The unfortunate typical instinct of many Bangladeshis these days is to despise the surroundings from which they draw their sustenance. There are over 180 countries in the world and conditions in many of them are far worse than Bangladesh such as in Somalia, Eritrea, etc --where regular famine, pestilence, war and crimes-- make decent living almost impossible. For people of such countries, fatigue in bearing with conditions in their countries and losing faith in them, may not be so unpardonable. But Bangladesh, though far above such countries in the hopelessness league, suffers from the too transparent greed of too many of its people who are suffering from the delusion that their country is not worth living and turning their back on it as the most pragmatic thing to do. They want to become part of the American dream, the Canadian dream, the Singaporean dream, etc. and the Bangladesh dream is perhaps the last, the least or not at all in their scheme of things.
But no country that is great today was naturally made great. In some cases, they faced very adverse, very disquieting conditions of resourcelessness, destruction and other retarding factors. But the one outstanding factor based on which these countries made a turnaround and are today in the front rank of nations , was the resolute identification of their people with the best interests of their country and working tirelessly and unswervingly for the same and putting considerably the advancement or betterment of their countries above self. The Koreans, the Japanese-- and there are other examples of people who triumphed over adversity in the last century-- did not generally want to become part and parcels of other lands but set out to transform, to reform, to develop their own countries and their strivings were crowned with success that gave meaning and nobility to their lives.
A celebrated American President urged his countrymen not to ask what the country could give them but what they could give the country. Such an appeal to patriotism would invite derisive laughter among many of the present generations of well educated and qualified Bangladeshis who have become adept at most unconscientiously betraying Bangladesh after making the most out of their birth and upbringing in it. Bangladeshi doctors, engineers and other professionals who get their education, training and other facilities at the expense of the taxpayers of their country hardly feel any twinge of conscience while selling their services permanently to their foreign masters. But clearly such people need to be told by their otherwise adoring relatives and others how small minded they really are and the nihilism of their existence without purpose and ideology.
A campaign is in full force by these people to justify their escapism and irresponsibility. They cite the smallness of Bangladesh to cover up for their crimes of not doing their duties on behalf of the country. They want to paint a doomed picture of Bangladesh burdened with its population, its poverty, its present squalor and other negatives. But we want to tell these people loudly and clearly that Bangladesh is not small. Unlike them who bit the hand that fed and nursed them, we wish to stand by our motherland to pay our debts for the blessings it bestowed on us and for which we are grateful. We do not look at the negatives painted by them as negatives but as positives.
Yes, Bangladesh is not small, it is big and so big that some big countries would pale into insignificance before it. We are the seventh biggest country in the world with 150 million people. We do not consider our vast population as a source of weakness but strength. We will form a vast market some day to be among the most lucrative in the world. Our vast population, already on the move-up from various push-pull factors, will create great wealth early in the present century to take us to great heights of national greatness and individual contentment. The signs of Bangladeshis being galvanised into such a huge workforce are evident though the short-sighted ones may not see it or recognise it. Goldman Sachs leads the world in investment banking. According to an assessment by it, Bangladesh would be among eleven countries of the world to play to play an important role in the global economy by the year 2050. Goldman Sachs made this prophecy based on its evaluation of economic developments in countries round the world in its report titled 'the next eleven'.
A continent size country is barren today and it has to entice away people from other countries to it because it is indigenously short of people and needs migration of people from other countries to help expand its economy and harness its resources. We are, thank God, not dependent like it and are greater in that respect.
Who says Bangladesh is small? How many countries have such distinctions or leads the world such as our possessing the world's longest natural and unpolluted sea beach, the world's greatest mangrove forest, world renowned culinary skills, a culture and civilisation that dates back thousands of years in contrast to leading countries in the world today whose civilised histories are but several centuries old.
Bangladesh in antiquity was a land of plenty, finery, artistry and excellence. It was among the few distinguished lands in the world then for its prosperity and high civilsation. Colonial interventions and other ill developments had upset our fortunes and stalled our progress. But this is temporary. The titanic struggle for independence gave us an opportunity afresh to restore our national greatness.
Nothing but unflinching patriotism is necessary to realise the vision.
