National election for eleventh parliament this year has been scheduled in December and this is the second time in history a national election is going to be taken place in the month of victory. It becomes a politically much bipolarized election because the line of demarcation is obviously clear.
Two alliances are taking part in election which is supposed to be nothing new but the fact becomes unusual when many former freedom fighters make their ties with Bangladesh Nationalist Party (BNP) where at least 25 Jamaat men had also been selected for nomination in the election-battle.
Among them, two giants former Awami League men had been seen on the cockpit who were very much known non-conformists in political history. This is really December where we will see many things in the offing.
December is always different to other months as it is a month of pride and prestige. This is a month of victory and vivacity. Victory becomes a very sweet term to our national life as it involves with our limitless passions and inexorable exhilaration after a long course of painful journey. It makes our national life possible and fruitfully ensures a new turn to taste of the real meaning of freedom and justice.
As a nation, we find our entity and with that, a newly born nation emerges following the supreme sacrifice of the whole nation. To be sure, the victory of our national life became a myth shortly after; as the nation had to fight again the same forces after a dramatic and tragic national turn.
I must compare our victory with the much-talked history of French. This is 1 September 1715, Louis XIV Sun King, the tyrant King of France, died after his 72-years of rule. King Sun is waiting for his last breath amid pin-drop silence. People of France impatiently waited for the moment around the palace to say him good bye.
Soon after the announcement of his death the whole Paris blasted with wild rapture. It was really a moment of ecstasy because people of France desperately sought an alternative to the tyrant. Victory of Bangladesh after August 16, 1975 had been a myth to the nation; a new Bangladesh started running across an old track. This was certainly an old wine in a new bottle. Bangladesh takes a new turn and had been introduced as a newly born baby of Pakistan.
Nobody could understand the fate of this ill-fated nation on the very afternoon of December, 16, 1971 when Commanding officer of Pakistani force AAK Niazi surrendered to the Allied force commander Lt. Gen. Jagjit Sing Aurora at the Ramna Race Course.
This was a winter afternoon, the sun was going at rest, whole world had been impatiently longing for this very moment, and people of Bangladesh were terribly demanding adieu of the Pakistani long misrule. But, they could hardly understand the foggy weather lurking before them.
Victory comes at last with rubbing down millions of sisters' vermilion; millions of fathers sacrifice and with the immolation of unnamed heroes. World knows whence this independence of a nation comes last. This is for a long unjust persecution and unholy usurpation of Pakistan. This is for political kakistocracy of Pakistani ruler and most heinous crime against humanity as a part of their ethnic cleansing drive.
This victory is rather costly and of course our unlimited emotions had been involved with it yet hopelessly we fail to use the word squarely in a true sense. December, unlike another eleven month of the year, brings propitiation and unbound rapture for our every breath. This victory emotionally invigorates our nervous system; helps to dream about much awaited Sonar Bangla (Golden Bengal).
We had to wait for almost two decades and half to feel the exact taste of the word. It was like a newly born baby being separated from mother's womb after long pain. Not exactly the relation between mother and baby that we had but in turn it was a relation between an innocent baby and a step-mother.
East Pakistan becomes a subject of deprivation and very badly misused by her compatriot West Pakistan soon after its birth. Language, economy, culture, history, society and administrative stature had been poorly looked down on by the West Pakistan. Mohammad Ali Jinnah father of Pakistan started this mission by imposing a completely alien language Urdu on Bengali-speaking nation. It was fairly unjust and this move was culturally unkempt.
His very intention was foiled at the cost some valuable lives. Pakistani government could first apprehend that their mission of Pakistanization would never be an easy task. Democratic values are always absent in this nation like a bird without feather. Most of the time of its history was muscled on by the Non-civilian. As a result, people of country scarcely find out an opportunity to the reflection. This happens in most of the time of Pakistani politics.
Hopelessly, victory doesn't last long because the elements against the political philosophy of Bangladesh were inappropriately subdued. For certain, it was virtually impossible to put to rout them philosophically. Accordingly, huge numbers of pro-Pakistani were active behind the bar.
To remember, the independence of Bangladesh was a cultural putsch against injustice, misappropriation, political bankruptcy and militarization. And, most importantly this revolution was against an attempt of rolling on politics by religious wrapping paper. Of course, it is the oldest and fruitful pace to succeed in political game.
The game is not over yet rather it finds a deeper space in our cultural mind. In a true sense, what victory signifies is still untouched to our mind as it is snatched by those elements that were directly or indirectly in opposition to our independence.
Huge number of people especially Pro-Chinese, pro-Pakistani with some Islamic organizations by the help of handful opportunists within ruling party took a seat to unsettle the government after independence. World media mostly sponsored by United States were making after the government and left no stone unturned to deface the victory. Finally, victory of December was completely shattered on August 15, 1975.
What victory actually means is exactly a comprehensive speculation. This is victory for justice, democracy, poverty, right to opinion and expression, accountability and feels culturally free. Another important aspect of victory is to make a society based on knowledge, wisdom and courage. Perhaps, most important factor of our independence among all is to create a knowledge based society. Even near 50-years of our victory we are toiling up uneven track to reach the target.
But, sadly as a nation we fail to reach within our common target due to political bifurcation. It becomes impossible to bring all to a single unified political ideals irrespective of their identity and origin. Political parties should have uncommon origin, different manifesto and program, and of course different founders of their respective parties however there should have much in common; that is basic pillars of constitution.
Surprisingly, in the near history of Bangladesh people have some bad experiences to observe some people swearing an oath of state responsibility who were convicted and morally defected for their involvement in war crimes. This initiative was seriously rebuked by the country men. Once again, BNP started walking on the old way, a way that is despicably rejected. Election this year becomes thus crucial.
December once again had been appeared with the same test; December once again makes the same crucial moment, whether Bangladesh will run on the very track for next five years for which 3 millions of people made their supreme sacrifice.
The writer is Chairperson, Department of Philosophy, Jagannath University, Dhaka
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