Hiren Pandit

The new year has begun. Some of the events left behind in recent years leave us amid panic as well as exhilaration. We have achieved a lot in 2023. But we have given birth to abandonment or restlessness too, we have abandoned tolerance, we have abandoned humanity. On the one hand, domestic and on the other hand, international conspiracies, attempts are being made to take the country to the path of development by breaking the fence of lies. Bangladesh Awami League has announced the manifesto ahead of the 12th national parliament election.

The slogan of this year's manifesto is 'Smart Bangladesh: Development will be visible and employment will increase this time'. The ruling party has prioritized 11 issues by promising to build a smart Bangladesh.

Awami League president Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina announced the manifesto on December 27. Regarding the transition from digital to smart Bangladesh in the manifesto, she said that to survive in the world competition in the era of the fourth industrial revolution, technology capability is essential. For this reason, she has announced to build 'Smart Bangladesh' by combining the four pillars of 'Smart Citizen', 'Smart Government', 'Smart Economy', and 'Smart Society'. Tasks are mentioned in each area to implement Smart Bangladesh. It has been promised to make Bangladesh a hunger-poverty-free Smart Sonar Bangla by 2041 if elected by the people. Elections will be held on January 7.

Rising commodity prices and political unrest have put the average income person in dire straits. Even in such a suffocating situation, there are things to comfort yourself with. In particular, Bangladesh has made significant progress in communication in 2023. Dhaka Elevated Expressway, Dhaka Metrorail, Karnaphuli Tunnel and Chattogram-Cox's Bazar train movement have already brought multidimensional relief in terms of communication. Economically, the benefits are multi-dimensional as communication systems improve and become easier.

But the abnormal rise in commodity prices has proved the utter failure of the government in market management. Also, the culture of accountability has not developed due to influential people or political influence in the banking sector. As a result, the problem continues in this sector. Due to unpaid loans, and defaulted loans, this sector is getting smaller and smaller. The financial sector should be reformed. The number of road accident deaths and violence against women was also not less last year. Claiming that we are the greatest creatures in creation requires humans to prove that they are humane.

However, everywhere in the world, people are still killed indiscriminately based on caste, religion or caste, or family love, bonds are lost, the sense of humanity is destroyed, where women still have to fight for the status of human beings, and various factors increase the violence against women. Incidents such as cataclysms which become the perfect opportunity for a few individuals to make a profit, and therefore whether humans are now turning into animals or worse, is a big question.

People's dreams keep them alive, but a world, a world needs love, mutual respect and understanding. The world we are creating today for our future generations should not be a textbook representation of a bygone era, which they will feel apprehensive about, but a world of love and kindness. Let the sense of humanity and humanity among people wake up.

Because of the powers of thought, conscience, wisdom and judgment, love, kindness, generosity, cooperation, compassion, patience, sacrifice, forgiveness, forbearance, compassion, courtesy, discipline, modesty, good thinking and good manners, etc. return in the new year, smoothly. Using which man acquires humanity. Showing kindness, being forgiving, establishing the truth, cherishing non-violence, and benevolence are universally recognized as acts of virtue. We are constantly abandoning the human qualities we have, ethics and morality are disappearing, and our ability to judge good and bad is disappearing.

Human sympathy for human beings is disappearing in the womb of time, and love and kindness are slowly disappearing from our midst. But we are gradually losing our human qualities, not as human beings, but gradually becoming inhuman and behaving cruelly like beasts. We all talk about the peace of the country, talk about the harmony of all, talk about brilliance, talk about principles, talk about truth, talk about success and we even like to hear these words. Morality becomes violent when one's bag is not so full in comparison.

Whatever peace or other positive things presented themselves for, a sick conscience comes and covers them like a cloud and hides the blue of the sky, which causes absolute suffering to all. We do not think that our moral slippage is happening every day, in the race of life, everyone is concerned about how to move forward by leaving behind who is involved, it does not matter to us that the conscience is slipping. Be resourceful at any cost. We are constantly sacrificing the human qualities that we have, for the acquisition of wealth, for the sake of luxury. Morality is disappearing from among us, our ability to judge good and bad is disappearing.

