Three days after the fall of Hasina’s dictatorial government on August 5, the interim government led by Dr. Yunus took over. As such, September 8 was the month-end day of this government. A month and what a time to evaluate a government! However, several events took place around the day. A group organized a discussion session titled – ‘What could have been’. The newspapers did not make crores, but gave special importance to the news on the front page. Televisions are also close.
On the occasion of one month completion of the interim government, Dr. Yunus exchanged views with representatives of anti-discrimination movement, student organizers and students of various universities and colleges. He urged the students not to give up before fulfilling their dreams. A very encouraging statement. Recalling the misrule of the last 15 years, he further said that till now they were quietly sleeping and dreaming and looting happily. Will they sit quietly now? No, they will make no mistake trying to put you back into your nightmares. So do not leave until the work you have started is finished. This is also an encouraging statement. But when the Chief Adviser himself speaks like this, the significance can be deeper. Maybe, there is a deeper conspiracy going on that worries the interim government. And that’s why he’s asking students to be alert and prepared? Is that true? Is the situation so serious that he is forbidding the students to succumb? And saying that until the work is done, you can’t get out of it? I will discuss that in a later issue. For now I want to stay within the day of menstruation. Because on this day, those who are in the government or are associated with the government have said many things that are worth thinking about.
Especially the activity of the students regarding the new government’s month-end is worth seeing. However, they did not perform any ceremony for the month. They have organized at least four large or huge gatherings at different places on their own or on their own. I will mention about the first rally, that happened at Jatiya Shaheed Minar in Dhaka. An organization called the Citizens’ Committee has been announced for the purpose of reorganizing the country by integrating the strength of the student-mass movement from the rally. It is said that this committee will work with the aim of abolishing the fascist system and making the new political settlement a success. Many though think that at the end of the day it will take the form of a political party (such was said earlier by them) but they are not saying that. They say, we are not bringing forward any individual or party agenda, we are putting Bangladesh forward.
Naseeruddin Patwari, convener of the newly announced committee, said, “They have not started to form a party, they have started to form a state.” If there is a need for a team restructuring, that will be it. The meeting of the National Citizens Committee held at the Jatiya Shaheed Minar highlighted eight tasks, the last of which is: To organize a public discussion for the creation of a new democratic constitution through a referendum by forming the Constituent Assembly. It’s a big deal. There has already been a strong debate in the country about amending the constitution, or rewriting it, or drafting a new constitution by forming a Constituent Assembly. The newly announced organization, however, is not in favor of the new constitution. They want to organize public discussion for this. The intention must be good. But the government has to initiate this discussion. They should be accompanied by a group of constitutional experts. Ultimately a decision has to be made and it should be based on national consensus. It won’t be just because we want it, everyone has to want it together. That consensus building is a national political process.
Sarjis Alam, one of the organizers of the anti-discrimination student movement, said wonderful things in an exchange meeting with the students at Munshiganj Government Harganga College ground. You should remember students, before this history-making mass uprising, there was a strong campaign called hate politics on social media. Sarjis Alam says there, if good people don’t go into politics then you have to be ruled by bad people. If you want qualified people, talented people to run the affairs of the country, then either you have to join politics, or you have to be politically aware.
Sargs says something else that is quite plausible. Regarding how the movement was successful, he said that in the last 16 years, different political parties tried to topple the government in different ways. They could not shake a pillar of the government. While the brilliant students took to the streets, one group studied theory; Real history has been surrounded, programs have been related to them, then our movement has been successful.
It is good to hear that those who led the student mass movement at the end of the movement had theoretical education. They have won, or have been able to relate theory to application. The current generation of students or those who have done this movement have not become theorists. Not everyone can be a theorist. If the leadership can, then it is a great thing. In these 54 years of independence, Bangladesh has not seen such talented leadership. But Sarzis said that for the last 16 years, various political parties could not shake a pillar of the government! By saying this, it cannot be denied that various political parties have created the foundation of the movement for 16 years, a very traditional party has made Awami League and its government a joke in terms of popularity?
The unique common history students have created in the fight against a tyrannical, bloodthirsty, very heartless fascism is a brilliant chapter in world history. But this chapter was not written in one day. 15 years of brutal, dictatorial rule, the constant struggle of the people against him, completely alienated the dictatorship from the people. People wanted its downfall at any cost. And despite the limitations, the political parties continued their non-stop, continuous movement to build this struggle. The leaders and workers of the party had to suffer indescribably for him, they were imprisoned for a long time; Many have given their lives. They have created the theoretical and practical ground for the fall of fascism. However, they could not do this in the last fight. One of the reasons for that, however, is that they could not stand up to the challenge when needed. But it is also true that they were not the same from the beginning as the government always had a sword on them. Little did the fascist government realize that this movement would eventually ring the bell of their downfall. If not, if Sheikh Hasina had not arrogantly shown the arrogance of re-introducing the quota, it is a matter of thinking how long it would have taken to build the movement on the ground. It is to be wondered whether the situation would have improved immediately if Bachal Prime Minister had not shown anger on him and addressed the protesting students as Razakar’s grandsons. And these are the products of the interaction of politics. Politics is the leader of the society, the biggest teacher.
