Reza Mahmud :
A new Victory Day emerged in Bangladesh through a long and painful battle against autocracy and fascism, say politicians and experts.
After 54 years of the independence, the country’s people is set to celebrate a new dimensional victory day today. This year the nation started its voyage towards building a new Bangladesh through the upcoming national elections in post autocratic Hasina regime.
Bangladesh achieved its independence in a nine-month long bloody war against the Pakistan occupation forces. The war ended on 16 December, 1971 with the surrendering of the Pakistani aggressor forces. Bangladesh, every year observes the day as its victory day which was achieved in exchange of huge bloodshed and lives of lakhs of freedom fighters of this land.
The historic Victory Day in this year will be observed in a totally new atmosphere, experts and politicians shared.
When contacted, Professor Dr. SM Ali Reza, Political Science Professor of Dhaka University told The New Nation on Monday, “The great victory day will be observed this year in a different atmosphere. The whole nation is started a new journey towards 13th national election in a festive mood after autocrat Hasina’s fall.”
Dr. Reza said, though allies and cohorts of the ousted Hasina regime are trying to create panic and anarchies through various misdeeds, including terrorist attacks, the whole nation has become united to foil such evil attempts.
Experts said, a large portion of times in the past decades, the country was in grips of fascist powers patronised by a neighboring country. Under the rules of former Dictator H M Ershad and Awami League’s Hasina, the countrymen were suffered severe hardship from the regimes of the autocratic rules.
Especially, in the last 17 years, Hasina become a heinous symbol of tyranny and oppressed the opponent voices, using the state power.
Hasina made democracy a farce through holding rigged elections. The fascist Hasina barred almost all political activities and jailed most opposition political leaders.
Huge numbers of fabricated cases were filed against leaders of the BNP, Jamaat-e-Islami and other opposition parties in the last 17 years.
Getting support only from the neighboring India, the Awami League regime has taken huge steps against the national interests and on favoring Indian benefit, politicians said.
As a result, people of the country become frustrated and angered against Hasina regime and started long time agitations to oust her.
Finally the student-led movement, popularly known as July Uprising, ousted Hasina on August 5, last year. After one year, the country has strengthened its solidarity and started journey towards a national election scheduled for February 12, 2026.
Meanwhile, the fascist AL’s miscreants and terrorists started their heinous activities to create anarchies in the country aiming to foil the scheduled polls.
As part of it, the terrorists shot Sharif Osman Hadi, a popular July Uprising leader and Inqilab Moncho convener on Friday.
The incident reportedly strengthening unity among the political parties as all of those including the BNP, Jamaat-e-Islami, National Citizen Party (NCP) and others call for national unity to defeat the fallen fascist’s blue print.
This year’s Victory Day is being held amidst such a circumstance.
Chief Adviser Professor Dr Muhammad Yunus, in his National Victory Day message, said that the July Uprising has once again opened a historic opportunity to establish a democratic system free from discrimination, corruption and oppression. He noted that the wide-ranging reform programmes undertaken by the interim government to build a well-governed and progressive Bangladesh are steadily moving towards successful completion with the active involvement of the people.
Professor Yunus observed that the spirit of independence achieved in 1971 has, at various times, been weakened by authoritarian governance and administrative failures.
Calling for unity, he said, “May this Victory Day serve as a renewed call for national solidarity. Let us collectively reaffirm our commitment, at any cost, to ensuring genuine empowerment of the people and advancing the democratic transformation inspired by the enduring ideals of the great Liberation War.”
He further said that December 16 stands as Bangladesh’s great Victory Day-an unforgettable and glorious chapter in the nation’s history. On this day in 1971, after nine months of a bloody Liberation War, the country attained its long-cherished independence.
Meanwhile, BNP Acting Chairman Tarique Rahman on Monday said He said history has repeatedly demonstrated that no force can stop a united people. “This truth was proven in 1971, in 2024, on November 7, 1975, and during the anti-autocracy movement of the 1990s. I firmly believe that the election will be held at the scheduled time, InshAllah,” he added.
Besides, Bangladesh Jamaat-e-Islami Ameer Dr Shafiqur Rahman on Monday calles for a united, humane and corruption-free Bangladesh. He said his party seeks, “unity, not division; love, not violence; transparency and accountability, not corruption; justice for all; and jobs in hand, not black money.”
He said these while speaking at a discussion organised by Bangladesh Jamaat-e-Islami, Dhaka Metropolitan South, at the National Press Club.
