The New Nation - Internet Edition

THIRTY-SIX years ago on this day, Bangladeshis created a magnificent history by triumphing over an occupation force and creating an independent and sovereign homeland. The creation of Bangladesh was nobody's favour. The people of this country made great sacrifices and tremendous endeavours to win their freedom.

But the singular thought that fills the mind on the occasion of Bangladesh's 37th Victory Day is, whether this nation that created history in 1971 through a heroic War of Independence could utilise its enthusiasm and energy better to achieve faster progress in national development in all other spheres. The goals for which independence was won prominently included a better life for the people in every sense or basically, aspirations for higher standard of living, wealth and economic opportunities. Other nations in our Asian neighbourhood could travel very far in the same period of thirty-six years to a remarkably elevated state economically. South Korea, for example, is now regarded as a developed nation though its overall conditions resembled ours three decades ago. The goals of the independence struggle also included the establishment of a democratic system of governance, rule of law and a social and economic system based on fairplay and justice. But these goals remain not attained in large measures even after more than three decades and a half since the liberation of the country.

Why then we did not make so much material and social progress which we were capable of and when other nations have showed that it is possible to take a short-cut route to economic and social development? The answer must be explored in our political sphere, in the lack of dedication and vision of our political leaders because these are the areas where the failings have been the greatest. Blessed with able, committed, dedicated and somewhat selfless and cooperative leaderships, Bangladesh could have definitely matched the Asian success stories of today.

The rate of advancement in different spheres could have been substantially greater if the country's political leaders were truly motivated to be tolerant and learnt to cooperate with each other. The politics of a country can be the single most important vehicle for its rapid socio-economic progress. But Bangladesh remains handicapped by a political environment the characteristics of which are intolerance of its political leaders, their unbridled chauvinism at the cost of the country and their lack of vision.

Therefore, it would seem that the greatest need for this country is to have the sort of leadership it needs to really take it forward. This would be the strongest aspiration of those who take time out to ponder over the state of the nation on occasions such as the Victory Day. Our polity or civil society shall have to create the clamour in favour of a new stream of positive, enlightened and dedicated leadership which is transparent and free from corruption to steer the country with much greater success in future. Specially the imperative is to find the fastest forward movement from the political crisis created by our leaders who have made the country deeply insecure in all respects.