Opinion | The Awami League as a Pillar of Bengali Identity: Heritage, Struggle and a Historic Return

-Raudra Rudra, political analyst

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Bangladesh is today immersed in a vortex of deep political, economic and social uncertainty. Since the political catastrophe of August 5, 2024, the lives of ordinary people are extremely insecure in the face of the collapse of state institutions, the extreme lack of law and order, the pandemic-like stagnation of the economy, the destruction of social harmony and uncontrolled mob violence.

Standing in this dark reality, when we look at the political history of Bangladesh, an eternal truth emerges – the history of the Awami League is not just a record of a political party; it is a blood-soaked epic of the history of Bengali rights, existence, self-identity, independence and state building. Whenever the Bengali nation has faced an existential crisis, the Bangladesh Awami League has stood by the people as the last refuge of absolute trust and an impenetrable shield.

 

The cover of emotions and existence: The feelings of millions of Bengalis

Far above the equation or calculation of power, Awami League is the name of a deep spiritual feeling mixed in the heart of every person in this country. Born in the alluvial soil of Padma-Meghna-Yamuna, Awami League is so deeply rooted in the map, culture and mother tongue of this land that it is impossible to erase it with the pen of any undemocratic order or conspiracy. Starting from the formulation of the constitution written in blood in ’72, the party is deeply involved in every just struggle for the daily survival of the people.
This party means a living history of the sweaty joint struggle of the soil and people of Bengal, which flows in the arteries of every Bengali.

 

The dawn of liberation: From the language movement to the bloody dawn of independent Bengal

The first sunrise of liberation dawned in the political sky of East Bengal with the establishment of the Awami Muslim League at the Rose Garden in Dhaka on June 23, 1949, which later consolidated into a non-communal character.

The Language Movement of 1952, the historic United Front elections of 1954, the Education Commission Movement of 1962, the ‘Six Points’ Charter of Liberation of Bengalis announced by Bangabandhu Sheikh Mujibur Rahman in 1966, and the bloody mass uprising of 1969 brought an overwhelming victory in the struggle for Bengali identity.
The party proved that they are the legitimate guardians of this country by winning an absolute victory in the 1970 elections, ignoring the bloodshed and conspiracies of the Pakistani military junta.
Later, the historic speech of 7 March 1971, the declaration of independence on 26 March, and the bloody struggle of the heroic freedom fighters and the blood of three million martyrs, led to our desired victory on 16 December.

 

Bloody Chechitra: Rajpath’s irresistible resurrection from the tragedy of state formation

After independence, Bangabandhu began to rebuild the country with utmost compassion, facing an empty treasury, food shortages, and international conspiracies.

But on August 15, 1975, an attempt was made to destroy the newly born state by brutally killing the Father of the Nation and his family, and on November 3, four national leaders.

Then, fearlessly standing against the long military rule and repression, Bangabandhu’s daughter Sheikh Hasina returned to her blood-soaked homeland in 1981. Despite repeatedly facing death in the anti-dictatorship movement and the struggle for the rights of the masses, she did not back down even a hair.

After a long period of sacrifice, the Awami League returned to power in 1996 by the people’s vote, and through the historic Ganges Water Sharing Agreement and the Hill Peace Accord, the party proved that it had no alternative to overcome the crisis.

Later, after overcoming terrible adversities such as the demonic torture after 2001 and the grenade attack on August 21, 2004, and breaking the minus-two formula and imprisonment, the Awami League has proven time and again through a huge victory in the historic elections of 2008 – the name engraved in the hearts of the people cannot be erased.

Highway of Development: Mega Projects of Self-Reliance and World-Winning Diplomacy

Under Sheikh Hasina’s visionary and courageous leadership from 2009 to 2024, Bangladesh reached unique heights of economic self-reliance, digital transformation, and dignity.

The country has gained a top position on the world stage through the implementation of mega projects like the Padma Bridge, Metrorail, Bangabandhu Tunnel and Rooppur Nuclear Power Plant on the banks of the mighty Padma with its own funding, as well as through the exchange of enclaves and the acquisition of maritime borders.

In this episode, Sheikh Hasina’s uncompromising leadership in protecting the country’s sovereignty and regional balance, while pointing the finger at the bloodshot eyes of superpowers and domestic and foreign conspiracies, set a unique precedent in world politics.

