Let the power of youth be the mantra of independence

In this life, my experience is quite heavy. I have seen British rule with my own eyes. I have witnessed the misrule of Pakistan's regime. Just as I saw the birth of Pakistan, I also saw its death. I have observed the course of independence, which was fiercely won in a 9-month-long bloody liberation war. I have breathed freely in an independent country. Therefore, when I write about the month of victory, countless memories flood the tip of my pen.

We have now celebrated 54 years of victory. The achievements of our victory, after 53 years, are endless. 'Victory' itself is an achievement.

Immediately after independence, there was a dream that the misrule of the Pakistani state would come to an end. But after independence, at various times, we saw that Pakistan, even though it had died, seemed to haunt us like a ghost. There is a saying in rural Bengal, "When a person dies, they become a ghost." I saw with my own eyes in 1975 that a state could also become a ghost after death. Through the brutal assassination of Bangabandhu Sheikh Mujibur Rahman and his family, the nation, which had gained independence under his leadership and call, witnessed a betrayal of the spirit of independence in a secular country by a few treacherous individuals. Pakistan-oriented extremists took power.

Bangladesh began to gain recognition as a new religious state among Pakistan's allies. Even after Pakistan's death, it continued to haunt us like a ghost. With the declaration of Khandaker Mushtaq, efforts to implant Pakistan's influence into the shell of Bangladesh continued for a long time. Still, the expectations of the people did not fade. People continued to hope. Even amidst repeated disappointments, it was this very hope that kept people alive. I too had expectations. I kept alive a dormant hope in my mind—a great expectation for an anti-secular, egalitarian, corruption-free Bangladesh, in line with the promise of the liberation war.

In our constitution, nationalism, socialism, democracy, and secularism are adopted as the four main state principles, forming the foundation of governance. If we want to eliminate inequality, we must govern based on these four principles. The establishment of a state religion goes against the spirit of the liberation war. This is in direct contradiction with the constitution. We need to remove the confusion regarding the essence of our constitution. We must show respect for the core values of the liberation war. One of my hopes is that the younger generation will take on the responsibility of leadership in an independent country. To fulfill this hope, I have spent many years in teaching.

I have always encouraged many students to be inspired by patriotism. I have tried to instill in them the values of the country, the nation, ideals, and the significance of victory. The literacy rate has increased. The number of educated young people has grown. However, I feel a significant lack of a younger generation driven by the values of victory. Even today, I try to engage with the youth with great enthusiasm. There was a great need for numerous selfless politicians to lead the country, but this seems to be a rare sight, and it is truly a painful reality.

Still, it is evident that the anti-independence forces distorted and mutilated our constitution. They could not fully restore the entire constitution. Therefore, when considering constitutional reform, we must first keep this in mind. Among us, a state religion still exists. Yet, we also speak of secularism and democracy. This contradiction, this inconsistency, must be resolved before the true fruits of our victory can reach every home.

To unite the nation, I believe the foremost task at this moment is to restore the original 1972 constitution by purging it of distortions and closely following its principles. When the constitution was adopted, Article 12 stated that in order to implement the policy of secularism, all forms of communalism must be prohibited, no religion should be granted political status by the state, the use of religion for political purposes must be halted, and any discrimination or oppression against followers of any particular religion must be eliminated. However, by the Second Amendment in 1978, this article was abolished. The late Justice Muhammad Habibur Rahman, in his work "Jar Jaar Dharma", provided an illuminating discussion on the state religion, from which I quote. Furthermore, in Article 38 of the constitution, which addresses the freedom of association, there was a condition that no individual shall have the right to form or become a member of any political party or organization based on religious goals or purposes.

In 1971, the youth of this country fought courageously against the Pakistani oppressors. The youth of 1971, who fought as brave warriors against the Pakistani hyenas, need to know about the 30 lakh martyrs of the liberation war. Without this, they will not be able to understand the enemy. When the youth know the history of the people's struggle, it will awaken a sense of consciousness within them.

As a result, they will feel a sense of responsibility towards the country. On one hand, the young warriors of today will advance in education, and on the other hand, we will continue to progress towards the success of independence.

Fifty-four years after independence, we are no longer a bottomless basket. Our production has increased, and per capita income has risen. However, it is important to consider whose heads are contributing to this increase in per capita income, and what percentage of the population holds what percentage of wealth. Much has been discussed about this. This inequality, unless addressed, will prevent the true values of our independence from being established. Therefore, we must eliminate this inequality. To do so, we must move forward with socialism as the focal point, giving special importance to cooperatives, so that we can move forward and escape the ghosts of Pakistan that are trying to pull us back.

We seek salvation from this situation. Who will bring about this salvation? I believe that we have much responsibility in this matter. We need to inspire our youth. Although a portion of the youth has drifted away from secular thought and fallen prey to religious fundamentalism, I do not see this as an obstacle. Even during the transitional phase of our independent state, there were forces against independence within the youth. If we can once again bring back the core principles of independence—democracy, socialism, and secularism—through the movement of the youth, then the country will reach its desired goal.

Jatin Sarkar: Essayist and Educationist