Today, standing on the threshold of the Victory Month, a stream of profound anguish flows through our hearts. When we hear the slogan ‘Pakistan Zindabad’ in this independent Bangladesh, bought with the blood of 30 lakh martyrs, the question arises—was our victory, then, meaningless? The celebration of the defeated power in this country, achieved through the sacrifice of thirty lakh martyrs and two lakh mothers and sisters in our great Liberation War, cannot be tolerated. The vile vapour spread from the stage of a Quran recitation competition at South Sandwip High School field is not just a slogan; it is a severe assault on our independence and sovereignty. It is the arrogance of that defeated force, which has been waiting for revenge for 54 years! This is why they launched a militant attack and seized power last year on August 5th.
Is treason merely a legal issue, or one of conscience as well?
Whether this incident constitutes the extreme expression of treason in the eyes of the law is for the courts to judge. But in the court of Bengali conscience, it is undoubtedly the rampant display of the ghosts of the 1971 killers. The very slogan, which the finest sons of this land fought against with arms and sacrificed their lives to defeat after years of Pakistani exploitation and deprivation, is now being chanted on our sacred soil. This is not just an isolated incident but an indication of a long-standing, deep conspiracy. These new collaborators, the ‘Lal Badars’ (a reference to the 1971 collaborators) and Pakistan-loving ‘Razakars’, are silently striking at the root of our national consciousness.
Have we forgotten that we are a nation of heroes?
The valiant sons of Bengal responded to the call of the Father of the Nation, Bangabandhu Sheikh Mujibur Rahman, and sacrificed their lives for the country, giving the Bengali nation an independent land. Was it just to witness the arrogance of these Pakistani spectres?
The debt of martyrs’ blood: How long will we just stand by and watch?
Every Bengali who knows the history of ’71, who believes in the war cry of ‘Joy Bangla’, has a fire burning in their heart today. We are a nation of heroes; why should we just watch this audacity? When a handful of mentally warped, Pakistan-loving ‘Razakars’ celebrate by chanting ‘Pakistan Zindabad’ during our Victory Month, the sacrifices and heroic tales of our ancestors are being reduced to dust.
Silence no more! The time has come to unite. Like in ’71, the entire nation must unite to resist these anti-national Pakistani spectres. Unless this poisonous tree is uprooted, the debt of the martyrs’ blood will not be paid. Our children must be taught how sacred this land is, and how it was earned through immense sacrifice and blood. The fortress of our national consciousness must be strengthened further.
Awake, Bengalis, Awake!
The heroic tales of the brave Bengalis will never be erased. But to sustain them, constant vigilance is necessary. The time has come to roar again, just as it did after Bangabandhu’s speech on March 7th. We must resist the evil forces who do not believe in the independence of Bangladesh, who seek to distort our history, and who want to establish Pakistan in this free country.
Now is the time to repay the debt of the 30 lakh martyrs’ blood.
Let our voices resonate with firm resolve:
Not ‘Pakistan Zindabad’, but ‘Joy Bangla! Joy Bangabandhu! May Bangladesh live forever!’ will echo in the skies and air of Bengal!
S M Kamruzzaman Sagar Filmmaker, Organiser, Online Activist.
TSN