Human sympathy for human beings is disappearing in the womb of time, and love and kindness are slowly disappearing from our midst. This degradation cannot be eliminated by legal framework alone. For this, the necessary social movements and civil society should come forward in this regard. Our human values have reached rock bottom. Now we have lost tolerance and patience. What is the benefit of increasing the rate of education? It is time to consider whether we are being educated and are driving towards more barbarism.

No form of education is helping to build our sense of values and humanity. It seems that we are gradually going back to primitive times. It is important to think deeply about the matter. It will be difficult for a nation to straighten up once it falls over the edge of the abyss. People are constantly fighting against themselves. Their values are being lost in that war. Humanity is also disappearing. Morality, values and humanity are greater than the abundance of food and clothing. As long as people do not grasp this sense, no one can produce gold in human life.

If that education is not imparted to them from the initial stage, values will never be created. Because the real work of education is to create values. Not just giving knowledge. Knowledge is only a means of creating values. 3 million martyrs have sacrificed their lives to get these countries, and countless mothers and sisters have made the ultimate sacrifice. We focus on building a beautiful Bangladesh, we can build a beautiful prosperous Bangladesh. The political arena of Bangladesh was abuzz with BNP's movement and Awami League's counter program throughout last year.

At the same time, various activities of the United States regarding free, fair and impartial elections and human rights were public. Then came the visa ban. On the other hand, the activity of the BNP and its alliance inside the country was remarkable. Political unrest started in the country through BNP's marches, meetings, arson, strikes and blockades. People are getting injured and killed by the crazy political workers. A terrible chaotic situation was created by setting fire to buses and trains. Which did not end in the new year. In such a political environment, the 12th National Parliament election is going to be held on January 7. Many will come to power or who will remain in power but will the country's politics and economy be stable in the new year?

However, we want to overcome all the obstacles and the development and prosperity of the country as a whole. May we be haunted by the dream of a society free from exploitation and discrimination. Let's cut the net of political differences. May we be us. Let there be disagreements, similarities and differences, similarities and differences. This presence is an elegant democratic identity. Let the country's education and health be perfected. Let Bangladesh be an example of economic prosperity and political stability in the new year. We all want to live in the dream of a new Bangladesh. A new possibility, let the collective talk of Asha Jaganiya speak for the new year. Ukraine's war with the US and Russia shows no signs of abating. Again, the conditional aid promised by the United States in this war has now come up short.

Repercussions of the economic crisis created in the world due to these man-made turbulent environments are still being observed in countries, which are likely to remain in the future. The big proof of this is the unbridled inflation in almost all countries of the world. Intolerant politics killing policemen, beating and seriously injuring around thirty journalists, fresh addition of vehicles, burning of trains, slashing of railway lines and other heinous and horrific acts of vandalism made the year a violent one.

So, the time has come for everyone to build a new Bangladesh by maintaining communal harmony. Finally, good governance has been promised in the manifesto. Experts believe that if good governance is ensured, other issues will be resolved immediately. To do this, once again posting the right people in the right place and enforcing the law must be unbiased and unbiased.

Only the Awami League can take the country to new heights. Right now, Bangladesh is standing in a transitional period. The country is going to join the ranks of developing countries from the list of least developed countries. This passage is like an honor on the one hand, but also a huge challenge on the other. The government formed through the January 7 election must have the ability to face this challenge. Only the Awami League can face this challenge and take the country to new heights. All the great achievements of this country, starting from the right to speak the mother tongue, and the independence of the motherland, have come from the hands of the Awami League.

By the hands of Bangladesh Awami League, the bearer of the spirit of the liberation war, Bangladesh will be established as a high-middle-income country by 2031 and a developed-power Sonar Bangla by 2041. Awami League is committed to providing better services to the people and establishing good governance by building a citizen-oriented, welfare efficient and smart administration. Efforts will continue to build an efficient, enterprising, IT-based and corruption-free patriotic administration through merit-based recruitment.

Peace and justice or fairness. Peace, security and stability are very important for a just and sustainable development, especially in questions of security and rights. If the rule of law is not established, the vacuum of good governance hurts ensuring the delivery of rights. Creating equality is a practical and effective step for the development of a country. In addition to making the country a middle-income country, sustainable development is very important in building an inclusive society. So, everyone will move forward with new hope in the new year.

The writer is a, columnist and researcher