Bangladesh celebrating 40th year of Victory

On this day in 1971, the Pakistani occupation forces had surrendered to the allied forces, ending the nine-month Liberation War.

Editorial:The Victory Day
www.thebangladeshtoday.com

December 16 is a red-letter day in our national history. The nation celebrates the Victory Day on this day every year with a renewed pledge to safeguard national sovereignty, strengthen democracy and attain economic emancipation. There is a lot of enthusiasm and festivity all around on this occasion. This year is also no exception and the people are celebrating the historic Victory Day today amid festivity and jubilation. But it can not be denied that the day is set to pass off leaving many hearts filled with despair as the dreams of the independence movement and the great victory in the liberation war are yet to be fulfilled.
The independence of the country is the result of united struggle of the whole nation, heroic fight of the brave sons of the soil and supreme sacrifice of three million people as well as unbearable abuse and humiliation of two lakh women of the country. The dreams that prompted the people to fight a life and death battle for liberation were that independence would bring about freedom from subjugation and also peace, democracy and economic emancipation. But those dreams have only partially been materialised.
No, doubt we have been liberated from colonial rule in 1971, but our economic emancipation is still a distant goal. A lot of changes have taken place in the country over the last 40 years in different fields, but the lot of the common people still remains unchanged. The blood earned independence has paved the way for the rich being richer. But the poor people continue to become poorer. The rich-poor gap is widening rapidly. Thus the main objective of independence remains yet to be accomplished, because political freedom without economic emancipation is almost meaningless. So, all out efforts must be made to attain economic emancipation to make the independence meaningful for all.
Every one knows, one of the main objectives of independence was to establish a peaceful democratic society in the country. But it is a matter of great regret that even after so many years of achieving independence democracy is fragile in the country and peace continues to be disrupted by widespread violence and terrorism plunging the people into a state of insecurity. And no doubt, people are unhappy over this situation. Now, we all hope, those who run the country and decide the fate of the people must deliver goods to fulfill the aspiration of the nation. We can not but remind all concerned that the nation has earned freedom at the cost of blood not for the power and pomp of some leaders, but for a social order in which the people can leave peacefully with democratic right, human dignity and economic security.
Those who are in the helm of affairs, must respond positively to the call of the time by placing the interests of the people above that of the parties and individuals to make Bangladesh a real welfare state ensuing basic needs of life as well as peace, security and justice for all. If it can not be done the sacrifice of the nation for liberation may go in vain and the hopes and dreams generated by the liberation of the country may fade into history turning the blood-earned freedom into only a myth of independence.