achievable through diligent study and hard work. The launch of universal primary education and pro-people government programs fueled this grassroots optimism.
“I feel that the aspiration of the 90s—imagine, we entered economic liberalization 20 years after independence, at the beginning of the 90s. We initiated universal primary education. Then, scholarships for girls were launched. And vaccination programs significantly reduced child mortality. The government also became pro-people and started to make an effort to reach people from villages across the country. Before this, the government had not reached the villages. The government's influence was mostly limited to major urban centers.”
However, he pointed out that over the last two decades, this hopeful aspiration has suffered a "radical change" and reversal. The efficacy of education as a force for social mobility has declined significantly, as society has shifted from being merit-based to "muscle-based".
Institutional failure as the core crisis.
Sabidin attributes the country’s degeneration and its current crises to fundamental "institutional failure". He notes that institutions, which are meant "to tame the monstrous or leviathanic character of humans," failed to develop after independence, allowing both civil and military bureaucracy to strengthen in their own interests and destroy political culture.
“Broadly, I believe we failed to build strong institutions and consistently focus on and upgrade the areas necessary for human development, like education and health. Due to our failure in these areas, we have gone through this crisis in the last several decades.”
The weakening value of education.
In a sharp observation on recent social shifts, Sabidin noted that material achievements by those who focused on going abroad for labor work have sometimes surpassed those who stayed back to pursue education, signaling that education alone is no longer enough to guarantee a stable life.
“This has radically changed over the last two decades. The aspiration of the 90s was a real aspiration. That if you studied and worked hard, you could achieve something in life. You could be successful. But the last two decades have seen a radical change, a sort of reversal of that. You may study, but there is no guarantee that it will help you advance in life. You won't get a job. Unemployment among educated youth reached a new high in recent decades. It's seen that a street thug or local bully has more money and influence than you, and you might even have to work under him. This has totally changed in the last two decades.”
Finding joy in mentorship.
One of his biggest life achievements is the deep pleasure derived from nurturing young people. He calls this satisfaction an "addiction," akin to the "joy of a gardener" who watches a "raw diamond polished into a shiny one" and sees "flowers of thought begin to bloom" in his juniors.
The necessity of reading 'garbage' books.
As an independent thinker, he asserts that reading "countless 'garbage' books" was necessary to learn how to identify what is truly valuable and necessary for him. He advises readers to abandon the bad notion that they must finish every book they start.
A practical framework for reading.
After years of reading aimlessly, Sabidin now employs a rapid decision-making framework for selecting books: He recommends reading a book for two minutes to see if it’s interesting enough to invest 20 minutes, and after those 20 minutes, deciding whether the book deserves 20 hours of his time.
“People read for two reasons: for pleasure or for necessity. Now, how do you decide whether to continue with a book or not? What I do is I read a book for two minutes, if I find it interesting, I continue and read for 20 minutes to decide whether I should spend 20 hours with the book. I decide in two minutes that I will give it 20 minutes. After 20 minutes, I decide whether to abandon it or give it 20 hours. How much does it deserve? Roughly, within two to 20 minutes, you can decide about a book. With some books, you can decide even quicker, just by looking at the name, author, or introduction.
From the perspective of interest, you might look at the table of contents or chapters, or read one or two chapters to understand if it might be necessary for you or serve your interests.
That said, reading countless bad books is also necessary. Mao Zedong, for example, in his youth, used to go to a library at 9 AM and come out at 6 PM, eating puri (bread) or something like this in between. He studied a lot. But when he was the Party Supremo , he told his cadres, "You don't need to read so many books." "Read these few books, read the red book." But he himself read widely. If you talk about Lenin, his approach was the same. When it comes to a political, ideological, dogmatic place, then they want to select for you, "You don't need to read so much." "You need to read this much."
I feel that, as an independent reader or independent thinker, reading countless "garbage" books has helped me learn what is garbage, what is necessary for me, and what I might enjoy. So reading a lot of bad books can also be useful.”
