Bangladesh Independence Day

It is Independence Day today (Saturday). The nation celebrates the day -- its 40th anniversary of independence -- in a joyous mood amid pomp and gaiety. It achieved its independence after a long-protracted struggle for democracy, freedom and fundamental rights over a period of two decades beforehand. This struggle had many distinctive phases including notably, among others, the historic Language Movement in the early fifties followed by the United Front (UF) election in 1954, the education movement in the early sixties, the six-point movement in the mid-sixties, the mass upsurge led by the students in 1969 and the election in 1970. And finally, the people were engaged in a bloody war of independence for long nine months, following the Declaration of Independence by the Father of the Nation, Bangabandhu Sheikh Mujibur Rahman at mid-night on March 26 after the then Pakistan occupation army launched a heavy crackdown in pursuit of a scorched-earth policy purported to muffling the voice of the people in this part of the world. Ultimately, the people of this country emerged victorious in their nine-month-long war of independence, defeating the occupation army of the then Pakistan and leading to the triumphant emergence of Bangladesh as a sovereign entity in the comity of nations.

Four decades have passed since March 26, 1971 when the country was launched on a hard and determined course to fight for its freedom from subjugation, and bondage to Pakistan. Looking back at the achievements of Bangladesh after these long forty years, one cannot fail to see some great successes towards nation-building. In 1971, the population of Bangladesh was 75 million people whereas the present population is over 150 million. But food production in the country has gone on, largely matching the need of this doubled population. Large scale and persistent hunger or starvation deaths are hardly noted in Bangladesh. A quality export-oriented garments industry has been developed. Its industrial base is now otherwise fairly diversified, compared to the situation prior to its independence. It has achieved some striking feats of its performances in economic and social sectors. Bangladesh is now awaiting to harness its great economic potential.

But the question which is relevant here is: could the rate of national move-up be a lot faster making the attainments of Bangladesh a great deal more? In all new-born countries, it is the leadership that acquires the greatest responsibility to play a catalytic role in hastening all-round national developments. When visionary and dedicated leadership combines with the efforts of a hard-working and capable people, the results can be very productive or creative. But Bangladesh has been only half-lucky in these respects. It fulfills the requirement of having people who are keen to struggle and make sacrifices to change its face for the better. But their instincts and aspirations are yet to be appreciated or shared by their leaders -- across the political divide -- who seem otherwise to be motivated mainly by their useless egoism, self-aggrandisement and incorrigible hatred towards their respective opponents.

In this situation, though Bangladesh today enjoys some strong conditions for an economic take-off based on the zest of its people, its progress at the desired pace is being held back by those who matter in the country's polity. Bangladesh badly needs expanded infrastructural facilities, human resources development, good and pro-active governance, in order to facilitate its young and talented entrepreneurs to run their enterprises efficiently, befitting the needs of to-day's highly-competitive global economy. If all successive governments in Bangladesh had done their work honestly, capably and in time, then its gross domestic product (GDP), economic growth and balanced social and spatial developments as well as their positive consequences, could be much greater. It is for the country's political leaderships, across the divide, to appreciate the imperatives for taking the nation forward on a steady course. It is their will or resolve that will matter most for shaping the future of the nation.