Victory Day
The surrender
of the Pakistan occupation forces proved that a nation cannot be subjugated
for a long time
The sunrise today heralds the 46th Victory Day for Bangladesh. On this day in 1971, our country achieved victory after nine-month long war against the Pakistani occupation forces. The hearts of millions of people will pulsate with the joy of freedom today. The hearts of those who have lost their near and dear ones will be bruised with agony. The liberation of Bangladesh was inevitable as Pakistan was an absurd geographic entity that simply could not last. The Pakistani rulers perpetrated the ugliest genocide in world history, killing at least three million innocent Bengalis. The atrocities did not end here. The occupation forces and their cohorts outraged the modesty of two hundred thousand women in the soil of Bangladesh.
Credit goes to scores of freedom fighters who snatched victory from the clutches of the Pakistani regime. Many a freedom fighter embraced martyrdom for the cause of emancipation. The nation is indebted to them. Without their unparalleled sacrifices the country could not have seen the light of freedom. The surrender of the Pakistan occupation forces proved that a nation cannot be subjugated for a long time. It was an arduous task for the government of Bangabandhu Sheikh Mujibur Rahman to rebuild the war-ravaged country. However, there was no dearth of efforts. It is extremely shocking to note that the forces of darkness killed the architect of the freedom and his family members in the darkness of the night on August 15, 1975 putting politics on an unusual course.
After the dark night of August 15 the country was ruled by military regimes for a long time and democracy took a back seat. The country also witnessed rise of fundamentalist forces. Terrorism raised its hoods like anything and peace-loving people bore the brunt of the same. Successive governments failed to give democracy an institutional shape and welfare of the common people seemed elusive. The true ideals and the dreams of the martyrs of the liberation war are yet to be materialised. However, trials and punishments of the war criminals have been completed. This is no mean achievement.
It is the responsibility of the government, political leaders, civil society members and the people from all walks of life to work together for safeguarding the independence and sovereignty of the country. Poverty, illiteracy and other ills confronting the country should be addressed properly. There is no alternative to achieving the MDG and SDG by the year 2020.
