Victory day greetings for all my readers. Today is the 37th anniversary of our historic 1971 victory against oppression and colonialism of Pakistan. In 1971, the fight was for emancipation from the oppression of the west. Victory day of this year comes at a time when we are back to the days of oppression, class divide, fear, torture, arrest and intellectual persecution. Our victory was meant to be for everybody in Bangladesh, whether you live inside or outside of the beautifully landscaped wall in the picture.
[Photo Courtesy: Shafiur Rahman. Click here for full size better resolution image.]
Unfortunately Bangladesh celebrates the 37th victory anniversary when she is ruled by a government which is by the people, for the people and of the people who live inside that landscaped wall. The festivities of 37th victory do not reach the people outside the wall as it also does not reach the decomposing bodies under the rubbles of Rangs Bhaban or the shelter less orphans in cyclone Sidr ravaged coasts. And this victory day is also meaningless for the half a million people who have been arrested since 11 January 2007.
We only can hope that by next victory day, we will have a government which will have the courage to let people enjoy the fundamental right of freedom until they are convicted of any crime. And unlike the quarter million who are in jail today under suspicion only, nobody will be behind the bar only with suspicion. And let’s also hope that by the next victory day, we will get back a government where the people living outside the wall have a voice too.
In the Middle of Nowhere 
December 16, 2007 at 1:04 pm
We celebrate the 16th December, victory day for us in a befitting manner. But it is time to think in other way round. Just now I have the different thinking. It should be the day of our defeat and the victory for India and Pakistan. Why?
India had the biggest victory, even a kid can concieve it well. But how we got defeated and the Pakistan had victory on that day.
For Pakistan, the east wing became the liability, many of the west-leaders started to think like that way, specially the power-hankering Bhutto. Bhutto having the sweeping election victory in the west become the leader of the west. He understood that as the Bengalees are the majority in the whole Pakistan and as they had become politically conscious by then, it won’t be possible to rule them any more. And moreover,land-wise pakistan was almost 5 times bigger than the erstwhile east pakistan and so it’s better to get seperated.
The very geography was such that it would have to be seperated today or tomorrow. But if there had been separation on the discussion table, they had to divide the wealth and surrender our legitimate dues. The seperation by war was the cunning and shrewd way for the Yahya-Bhutto gong to decieve and deprive us. With the war Bhutto had the victory, Sheik Mujib was the loser. Perhaps by now, we could have ruled the whole pakistan and if there had been the war of seperation it should have come from them as they were minority and we were majority. We fought the war for them and lost the vast land for the lack of political astuteness and vision. Moreover, they committed genocide and could get away easily. And we failed to get the real killers and rapers face the justice.
So to me, as my new analysis, 16th December is the victory for us in some sense and the real defeat in the greater sense.
Thanks.
December 17, 2007 at 7:52 pm
Bitter boy . . you are spot on.
Pakistan is a nuclear power, and now holds the west hostage in the so-called war on terror. India is a nuclear power, the silicon valley of asia, and it has bollywood.
In contrast, Bangladesh has nothing of global value, and is little more than a bad political joke. Moreover, no country takes bangladesh seriously. As proof, look to the meager aid that came in after Sidr.
I trust that Pakistan and India look to bangladesh as nothing more than a sewer of human filth.
The only person that had a victory on the 16th of December was Mujib, who became a cult hero to the ignorant and broken masses. Too bad he and his family stole the future of Bangladesh, having placed it in their swiss bank accounts.
cheers!
December 17, 2007 at 9:59 pm
Dear 1 & 2,
Why the whole 71 incident be left on Mujib alone. It is easy to look back 30 years and speak as if all knew what would happen to Bangladesh in 2007. You said Pakistani’s looked us as ‘liability’. So you see that sense of ‘liability’ or ‘looking down’ has been there for years. ‘lungi parne ke sharm aati he!’ ‘machli me bod dua aati he’, ‘lungi uthano se sachha muslim dhekne aate he’ ‘hei na!. Having a ‘nuclur’ bomb filled you up.
Bangladeshis should not hold grudge against Pakistani forever of 71, neither it means 71 was an error. Yes, after 71, some thought, soon it will be under India and Islam would be by by! Both India & Pakistan were wrong about Bangladesh. India is wrong as they had no clue of what Islam meant to people of Bangladesh (still they do not). Culprit treacherous Pakistani leaders were worst then Indians counter parts as East Pakistanis expected more brotherly respect out of them, instead and as you said we were LIABILITES to them. With events of history (as ordained by Allah) we are Bangladeshis today.
Zia with deep & clear understanding of Bangladeshis sentiment guided them in unity and BNP came to existence. Since then, Isnhallah BNP has been an entity via which many found a soundness of sense of being a Bangladeshis without loosing heritage or religious convictions.
Lessons can be learned from past, but why not encourage young Bangladeshis to build a better life for future. Why not ask them to build a river bridge with house resource. Build a dam bigger then Farakkha, warn India of helping independence of Asaam. A Shelter platform to save life from natural calamity. Why ‘nuclur’ fatafati is the measurement of achievement?
One of the kindest and great hearted people are Bangladeshis. May Allah bless Bangladesh & Bangladehsis.
