Emran Emon

After sacrificing the fresh blood of three million martyrs and the disgrace of two million mothers and sisters in the bloody war of nine months, we have gained our great victory on December 16, 1971. And we have got an independent sovereign state. Every square kilometer of this country has been acquired in exchange for fresh blood of martyrs.

December 16 is the great victory day of the Bengali nation. It is a day to remember with reverence and love the sons who brought this victory through their great sacrifices. The history of Bangladesh is the history of the long struggle of millions of people for liberation. Today's freedom is the fruit of the long cherished dream and pursuit of Bengalis. From time to time the people of this country have fought against British imperialism, against the Pakistani ruling class, against the domestic military-civilian dictatorship and the exploitative exploiting class.

After the defeat of the last independent Nawab of Bengal, Siraj-ud-Daulah, in a mock battle in the desert of Palashi in 1757, the people of this country embarked on a struggle to establish an independent homeland by severing all traps of British rule and conspiracy. Although the British gained independence by expelling them in 1947, the Bengalis soon realized that this independence was not in fact freedom.

It was just a change of power. The issue became clear in a very short time when the language and culture of the Bengalis were hit. On 21st February in 1952, Bengalis made history in the world by sacrificing their life to protect the dignity of the mother tongue. The seeds of consciousness and patriotism that were sown in the Bengali nation by sacrificing one's life in the language movement have been manifested in every movement for the realization of rights. Finally, in the tumultuous March of 1971, at the call of Bangabandhu Sheikh Mujibur Rahman, heroic Bangali jumped into the War of Liberation. On that day, everyone had the dream of ending a long period of exploitations and oppressions and achieving a happy and prosperous independent country with self-respect. In the realization of this dream, the golden sun of independence rose in the sky of Bengal by winning the war of liberation in exchange for the blood of three million martyrs. Eventually, the long-awaited independence of the Bengalis, the independent sovereign state—'Bangladesh' was achieved.

But today, on this 53nd anniversary of achieving the great victory, the question generally arises in our minds that the dreams and expectations of the Bengalis that for jumping them into the war of liberation—how much has been possible to implement it? Reviewing the post-independence history of Bangladesh, it is seen that the defeated forces of the liberation war have been conspiring in various ways at different times to undermine our independence and sovereignty and it is still going on.

In 2021, we celebrated the Golden Jubilee (50 years) of our victory. This year marks the 53nd anniversary of victory. After 52 years of achieving the victory, the question generally arises—how much victory has the nation actually tasted?

How many freedom fighters are getting various government and state facilities in the guise of fake freedom fighters? Again, there are many real freedom fighters who have not been able to get even the recognition of their freedom fighters' identity. The number of our living freedom fighters is declining very fast. Perhaps in the next twenty years we may not find any living freedom fighters. Many real histories of the liberation war will be suppressed then. Especially in our great liberation war, the contribution of the women's society of the country has not been able to be highlighted properly till today. The history of women in the war of liberation needs to be recorded separately. No one has an account of how many 'Taraman Bibi' and 'Kankon Bibi' we have. How hard they spend their lives, how many of them do not have houses, how many of them are begging, how many are afflicted with disease and grief—none is interested to keep the news. Even after so many years of the liberation war, we are still divided on various issues of the liberation war. We are still involved in the debate on the declaration of independence.

Unnecessary controversy has been created about the great herald of the war of liberation and independence. The one who has read is the reader. How did he become an announcer? If we still do not understand the difference between the announcer and the reader, who will explain it to us? The question of the father of our nation is still divided and debated. Nowhere else in the world, nor in our neighboring country India or Pakistan, has there ever been a debate about the Father of the Nation. Muhammad Ali Jinnah in Pakistan and Mahatma Gandhi in India are the fathers of their undisputed nation. Why is there so much controversy about that?

Moreover, controversy has been created over nationality. Attempts are being made to divide Bengali nationalism into Bangladeshi nationalism. And that is nothing but the stigma of our victory.

Another issue that needs to be addressed essentially. That is, the so-called upper classes of society have been enjoying and getting the benefits of our taste of victory more than the common people. But the spontaneous participation of the common people in the freedom war was greater than theirs. When we look around, the matter becomes clear. The uneducated or semi-educated people of a very ordinary family showed interest in participating the liberation war, but so-called well-educated and rich people did not. Today, however, the taste of victory and the benefits of freedom are basically in their homes. The right people are deprived. After 52 years of achieving the victory—what could be more saddest thing than that?

Father of the Nation Bangabandhu Sheikh Mujibur Rahman took up the responsibility of rebuilding the post-independence war-torn country. His dream was to build a "Sonar Bangladesh".

But Bangabandhu's cherished dream was stopped by the bullet of the killers. The dream of building a 'Sonar Bangladesh' then came to a halt. But step by step, led by his daughter Sheikh Hasina, his dream of building Sonar Bangla is being implemented. The dream Padma Bridge, Metrorail, Bangabandhu Tunnel, Nuclear Power Projects are blazing examples of this. Where the whole world said that Bangladesh will not be able to build the Padma Bridge, Bangladesh has been described by many as a bottomless basket—Bangladesh has now pointed a finger at it, Bangladesh can do everything.

Bangladesh is progressing step by step even though it has not progressed much or has not tasted progress. At present we have announced some development plans. That is, we will become a developed country by 2041. Bangladesh is moving forward at a great pace in terms of economy.

In their survey, the United States says that by 2030, the 'Next Eleven', including Bangladesh, will jointly surpass the 27 countries of the European Union. According to a leading London newspaper, "Bangladesh will surpass the western countries in terms of growth in 2050."

The way we are moving forward in terms of economy, we have to move forward in parallel in all aspects of social, political and cultural. Only then the overall development of the country will be possible. Special importance should be given to the education sector. The education system has to be developed in a befitting manner. The authority has to increase the quality of education and ensure a conducive learning environment in the educational institutions.

Moreover, to curb crime, the state must ensure proper enforcement of the law to keep the country peaceful, as well as citizens must respect to the law of the country. In building a non-communal Bangladesh, one has to be non-communal, moral and humane by avoiding communalism. Above all, every citizen has to work for the overall welfare of the country from his/her own position by nurturing the greatness of patriotism by holding the spirit and ideology of the great liberation war. Only then we can build a happy and prosperous Bangladesh.

The writer is a researcher, journalist and columnist