It is through giving weight to Bangabandhu’s values that we have been able to come so far
On this day 100 years ago, the man who would go on to create Bangladesh was born.
Sheikh Mujibur Rahman is the Father of the Nation — he is the reason that Bangladesh exists, and it is through understanding his values that Bangladesh will continue to exist.
In fact, much of our success is owed to Bangabandhu Sheikh Mujibur Rahman and the values of democracy, secularism, and equality on which Bangladesh was founded.
Without understanding the importance of our brothers and sisters, the citizens who call this country their home, could Bangladesh ever have dreamed of achieving the successes it has over the last decade?
We have seen growth like nothing before, as our economy continues to grow at a rate unprecedented in our history, and even unprecedented in the region. It is a growth that dwarfs the one shown by our regional neighbours, and has allowed for our nation to become a major player on the global stage.
There is no denying that Bangladesh’s journey since its independence has been shaky. Our nation has been plagued by poverty, starvation, famine, natural disasters through which we’ve barely made it; there have been coups and assassinations; there have been terrorist attacks which have absolutely shaken the nation to its very core.
But throughout that, we have stayed strong as a nation, holding on to the vision which Bangabandhu Sheikh Mujibur Rahman had imparted on us before he was so brutally taken away from us.
We will perhaps never know what Bangladesh could have been if Bangabandhu had not been assassinated.
But on the event of Bangabandhu Sheikh Mujibur Rahman’s 100th birthday, as we prepare to celebrate Mujib Borsho, let us take stock of what we have achieved over the course of the last few years and envision a Bangladesh which continues to rise ever higher with each passing year.
While this is a moment of celebration, we must remember that this is a difficult time for the world, and for our country. But it is through giving weight to Bangabandhu’s values — that of always putting the people of this country first — that we have been able to come so far, and ensure safety for our citizens, postponing large scale events and urging safety and precaution across the country in the face of a global pandemic.
Yes, we may not know what would have happened if Bangabandhu was here but we do know what he had hoped Bangladesh would be, the values he had held on to till his dying breath. We must use that to realign ourselves with his vision and with his cause, and strive to create a Bangladesh that is truly worthy of the nation that Bangabandhu had dreamed of.
Bangabandhu may no longer be with us, but there is no denying that Bangladeshis will always carry the values he imparted in our hearts, in every action we take to better this country, to help our fellow citizens.
In a way, Father of the Nation Bangabandhu Sheikh Mujibur Rahman will, indeed, live on.
Source: Dhaka Tribune
