Today is the Independence Day. The armed battle against Pakistani occupying forces began on this day in 1971 and the final victory came on 16 December after a bloody war that continued for nine months.
Three million people gave their lives, about ten million people migrated and innumerous women suffered torture to achieve this independence.
On this Independence Day we humbly remember those valiant sons who sacrificed themselves for the country.
We recall Father of the Nation Bangabandhu Sheikh Mujibur Rahman who gradually led a nation on the way of freedom and gave the final declaration on 26 March 1971.
We also remember the four national leaders who operated the liberation war in Bangabandhu’s absence.
The goal of independence was to build a democratic, fair and non-communal country, where the basic needs and civil rights of all people, regardless of their views, religion or community will be ensured.
We will remember those who sacrificed their lives for our freedom. At the same time, we’ll have to hold the goals and ideals of independence in our hearts.
We have had many successes in the last 52 years. From once being a country with food-deficiency Bangladesh has come closer to achieving self-sufficiency in food production.
Education and health care have been expanded. There has been women empowerment. Citizens’ average income and life expectancy have increased. And, we have moved to the category of developing country from being a least developed country.
How much the living standards of common people, whose sweat and labour is involved behind these successes, have improved is also an issue to consider.
The reality is that even after 52 years of independence, we haven’t been able to ensure basic needs like food, clothing, shelter, education and healthcare for the common people including labourers and farmers.
The aim of independence was to establish Bangladesh as a truly democratic state, five decades later we are still a long way from that. Despite the constitution christening public as the ultimate source of power in the republic, democracy couldn’t be institutionalised.
So on this day of independence, we need to ask ourselves—will we be satisfied with unequal economic progress? Will we accept the fragile state of democratic institutions or strengthen it?
Will we allow political division and hostility about everything to continue, or take the way of unity on important national issues? Won’t we strive to uphold the rule of law, human rights and freedom of expression alongside economic development?
The twelfth national election is scheduled for the end of this year or the beginning of next year. So far, the government and the opposition are at loggerheads regarding the elections. Just as this has caused extreme frustration among people, the fear of political clashes is also on the rise.
You cannot hope for the political problems to be resolved without a free and fair election involving all parties. Political leadership has to show signs of wisdom and prudence letting go of their narrow partisan attitude.
They must remember that a divided nation can never progress. Bangladesh became liberated indeed because the people of this country were able to unite in 1971. Today we have to win the struggle of economic emancipation and democracy as well.