First I hail the Gen Z students who have waged this movement. Many of us had begun to believe that we would not see this country free of the misrule within our lifetime. But these students freed the country from 16 years of autocracy, misrule and torture. There were many movements and struggles in this span of time, but none of them led to fruition.
Why the student movement was a success
I see three major reasons behind the success of the student movement:
One. The aim of the other movements was to establish one establishment in place of the other, where everything simply remains the same. Just the actors of the theatre change, where new kings and queens, princes and sentries will lap up the cream. Exploitation, repression, looting, bribery, corruption and misrule will simply continue. On the contrary, the students' movement was to change the very cogs and wheels, to build at democratic and prosperous Bangladesh free of exploitation and repression.
As for the second reason, I would find it appropriate to quote from a Facebook status posted at 3:00 in the early hours of 5 August morning by a former student of mine whose daughter is now herself a university student. The post asked forgiveness from all those she knew, for anything that she did or said that may have hurt them. She called upon Allah to have mercy on all. She said she wrote those words in case she never returned.
This student of mine, Atia, from the very outset of the movement had been risking her life by going around supplying food and drink to the demonstrators in Uttara.
It is common knowledge that whenever a revolution takes place, seeds of a counter revolution are planted. In the interests of the students and people's revolution, these must not be let to sprout
Her Facebook post had me worried and I called her early in the morning. I told her that her life would be at risk and asked her to restrain herself from the suicide mission. She replied, "I am already on the streets, sir, and are we actually alive now? Let us at least try for once to actually live." Her reply stunned and silenced me. I have not seen such commitment and sacrificial spirit among all of those who now want to get a slice of the cake.
The last reason is their preparation. The Gen Z leadership and activists of the movement had learnt lessons from the 2018 safe road movement and the anti-quota movement, and then used innovative strategy in the 2024 movement and the people responded. The other political parties' movement had been run-of-the-mill.
Gen Z's aspirations
They want a society and nation where there will be equal opportunities for all. That was the objective of the quota reform movement. As the number of civil service jobs is limited, their main demand was for recruitments to be made on the basis of merit. This generation dreams of establishing an exploitation-free democratic and accountable government. By nominating Nobel laureate Professor Yunus as chief advisor, the students have reiterated their determination to create equal opportunities for all.
The mess must be cleared
Other than the looting and state-sponsored terrorism, the biggest damage done over these 16 years has been to the judiciary, the parliamentary system, the military and civil administration and journalism. Also, institutions have been destroyed by corruption and placing subservient sycophants in the top position of these. One of the main tasks of the new government will be to clear up this mess and build up unbiased institutions.
Tasks for the new government
There will be need for capacity in the new government to tackle the prevailing crisis and reforms including:
1. Constitutional and judicial reforms; 2. Public administration reforms; 3. Financial reforms; 4. Education and social sector reforms; 5. Power and energy sector reforms; 6. Infrastructure sector reforms; 7. Foreign policy; 8. Social safety net; 9. Defence and domestic law and order.
In all sectors, the advisor's need more pragmatic understanding and professional excellence than academic knowledge.
Role of the students
Students now must return to the campus, run the student unions and prepare themselves as future leaders of the nation. For as long as the new government will be on the right path, they should support it and thwart all conspiracies. They can help in keeping the government on the right track.
Immediate action
It is common knowledge that whenever a revolution takes place, seeds of a counter revolution are planted. In the interests of the students and people's revolution, these must not be let to sprout. The steps to be taken are:
1. Maintain law and order. Mob justice must be sternly kept under control. Security must be ensured for the lives and property of the religious minority.
2. Like the Students against Discrimination movement, the interim government must also stay away from the present political arena.
3. The nine-point demand of the students must be implemented.
4. Structural political, economic, administrative and judicial reforms must be carried out as quickly as possible.
5. New appointments based in merit must be made to the top positions.
6. The wheels of the economy must be activated immediately and the needs of the poor population met.
None of us want the martyrs of this recent movement to go in vain. May the revolution sparked off by Gen Z prove to be a success.
* Muhammad Fouzul Kabir Khan is former secretary and economist
* This column appeared in the print and online edition of Prothom Alo and has been rewritten for the English edition by Ayesha Kabir