During a recent climate protest event in Dhaka, Khalidi highlighted the significant impact of people power in global protests. He compared the non-violent movements initiated by Gandhi and Bangabandhu against oppressive forces, noting the violent responses they faced. Gandhi's actions indirectly caused violence in post-1947 India, while Bangabandhu's non-violent protests were met with brutal military force from the Pakistani army. The resistance in both cases took different forms, but ultimately both heroes emerged victorious. The impact of influential leaders like Gandhi and Bangabandhu can be seen in the current climate protests organized by young activists worldwide, as noted by Khalidi. The recent #ShutdownDC protest in the US capital brought traffic to a standstill without any violence. Khalidi emphasized the urgent need to address the environmental crisis and its impact on the planet and its inhabitants, stating that it is more destructive than all wars in human history combined. He highlighted the protesters' demand for action against climate change and emphasized the importance of creating fair and safe societies, a goal that Gandhi and Bangabandhu worked towards in their lifetimes. Khalidi discussed the shared goal of climate protesters at a seminar on the founding fathers of India and Bangladesh, organized by the Gandhi Ashram Trust. The event, held at the National Museum in Shahbagh, was attended by various dignitaries including Agriculture Minister Dr. Mohammed Abdur Razzaque and Indian High Commissioner to Dhaka Riva Ganguly Das. Razzaque highlighted the impact of Mahatma Gandhi and Bangabandhu Sheikh Mujibur Rahman on contemporary issues during his speech at the event. Photo: Mostafigur Rahman stated that religion had a significant impact on politics during the times of Mahatma Gandhi and Bangabandhu, but neither of them engaged in politics based on religion, as mentioned by the agriculture minister. He emphasized that Bangabandhu understood early on that religion should not be intertwined with politics, a belief also held by Gandhi who considered religious extremists using religion for political gain as enemies of the people. The minister also mentioned the founding of the Awami Muslim League, which separated from the Muslim League and eventually removed the word "Muslim" from its name. Razzaque, a member of the Awami League's presidium, stated that at the time, the Muslim League was seen as a representation of religion. Speaking against the Muslim League was seen as speaking against religion. Bangabandhu took action despite this. The minister also mentioned that Gandhi's words and tactics remain relevant today. He demonstrated during his movement against the powerful British forces that nonviolence and non-cooperation can be just as impactful. Nonviolent resistance requires participation and inspiration, which is why it is more effective, according to High Commissioner Riva Das. She emphasized Mahatma Gandhi's belief that strength comes from righteousness, power from truth, and victory from moral courage. Das pointed out that history shows violence only leads to more violence, while nonviolence can achieve many things that force cannot. She also mentioned the leadership examples of Nelson Mandela and Martin Luther King Jr. She urged everyone to incorporate the ideals of Mahatma Gandhi and Bangabandhu into their daily lives, not just during special events. Speaking at a discussion organized by Gandhi Ashram Trust, former minister Narayon Chandra Chanda emphasized the importance of the youth in Bangladesh holding on to the spirit of the Liberation War as they work towards development. He highlighted the need for them to honor the sacrifices of Bangabandhu and the freedom fighters by building a diverse and multicultural nation. Chanda also praised both Mahatma Gandhi and Bangabandhu for their unwavering commitment to establishing people's rights through nonviolent resistance, noting that they upheld these ideals in their personal lives as well. Despite facing allegations of corruption, Bangabandhu's integrity remained unquestioned as he never compromised on his principles. Professor Muntasir Mamun, a history professor at Dhaka University, spoke at a discussion organized by Gandhi Ashram Trust at the Begum Sufia Kamal Auditorium of Bangladesh National Museum to commemorate the 150th birth anniversary of Mahatma Gandhi and the 100th birth anniversary of Bangabandhu Sheikh Mujibur Rahman. In his speech, Professor Mamun highlighted Gandhi's religious devotion and his separation of politics from religion. He also mentioned the upcoming publication of intelligence reports on Bangabandhu, stating that there is no evidence of him using religion in politics. Professor Mamun criticized the ruling party's use of religion in politics after Bangabandhu's death. The journalist Swadesh Roy mentioned that Bangabandhu Sheikh Mujibur Rahman was the only exception who never used religion for political gain and advised the youth to follow the paths shown by both Gandhi and Bangabandhu to address global issues. Raha Naba Kumar, the Director of the Trust, moderated the seminar. Khalidi stated that both Gandhi and Bangabandhu, through their networking skills and ability to inspire the masses with personal sacrifices, played a crucial role in leading their countries to freedom. He emphasized that the impact of these leaders goes beyond their lifetimes and their stories are particularly relevant in addressing contemporary injustices worldwide. Khalidi also highlighted that the wealthy and powerful individuals are often the main culprits in climate crimes. The primary polluters are the advanced economies, the most industrialized societies, capable of causing the destruction of human civilization in a matter of minutes or seconds, and multiple times over, according to Khalidi. Both Mahatma Gandhi and Bangabandhu Sheikh Mujibur Rahman fought against the powerful in their lifetimes, teaching the world how to confront and defeat them. It is believed that even in the afterlife, they continue to do so. Toufique Imrose Khalidi, the Editor-in-Chief of bdnews24.com, addressed a discussion organized by Gandhi Ashram Trust at the Begum Sufia Kamal Auditorium of Bangladesh National Museum on Thursday to honor the 150th birth anniversary of Mahatma Gandhi and the 100th birth anniversary of Bangabandhu Sheikh Mujibur Rahman. At the event, Khalidi highlighted a report from a British think tank which revealed that Bangladeshi households are spending nearly Tk 158 billion taka annually on repairing damages caused by climate change and taking preventive measures. He pointed out that this amount is significantly higher than the contributions from international donors to Bangladesh and double the government's expenditure on the same issue. As a result, rural families are being compelled to reallocate their resources to combat the impacts of climate change, leading them to borrow from informal sources at high interest rates and plunging them further into poverty. The information comes from the International Institute for Environment and Development. Khalidi mentioned that both Gandhi and Bangabandhu would have spoken up to help these families. Despite their absence, their influence still affects the world. For example, Bangabandhu's leadership from afar rallied global support for Bangladesh in 1971, despite opposition from powerful nations.