A Bangladesh Built on the Dreams of the Youth

Bidhan Chandra Pal

It is evident, and indeed natural, that people in Bangladesh as well as across the world are concerned about the dire situation in the nation. The revolution has received immense support from around the globe: Bangladeshis, foreigners, and Bangladeshis living in other countries have all raised their voices against the atrocities committed in the nation. A friend in need is a friend indeed. It must be said that all who have been keeping Bangladesh in their thoughts, regularly keeping track of the situation, writing about it, analysing it and trying to find a solution are the ones who are honestly working towards a better future for Bangladesh. They are the true patriots. All of these efforts would not be possible without one’s true love for the country, and a deep sense of compassion and empathy for Bangladesh.

Media and people in Bangladesh and abroad are also passing various judgements with regards to the present scenario, oftentimes criticising the movement, the turn it has taken and the conclusion it has reached.
The new generation (although like me, many others have not had the opportunity to meet, know and understand them) in a courageous effort—some even at the cost of their lives— have pulled out the older generation from their hidingholes and have brought them up onto the surface. This exposed to the people the rampant corruption that had been sweeping through the nation and also revealed a way to escape from it. The cool wind of change has blown through the country and instilled a breath of fresh air on the citizens. There is a hope for a better and brighter future which is spreading across Bangladesh.

Is this truly “independence?”There has been much apprehension over this question, because, over the years, the members of the society had becoming increasingly nucleated, isolated and apathetic. The core administrative, social, cultural and various other institutions had grown to become weak and fragile. This became even more evident when, after the revolution received its desired goals, various unexpected and unacceptable events took place causing massive death and destruction. There were attacks on minorities, police forces, and people from opposing political parties and beliefs, a spree of torture, murder, theft, and destruction of statues and places of worship of minorities swept across the nation. Without a doubt these actions were despicable and shameful and were a show of ugly mentality.

Truth be told, the people of the country had not been able to even imagine such immense political upheaval, one which would shake the foundations of Bangladesh. It indeed happened very suddenly and swiftly.But this change was doubtlessly necessary for Bangladesh and its citizens, sooner or later.

Although the people were pulled out of their filth hidey-hole, the scum and dirt of the past will stick to them. To rid them of these, apart from the essential forces, one has to allow them some time to adjust. The wound of uplifting the society as a whole is so intense, that many may have to carry this burden throughout their lives. Post-emancipation, there might ensue a struggle among the people as theydo not immediately find what they seek, and slowly come to terms with the new life and how to properly live it. This might lead to a certain direction of anarchy causing brawls or incidents far worse and fear-inducing—this is, of course, undesirable. Years of subjugation has pulled out a howl of impatience and intolerance from the people; in the end, they crave for peace; they wish to have the security to lead happy lives—not just for themselves, but also a secure future for generations to come. And so the commoners have accepted the revolution brought in by the young generation and have put their hopes for a better future on the changes that they have been able to bring about.

At the present moment, the newly formed interim government has instilled a sense of hope in the minds of the people, even if there are some doubts and concerns regarding certain members of the government. This is, however, natural in a democratic structure. The greatest sense of hope stems from the fact that the leader of the interim government is Nobel Peace Prize winner. With this, the new society is looking for progress toward a safe, sound and prosperous future. Not just Bangladesh, but the entire world looks on in the hope to see what the new age brings.

Hope for a widespread reinstatement of law and order in the nation is being looked forward to. People expect a change in societal dynamics where men and women can live equally and freely without fear. Everyone, irrespective of caste, creed or religion, will have an environment where they can survive happily and peacefully. Better economic conditions, education, and a healthcare system is also something the citizens of Bangladesh are eagerly waiting for. Only when all of this is achieved can the nation move forward. Proper reforms in the electoral system and its functioning are also something that can be hoped for in the near future.

With the immense transformation in the trajectory of national history and politics, the entire state and its functionality has more or less collapsed. The process of resurrection has already begun, but it must be understood that this is neither easy nor a small undertaking. The changes being brought about will face criticism; but instead of criticising the new approaches, people must accept and bring about reforms following the path laid down by the Constitution and following the “Doctrine of Necessity”. The new interim government will need time to bring about proper and acceptable reforms, which the people will have to provide them with. The people must also provide the government with all the necessary help so that the entire country can grow together. If everyone works together, it will make sure to bring about swifter stability in the nation, or at least pave the way for it.

It has to be kept in mind that this generation (termed Gen Z: those born between 1997 and 2012) has neither witnessed the Bengali Language Movement, nor the Bangladesh Liberation War, nor ‘90s uprising. Naturally, these people will only be able to raise their voices and protest against the leaders whom they have seen behave like dictators after they were born. It would be unrealistic and indeed unfair to expect them to speak about revolutions which happened before their lifetime.

Thus, to progress, the old generation will have to seriously pay heed to the things the new generation has to say and the reforms they suggest. It is imperative to understand the psychology of the young generation and not allow for them to be maligned and manipulated on religious or economic. The previous generation will have to guide the younger generation so that they do not lose their purpose midway and indulge in actions which will cause collective harm to society. Experienced individuals will have to contribute their own teachings to increase awareness of the new generation so that cohabitation and coexistence can be achieved. Praise and guidance must be imparted to the new generation; but this cannot be one-directional, as one too has much to learn from them. It is possible to develop such healthy practices of communication, otherwise—or even in the event of this process going wrong—this may lead to dire consequences for the entire nation.

It must be remembered that over the years, Bangladesh has seen a lot of cultural, social, political and constitutional changes. As a result, people must understand that fundamentalist, fascist, militant or religious groups have not emerged over the course of a day. Hence, a complete change in the structure of these groups suddenly cannot be expected. Bringing about change will be difficult, but despite all difficulties, it is not impossible.

To conclude, the change which the young people have brought about in Bangladesh must be lauded and their contribution for a better future is immeasurable. The change that has taken place must be used to bring positive reforms. In the midst of all the negative news, there is a sign of positivity from the people of all ages. They have been infused with the vigour of the youth and in the absence of law-and-order forces have taken it upon themselves to ensure the safety of people all across Bangladesh. They have brought order back to the streets, returned stolen objects back to the owners. These incidents offer a sense of security. They also prove that the future is in safe hands, and even in the height of disorder, the youth of the country can strive to successfully reinstate order.

The people of Bangladesh do not want any more discord or discrimination, whether political or religious. Neither do they want to sink back into the vicious cycle of corruption and political malpractice. The nation has begun a journey of rising and starting anew, and in this journey lies success and a newfound freedom to live prosperous and peaceful lives. With the safe and strong participation of each and every individual, Bangladesh will move to greater future. A strong, positive, and fruitful future for Bangladesh—let this be the collective desire of all.

[Translated from original Bengali by Aryaveer Das. Courtesy: Ekak Matra]  

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Frontier
Vol 57, No. 10, Sep 1 - 7, 2024