Bangladesh Needs to Revive Its Full Spirit of 1971

 

Fuyumi Soryo has rightfully reminded us, “If a castle gets destroyed, you just build a new one. If you wanted me to,I'd build them over and over. Let's build them together.” Let us build together what precious treasures we have lost. Moving towards the people’s desire for the restoration of glorious, creative past is a vital work for the state and its people and should be read by all who want to …The lost glory will truly be a remarkable work which is not just for the leaders, but a message for every people of the country.

Changing a little bit of the words of Teddy Roosevelt, we wish to say, “This is a nation — not a polyglot boarding house. There is not room in the country for any 50-50 Bangladesh’s people, nor can there be but one loyalty — to the Green and Red coloured Flag.” The lost glory of Bangladesh that ideal for which many have fought and died for has to be restored in full. The departure from the very Bangladesh for our nation has to be restored in full. The remnants of Pakistani ghosts and goblins and the Bangla speaking Pakistanis must be reduced to ashes.

There may be no sagging back in the fight for Bangladesh’s true spirits and values merely because the war is over a long time back and everything has fallen prey to the hands of the anti-liberation forces. There are plenty of persons who have already made the assertion that they believe people of the country have a short memory and that they intend to revive all the spirits and values of our glorious Liberation War of 1971 which more directly interfere with the complete humanization of our people.

Our principle in this matter should be absolutely simple. In the first place, we should insist that if everyone lives here does in good faith become a Bangladesh’s true citizen and assimilates himself to us, he shall be treated on an exact equality with everyone else, for it is an outrage to discriminate against any such man because of caste, creed or religion. But this is predicated upon the man’s becoming in very fact a Bangladesh’s and nothing but a Bengali.

We have room for but one flag, the Bangladesh’s flag, for we intend to see that the crucible turns our people out as Bangladesh’s, and its nationality, and not as dwellers in a polyglot boarding house; and we have room for but one soul sic loyalty, and that is loyalty to Bangladesh’s people. But this is predicated upon the man’s and woman’s becoming in very fact a Bangladesh’s and nothing but a Bangladesh’s people.

We do not want to be any other nation or any other persuasion, but with a government that has given up the very foundations that we were founded upon in 1971. The political arms in PM’s secretariat and Bangabhaban have to thwart any ill-motivated move the very constitution that we have had in 1972.

The evil and communal forces that want to bring the world of Bangladesh down have succeeded to do so because of the military rulers who ascended the throne of Bangladesh forcefully. It is as if we do not live in Bangladesh, per-se; we live in another country. But that not be; we will not recant, change, or move away from the true spirits and values of our 1971 war. The new struggle is to my Bangladesh’s ideals; to what my forebears, forefathers of this nation, and to our own blood who preceded us.

The anti-liberation forces have garnered supporters because of their unity. For decades our politicians have been slowly diluting the very foundations of Bangladesh with people. Our one sole is now loyalty and that is loyalty to Bangladesh’s people. So, we have but room for one allegiance that is to Bangladesh. The patriot Bangladeshi is one who forms the battle line to protect freedoms so that all of us can live under the true banner of freedom without hate to people of other religions. We want keep to the People’s Republic of Bangladesh which we attained in 1971. This is what Bangladesh in the truest sense.

We direct our attention to the fact that the downfall of Bangladesh has been morally because of some depraved persons. But people who were free, living in a republic and had leaders like Bangabandhu, Tajuddin…It is very sad and outrageous that our glorious constitution has been diluted from the truth of the patriotic doctrines. We have forsaken truth and replaced it on a whim. But should make the people of Bangladesh once who became capable of that deep simulation towards one another, and towards foreign nations, which assumes the language of justice and moderation while it is practicing iniquity and extravagance and displays in the most captivating manner the charming pictures of candor, frankness, and sincerity, this country will be the most miserable habitation in the world; because unless and until the government armed with power capable of contending with human passions unbridled by morality and deceiving of religion.

Avarice, ambition, revenge, or gallantry, would break the strongest cords of our Constitution as a whale goes through a net. Our Constitution of 1972 was made only for a moral people. It is adequate to the government to restore its full character and run the country.

Instill national pride, by teaching people of the past glories. Take Action at every level: While reminding ourselves of the past glories is important, what is more important is to take inspiration from that and take real action. The anti-liberation forces are united. The valiant liberation forces are divided fiercely. But united we stand; divided we fall…The remains of the regal legacy of our 1971 war still stand in the country, a reminder of the golden era that this country has witnessed.

Our new revolution is to destroy the stronghold of the kingdom of darkness and restore humanity’s access to the kingdom of Bangladesh. To restore that which was lost during the times of August 1975 to early 1996 and again in 2001-2006. While we are to accomplish this task, we shall also make model for humanity what our life is to be like as 1971 war created us. We should restore humanity to a state of glory by giving them the righteousness as a gift of our incredible love. We wish to restore man’s dominion over the earth, and do much, much more than we can even imagine. Stalled war crimes trials in the Supreme Court of Bangladesh are to be set in motion to bring the remaining war criminals now in the cages to justice.

Bangladesh is our golden Bengal and it is our graceful Bengal. Everything has to be done to change the economic structure. Bridge is for crossing over to a destination or for crossing over obstacles. It means to move on. Every human has bridges of life to cross for connection to fulfilled destiny. Your bridge is to connect you to achievements in life. There are many people in life that the enemies have destroyed the bridges of their glory and connections. Many are the people, Bengalis that the enemies have placed stumbling blocks on their bridges of connection and destiny. You have to command people to decree preparation and removal of stumbling block out of the way of your evil people. We decree stumbling block be removed out of the way of our greatness in Bangladesh’s name.

Our glory has been tampered with, and nothing seems to be working well for us because of demonic oppressions. But all will be well in our glorious Liberation War’s name in the days to come. We are hopeful and optimistic that we will win everything of any colour showing our abilities—uncommon among politicians of any age—to think in fresh and imaginative ways about democracy, adhering to tradition only when people consider it essential to the political life of the nation. Because Thucydides said, "The secret of Happiness is Freedom, and the secret of Freedom, Courage." As soon as the pro-liberation government and its pals came to the scene, everything has been turning up coo-li-bah. Bangladesh is able to dictate its own course. Henry Ford once said, “If everyone is moving forward together, then success takes care of itself.” So, finally, in all this; it is our combined duty and our privilege to keep Bangladesh moving forward based on the ideals of our great Liberation War of 1971.

 
Anwar A. Khan is a freedom
 fighter who writes on politics
and international issues.