December 17, 2007 at 11:12 pm
Dear Folks,
I want to draw your deep attention to the very picture snaped in the thread. You see the three individuals in the picture. A sad vacant looking middle-age women standing, a perhaps a middle-aged man, most probably looking older than his age due to abject poverty sleeping on the pavement and the completely naked listless child devoid all the luxaries and affections of the world appropriate for its age, doing and thinking something in its gloomy own world.
To empower them, to help them stand on their feet, give them cloths, shelters, sustenance and great hopes for living with full dignity as humans, was the sole spirit of our independence, not the fictious box of spirit of independence [shwadinatar-chetona] as our drawing-room-city-based elites hold for us.
This kind of picture is the real shame for our nation. But not that we didn’t yet decide who is the declarer of Independence or who is the father, mother, duaghter, sister, chachi-chachi, Hupa-Hupi, Baigna-Baine or Boau-Bhavi of our nation! Or what our culture or ulcer is? Or whether we failed or not, to try the so called war-criminals, rajakers, albadar etc to justice!
For the last 36 years we were busy with all the rubbish stuffs and failed to focus on the problems and their solutions, which our martyrs sacrified their lives for. We lost our energy in baseless fighting whether we are Bagalee or Bangladeshi, whether we are secular or faith-based society, who is our idols Mujib or Zia, whether we would chant slogan Joy-Bangla-Joy-Hind or Pakistan or Saudia Zindabad!
We were busy for all-rubbish, not anything for real and life. Is not very late to wake up and say goodbye to the all silly stuffs what we have been falsly taking pride in? But late always is better than never. So, let’s wake slumberng not anymore
second.
Thanks.
December 18, 2007 at 9:34 am
Bitterboy,
Does picture justifies
“I trust that Pakistan and India look to bangladesh as nothing more than a sewer of human filth.”
“For Pakistan, the east wing became the liability”
Freedom guarantees people to express what they feel as long it doesn’t take away rights of others. If some wants to puza Zia or Mujib, it is their purgative. Calling it rubbish takes no where. Some are liberals, some are orthodox, some are ……. Why every one has to be mold in one pot. This drive of ‘waking’ up’ & ‘march’ means what? That public will snap out of ‘amnesia’. Mass public are what they are. And they are reasonable, responsible and peace loving. Do you think all Bangladeshis are fanatic Zia & Mujib lovers, or still crying over them, or even have time to ponder on what their dream was? Bangladeshis are willing and WORKING HARD to make things better. I am not quantifying problems and progress to measure them, but have we not had any success from 71. Have our leaders has done nothing in last 36 years.
What new are you proposing? I believe after 71 Bangladeshis has proved to be sober, peace loving, religiously faithful nation of loving their heritage & trying improving their daily life without interfering any other nation.
On the contrary I believe Bangladeshis has proven to be much better than India & Pakistan when came to minority security.
All over the world we have workers in all level. Many Bangladeshis has proved their worthiness in many nations and in international levels.
Public were always able to hold tight of what is right, regardless who said what. If that would not be the case 71 would not have happened. Eleven years of hard tries failed Ershad to be popular in national level ever to come back power. Hasina wears Hizabs, takes of Hizabs, proves she knows that lack of AWs being in powers is not only ‘not having smart to be a better corrupter then BNP’, but also silent majority finds better alternative then what they howls. That is why AW loves Jamaat when needs come, hates Jamaat when need comes. Public are well ware of flip flops of parties.
These politics are reality of Bangladesh. If changes are desire, then neither fanatic of Zia or Muzib lovers has any chance, nor do ‘we suddenly realize we were all along in errors and March!’. Bangladeshis are well aware of their problems. It is ‘Prothom-lies’, Daily lies’ like news papers and definitely a group of rotten known and unknown souls, and very unfortunately our recent misguided army got mixed up in this ‘sudden wake up’.
Election, Election & Election is THE ONLY process via which we select groups of people and put them in governing seats & wants them to drive nation as we want. Via this cyclic process, a nation gets build up and maintains a continuity of peaceful living and does our best to tackle national problems and fix those. Quick solution is a myth.
Where does developing ‘nukes’, ‘India & Pakistan’ looks us as ‘human filth’ comes from? I do not believe what filthy morally corrupt men like Devapriyo preaches. I believe in myself, my families and my neighbors. I can be affiliated with a party and believing that party manifesto without hating and killing opposition. I get emotionally touched as a BANGLDESHI when cricket team plays, I am aware of my religious convictions without hating other religious people unlike what liberal does. I do nothing out of ordinary to be known as ‘losers’ by another nation. Am I less in number?
In fact I propose let us wake of by believing that we shall not believe or ponder on negative brand other put on us. We are capable, we can do things. Help us stopping giving us ‘free money’ or ‘loans’. We will be greatly helped when “international helps” stops. Surely we may go through some pain, but once we learn the mechanism to solve problems we can greatly help us. Allah will helps us when decide to believe in us and ask his guidance.
Howling, growling, 3-Ms does not even exist in this reality.
December 20, 2007 at 11:08 pm
bitter boy, you are brilliant! too bad these other bloggers just don’t get it. keep up the good work