Hiren Pandit: The national flag of Bangladesh, which represents the bloodshed and sacrifices made for the country’s independence, can be seen everywhere – schools, colleges, offices, and courts. It is a constant reminder of the struggle and hard work that went into achieving freedom. The country was born after three million Bengalis gave their lives for the cause. On the 53rd anniversary of Bangladesh’s birth, the nation’s people celebrated with colorful festivities and looked forward to a bright future. This historic day was celebrated with a sense of relief, joy, and a renewed commitment to achieving the goal of independence. Bangladesh affirmed its determination to continue working towards its desired future on this momentous day.
The unprecedented mass awakening of the new generation across the country has added a new dimension to Independence Day and shines again on Victory Day. The bloodbath of three million martyrs with the red-green flag in their hands, regardless of caste and religion, from children to the elderly, echoed in the voices of everyone – the hope of a prosperous Bangladesh, energized by the spirit of the liberation war, free from anti-independence, sectarianism and militancy. The nation observes the day of achieving self-identity and breaking the chains of subjugation through the darkness of night with respect from the depths of the Bengali nation’s heart.
The entire nation holds Independence Day and remembers the martyrs of the liberation war with deep respect. Remembering with gratitude the great architect of Bangladesh, the most incredible son of all time, Father of the Bangabandhu. The war of liberation is the war to free the Bengali nation from the chains of exploitation. The spirit of the liberation war is the cherished dream of our Bengali nation, the dream of the spirit of a nation. This dream has stirred our hearts and inspired our dream to establish a sovereign state. They helped to realize the dream and accelerated this dream and accelerated a new hope. The spirit that united the Bengali nation to establish a democratic and non-exploitative society. We need to do more to spread this consciousness among the new generation.
The consciousness of the new generation should be sharpened. Those who have not seen the liberation war but have heard it in the form of a story from an older person in their family, from a teacher, from a leader, from a freedom fighter, or a book. We do not know how accurate that hearing or reading is or how widespread it is. Educational institutions can take the initiative. How successful are we to highlight the history of the liberation war? A distortion of history can give a nation nothing but destruction and confusion. Bringing the fact that the country became independent under the leadership of Bangabandhu to the new generation, especially the young generation, which will inspire the new generation in patriotism.
The accurate history of the liberation war will be a source of inspiration for the new generation; we should start working now to sharpen this consciousness. The most proud thing in the life of the Bengali nation was the liberation war of 1971. It is a matter of pride for anyone who can contribute even a little to participate in the nation’s national liberation struggle. Our pride is that the people of this country participated directly and actively in the liberation war. The people of this country participated in the liberation war with the dream of establishing a liberal, democratic, egalitarian society and state free from exploitation and deprivation. Since 1947, Sheikh Mujib was the main attraction of the Bengali nation.
After many ups and downs, Independence Day comes with a new message. The anti-independence and their friends are trying hard to push the country towards darkness again. But they also need to know that the Bengali nation is a nation of heroes. The opponents of independence will be defeated repeatedly, and the country will move forward in the spirit of the liberation war. On Independence Day and Victory Day, all sides of the liberation war took a blood oath to unite their forces to resist these evil forces. A dream to advance further on the path of economic prosperity. It is a firm vow to build a non-communal, developed, and prosperous Bangladesh by resisting the evil forces of anti-independence to fulfill that dream. People came to pay their respects at Savar National Memorial, Dhanmondi’s 32 historical Bangabandhu residence and Tungipara Bangabandhu’s shrine.
The children, teenagers and young people who came out on the streets had flowers of respect in their hands, and the blood-bathed national flag and the map of the beloved motherland were painted on their cheeks or foreheads. Representatives of the younger generation wear short Punjabi or T-shirts resembling the national flag, and girls wear sarees resembling the national flag in a mix of red and green. A genuinely eye-opening scene. Everyone participates in the great Independence and National Day celebrations. The young generation has heard the heroic stories of the brave freedom fighters on the battlefield and learned the black history of the killing of intellectuals in the 1970s.
The country’s people have witnessed the massive presence of the new generation, their strong oath to retain the spirit of the liberation war, and the expression of intense hatred against the anti-independence forces. Such mass awakening of the new generation has made the people in favor of the liberation war optimistic and brave. From politicians to ordinary people, everyone is a strong optimist. The awakening of the new generation of supporters of the liberation war tells the beginning of the journey of a new homeland in the spirit of the liberation war, the words of hope.
