By Md. Zillur Rahaman

Our most favorite and loved day is 16th December as Great Victory Day. Because on this day in 1971, we defeated the Pakistani invaders in the war and won the final victory. Every year this day comes back to us in a new form, in a new style and in a new way.

The new generation of young people did not see victory directly; But they heard the autobiography of that victory. However, this year, the quota reform movement and its continuation, the non-cooperation movement, was another spontaneous successful movement in the history of Bangladesh. Youth-led parties like religion, caste, color, women and men took the movement to a new height.

However, the quota reform movement in Bangladesh which later took the form of non-cooperation movement 2024, which became widely known as the student revolution or the July revolution in the country and abroad. The beginning of the incident, although the quota reform movement started afresh after the High Court Division on 5 June 2024 declared the circular issued by the Bangladesh government on 4 October 2018 as invalid, it turned into a non-cooperation movement when the then fascist Sheikh Hasina-led government started suppressing the movement. Due to this uprising, dictator Sheikh Hasina resigned and bound to flee in India.

Analyzing the context of the student uprising or the July revolution, it can be seen that the Awami League, the leading claimant for independence, after being elected in the 2008 elections, abolished the caretaker government system from the constitution on the pretext of a verdict in the grip of absolute power. Subsequently, the party organized three more one-sided national elections in a row while the political government was in power, and the national elections held in 2014, 2018 and 2024 were accused of massive rigging and irregularities.

During this time, the government carried out massive torture, murder, disappearance and arrest of their opponents, and tried to make them leaderless by punishing the top leaders of the opposition party in various organized cases. At this time, the dissemination of information in all media in Bangladesh was strictly controlled and freedom of public expression was strictly regulated through laws such as the Digital Security Act, 2018.

During this time, the government used the police force as well as party organizations, especially the Chhatra League, to control numerous non-political movements.

There have been widespread allegations of violent activities and repression against the student organization in various campuses. In the last 15 and a half years, there have been accusations against most of the party's tiny to center leaders and government officials that Begumpara has been created with members of the family of Bangladeshis in Canada with the money smuggled from Bangladesh through corruption and money laundering, as well as the inflation record in Bangladesh for the last two years, besides shortage of reserves, wide spread of corruption, large amount of money laundering from the country, irregularities in loans of thousands of crores of Taka in the banking sector, cost of living of the common man has increased day by day and life has become difficult due to which they have become angry with the government.

In fact, the path of Bangladesh's freedom struggle was long. After nearly 200 years of British colonial rule, India was divided on the basis of the two-nation theory. Even though British rule-exploitation ended, the exploitation of Bengalis was not emancipated. West Pakistanis assumed the role of rulers and continued to exploit and suppress Bengalis economically and culturally. They first attack the mother tongue.

The leadership of Sheikh Mujibur Rahman snatched away the sun of independence and gave birth to a new independent country on the map of the world. How undemocratic and unsupported by the people, the group leading the claims of independence can easily be killed, disappeared, assaulted, prosecuted, and looted by observing the course of events of the '24 mass uprising. A burning example of youth '24 uprising is how horrible and ruthless a popular party wants to stay in power through voteless elections by killing people!

The most glorious chapter in the thousand-year history of Bengalis is the great liberation war of 1971. On March 25, 1971, Pakistan Army and their henchmen attacked the unarmed Bengalis. Independence of Bangladesh was declared on March 26. A new red green Bangladesh was born and armed resistance began, the Great War of Liberation. After that, for nine long months, Pakistani forces and their allies committed crimes against humanity like massacres, arson, looting, and women torture across the country.

The majority of those who associated themselves with the birth of Bangladesh in the 1970s were young. So, naturally, the responsibility of taking Bangladesh forward has been entrusted to the young generation. It was this young generation who led the mass uprising of the '24. Now the young people also feel the peaceful spirit of the liberation war. Bangladesh is moving forward with that spirit. There are many limitations, yet we have come a long way in recent times. That is why it is repeatedly said that the youth will take Bangladesh forward. The elders will show the way forward. This is the age of competition and competition means fighting. Courage to fight and that courage needs a bold leadership.

The freedom fighters are called the sun children of the country. The independence of Bangladesh is the result of a thousand years of struggle. The bravery of the freedom fighters will remain forever in Bengali hearts. The harvest of their sacrifice was not wasted. The heroism of all the brave martyrs of the independence and democratic movement including the great freedom war will be written in golden letters in history. The red and green flag of eternity will fly in glory for thousands of years, ages and eternity.

All the new generation should keep the achievements of Victory Day in their hearts and convey the word of Victory Day to the newcomers. Torture during the liberation war - being crushed should be reported. Young people will be shocked to know that the shelling of unarmed Bengalis started on the night of March 25, 1971, and many lives were sacrificed and tortured in the long bloody struggle of nine months. Their love for the country will awaken, they will be energized by patriotism.

Today we are enjoying the freedom because Bangladesh became independent through the great liberation war, we are rejoicing in victory. Otherwise, Pakistani rulers would have been deprived all their lives. But still in many cases our full freedom has not come. The hegemony of a neighboring country has left the new generation wondering. For them, it is more difficult to preserve independence than to achieve it. In the popular uprising of '24, the youth showed how to protect their freedom. They have to make arrangements in the future to ensure that every citizen can enjoy and realize the full potential of freedom.

Young people are realizing the new taste of freedom by leading the mass uprising of 2024. So far history has been one party and family centered and full of their flattery from the highest level of the state to the grassroots. Attempts have been made to erase many heroes of the Liberation War. A neighboring country survived three non-voting opaque elections with unanimous support to sustain the party. When the group fled in droves in the '24 uprising, the true character of the neighboring country was revealed. The country had participated in the liberation war of '71 mainly to expand their dominance and use Bangladesh as Sikkim, its real motive became clear to all after the popular uprising of '24.

In recent times there has been confusion among many about some issues. For example, one thing emerges from the talks of members of the advisory council of the government or some people close to the government, and that is the tendency to belittle 1971. It is seen in the words or actions of some. But there is nothing to make 1971 and 2024 face to face.

The popular uprising of 2024 is a continuation of the liberation war of 1971. People are fighting again and again to realize the dreams or aspirations of the liberation war that have not been realized so far. And in order to build an inclusive and non-discrimination society in Bangladesh, it must be ensured that the areas of religion, gender, caste, and class discrimination should not be raised in any way. The popular uprising of 2024 is another phase of the struggle that the fallen dictatorial party made in the past to make the history of the independence war their own. Therefore, this '24 uprising should be seen as a continuation of the turning point of the 1971 liberation war.

The writer is a, Banker & Columnist