The word 'victory' is associated with countless sacrifices. Victory can be touched through innumerable sacrifices. Yes, we, the Bengali nation, have also achieved victory in return for great sacrifices. With 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 achieved victory on December 16, 1971, we have got an independent sovereign state, we have got a glorious red-green flag.
December 16 is the great victory day of the Bengali nation. It is a day to remember with reverence and love the sons of the sun who achieved this victory through their great sacrifices. The history of Bangladesh is the history of the long struggle of millions of people for independence and liberation. Today's liberation and freedom is the fruit of the long cherished dream and pursuit of Bengalis.
The people of this fertile land of about fifty-six thousand square miles, which arose from the bosom of the Bay of Bengal have been liberating and liberating since ancient times. 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's 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 1952, the Bengali made history in the world by sacrificing his 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, Birbangali jumped into the war of liberation.
On that day, everyone had the dream of ending a long period of exploitation and oppression 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. The long-awaited independence of the Bengalis, the independent sovereign state - 'Bangladesh' was achieved.
But today, on this 49th anniversary of the great liberation war of independence, the question naturally arises in our minds that the dreams and expectations of the Bengalis who jumped into the war of liberation that day, how much has been possible to realize it! Reviewing the post-independence history of Bangladesh, it can be 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 are going to celebrate the golden jubilee (50 years) of victory in the great liberation war. This year marks the 49th anniversary of independence. Forty-nine years after the victory, the question of how much the nation has really tasted victory has come to the fore.
How many freedom fighters are enjoying 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. No one can say when and how the account of fake freedom fighters and real freedom fighters will be known. 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 beg and eat, how many are afflicted with disease and grief, no one 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?
Nowhere else in the world, nor in our neighboring 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 us here? Moreover, controversy has been created over nationality. Attempts are being made to divide Bengali nationalism into Bangladeshi nationalism. And that is nothing but the great stigma of our freedom and victory.
Another issue that needs to be addressed essentially. That is, the so-called upper classes of society have been enjoying the benefits of our taste of freedom and victory more than the common people. But the spontaneous participation of the common people in the freedom struggle was greater than theirs. When we look around, the matter becomes clear.
PThe uneducated or semi-educated people of a very ordinary family did not show interest in the liberation war in the same way as the rich, well-to-do or so-called big people did. Today, however, the taste of victory and the benefits of freedom are basically in their homes. The right people in the middle are deprived. In the auspicious moment of victory, in the golden age of independence, what could be more difficult than this?
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 golden Bengal. But Bangabandhu's cherished dream was stopped by the bullet of the killer. The dream of building a golden Bengal then came to a halt. But step by step, the country is committed to building a golden Bengal today. The dream Padma Bridge, Metrorail, nuclear power project 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 middle-income country in 2021 and a developed country by 2041. Bangladesh is moving forward at a great pace in terms of economy.
According to a report of the World Bank, Bangladesh will be a middle income country by 2021. In their survey, the United States says that by 2030, the 'Next Eleven', including Bangladesh, will jointly surpass the 28 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, cultural. Only then the overall development of the country will be possible.
Moreover, in order to stop crime, to keep the country peaceful, the state apparatus must ensure proper enforcement of the law and the citizens of the country must respect the law. 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 own position by nurturing the greatness of patriotism by holding the spirit and ideology of the liberation war. Only then we can build a happy and prosperous golden Bangladesh.
The writer is a Poet, columnist and journalist.
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