Bangladesh at 45

The nation enters its 45th year of independence. It is as much a cause of celebration as that of an expression of profound respect for the sacrifices of valiant freedom fighters, martyrs and all classes of people who waged a do or die struggle against the forces of occupation and genocide. 

Over the last 44 years, Bangladesh has had many attainments that we can be justly proud of. The economy and agriculture have performed outstandingly amid all sorts of weakness and instabilities in the political and governance fronts, by virtue of the never-say-die spirit of the peasants, garments workers, migrant workers and entrepreneurs of the country. The country once denigrated as 'bottomless basket' has now become an emerging and vibrant economy. Bangladesh's successes in various socio-economic indicators, especially in the areas of women's empowerment, reducing maternal and child mortalities, higher enrollment in education, have earned the country laurels as a role model among developing countries. The country with its huge young population has a potential demographic dividend waiting to be harnessed.

Two of the main goals of our Liberation War were to achieve pluralistic democracy and economic emancipation based on equitable distribution of wealth. But, 24 years after the of restoration of democracy, political and state institutions have not flourished in the way that we would have liked them to, for which much of the blame must lie with fractious politics. And although poverty has been significantly reduced, inequality has not commensurately come down.  

Let us make a fresh pledge on the 45th Independence Day: shun self-destructive politics and work collectively for a 'golden Bengal' that we had unitedly aspired for during the Liberation War.