The Bengali nation’s epic story of joy and pain in the struggle for freedom, on the one hand, the bravery of the freedom fighters and the heroic sacrifice of thousands of women. On the other hand, the disgraceful history of barbaric Paksena and collaborators is lowliness, brutality, and arrogance. They specifically mentioned that if the government is in power under the leadership of the Awami League, which believes in the spirit of the great liberation war, the country’s marginalized people will be better off. The freedom fighters, along with their families, will be better off. The freedom fighters and their family members are grateful to the Prime Minister for providing enhanced allowances, medical care, and accommodation to the freedom fighters.
The new generation should know that the freedom fighters despised their lives, sacrificed their lives to liberate the motherland and motherland, and raised the victory flag of independent Bangladesh. The achievements of our liberation war should be presented to them. During the war of liberation, the Pakistani occupation forces took all the necessary measures to wipe out a nation forever. As a result, they killed the sun children of this country, including workers, teachers, intellectuals, and journalists. It is everyone’s responsibility and duty to present the proper history of how the Bengali nation defeated them to the new generation, especially the young generation. But to what extent are we doing that? The question has come before us. Sheikh Hasina’s dream is to take the country forward in the spirit of the liberation war and to give the country’s people a taste of development.
The main goal was to write the history of the liberation war, to place Bangabandhu’s existence in the history of the liberation war, and to place him in a proper place of dignity. The great freedom struggle of Bangladesh promised to fulfill the fundamental rights of the countrymen, such as food, clothing, shelter, medical care, and education. Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina is walking on the path of development, progress, and prosperity, facing various domestic and foreign challenges. He is relentlessly trying to build a progressive, democratic, and non-communal Bangladesh free from hunger and poverty. We always promise to build the country in the spirit of the liberation war, and we talk about the realization of Bangabandhu’s dream, but the new generation has to understand what nation-building is in the spirit of the liberation war. Bangabandhu’s dream was to build a corruption-free country. Building a non-discrimination society in a non-communal spirit. Ensuring food, clothing, shelter, education, and medical care for all.
The spirit of the liberation war, the spirit of the freedom fighters, should be inculcated in the hearts of these young children. With their hands, this country will become a corruption-free, violence-free, discrimination-free Bangabandhu’s Golden Bengal. The war of liberation is the war to free the Bengali nation from the chains of exploitation. The spirit of the liberation war is the cherished dream of our Bengali nation, the dream of the spirit of a nation. This dream has stirred our hearts and inspired our dream to establish a sovereign state. They helped to realize the dream and accelerated this dream and accelerated a new hope.
The spirit that united the Bengali nation to establish a democratic and non-exploitative society. We need to do more to spread this consciousness among the new generation. The consciousness of the new generation should be sharpened. Those who have not seen the liberation war but have heard it in the form of a story from an older person in their family, from a teacher, from a leader, from a freedom fighter, or a book. We do not know how accurate that hearing or reading is or how widespread it is. Educational institutions can take the initiative. How successful are we to highlight the history of the liberation war? A distortion of history can give a nation nothing but destruction and confusion. Bringing the fact that the country became independent under the leadership of Bangabandhu to the new generation, especially the young generation, which will inspire the new generation in patriotism. The accurate history of the liberation war will inspire the new generation; we should start working now to sharpen this consciousness.
The excellent freedom struggle of Bangladesh promised to fulfill the fundamental rights of the countrymen, such as food, clothing, shelter, medical care, and education. Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina is walking on the path of development, progress, and prosperity by facing various domestic and foreign challenges. He is relentlessly trying to build a progressive, democratic, and non-communal Bangladesh free from hunger and poverty. The government is working to implement four foundations to build a smart Bangladesh successfully. We always promise to build the country in the spirit of the liberation war, and we talk about realizing Bangabandhu’s dream. Still, the new generation has to understand what nation-building is in the spirit of the liberation war. Bangabandhu’s dream was to build a corruption-free country. Building a non-discrimination society in a non-communal spirit. Ensuring food, clothing, shelter, education, and medical care for all. The spirit of the liberation war, the spirit of the freedom fighters, should be inculcated in the hearts of these young children. With their hands, this country will become a corruption-free, violence-free, discrimination-free Bangabandhu’s Golden Bengal.
Hiren Pandit is an essayist, researcher, and columnist.