Armor of Harmony: Destroying Terrorism with Non-Communal Roots and Zero Tolerance

Awami League has always played the role of an uncompromising guardian in protecting the equal rights of people of all religions, castes and tribes.
Starting from Pohela Baishakh, making every religious festival universal and ensuring the security of every place of worship in the country, Sheikh Hasina’s ‘zero tolerance’ policy against militancy and extremism is widely praised around the world.
By destroying extremist and fanatic networks with a strong hand, the party has repeatedly proven that Awami League is the only tested protector of non-communal and secular Bengal.

 

Human Shadow and Women’s Awakening

In times of national crisis like disaster or pandemic, the lives and livelihoods of crores of people are saved by the courageous and timely steps of Desh Ratna Sheikh Hasina. From time to time, the Awami League government has set an outstanding humanitarian precedent by providing timely incentives, adequate food security and relief to keep people’s lives and the economy afloat, whether due to catastrophic natural disasters like Sidr, Aila and Amphan or the terrible grip of the global pandemic (COVID-19).

In addition, the glorious and equal participation of women is ensured at every level of society, from administration, judiciary, local government.
The universal pension scheme, housing for crores of landless people through the Ashrayan project, and the multi-faceted social safety net keep every ordinary family under the assured shade of protection.

 

The Horizon of Technology: Smart Bangladesh in the Vision of Sajeeb Wazed Joy

In the far-reaching and youthful vision of Sajeeb Wazed Joy, ‘Digital Bangladesh’ was not just a political slogan, it became a practical outline for the economic liberation of the people of this country.
He was the main architect behind making the country’s young generation self-reliant in the freelancing, outsourcing and ICT sectors through the Union Digital Center, the expansion of fiber optic cables, the launch of Bangabandhu Satellite-1 and the establishment of hi-tech parks across the country.

The dream of building a ‘Smart Bangladesh’ of the future through talent, artificial intelligence (AI), robotics and knowledge-based economy or knowledge-based society, built on a strong digital foundation built with his perfect planning and encouragement, cannot be erased by any conspiracy. Overcoming hundreds of obstacles and hurdles, Bangladesh will one day become an unstoppable force of technology on the world stage with the help of this young generation—this unwavering optimism is the biggest motivation for millions of young people today.

 

Dark Circle: The Political Void of August 5 and the Plot of Extremism

The constitutional and political vacuum created after the political disaster of August 5, 2024 has led to the extreme collapse of state institutions, economic stagnation, deprivation of freedom of expression, and uncontrolled mob violence, making the lives of ordinary people extremely miserable and insecure. The most dangerous and frightening thing is that the extremist fanatic and militant groups, which were severely suppressed during Sheikh Hasina’s tenure, are once again raising their heads in public today, taking advantage of the state vacuum, which is a terrible warning sign for the existence of non-communal Bangladesh and the security of the entire nation.

 

Ordeal: Trinamool’s indomitable survival despite the chains of false cases

The most brutal and barbaric torture in political history has been inflicted on Awami League leaders and activists since August 5, 2024.
Undemocratic administrative orders have blatantly obstructed political activities, conspiracies to suspend registration with the Election Commission, and thousands of missing and false cases have led to the arrest and imprisonment of millions of renunciated leaders and activists.

Although countless families were left destitute and displaced by attacks, vandalism, and looting of leaders and activists’ homes across the country,
these tried-and-tested Trinamool soldiers did not deviate from their ideals even after living a life of fugitives in extreme adversity.

In addition, even in the current difficult times, a large section of the country’s progressive youth and new generation, inspired by the spirit of the Liberation War, remain steadfast in their determination to add new dimensions to the street struggle to protect non-communal ideals at any cost.

 

Alokvartika: Sheikh Hasina’s false announcement of returning to Birdarp

National leader and Desh Ratna Sheikh Hasina will return to the sacred soil of Bengal next December as a beacon of light, breaking through all the darkness and gloom of history.

The announcement of his historic return has ignited an irresistible flame of renaissance in the hearts of millions of deprived leaders, activists and ordinary people. He never fears injustice or death; because the soil, people and homeland of this country are the only address and place of love for him in life. With his heroic arrival, all injustice, anarchy, evil forces and the darkness of deep conspiracy will be shattered forever.

Phoenix: The unstoppable Awami League will rise again from the ashes

Just as the mythical phoenix bird rises from its ashes and soars into the sky, so too has the political history of the Bangladesh Awami League. Whether it be the bloody liberation war of 1971, the profound tragedy of 1975, or the extreme oppression and repression of the present day—each blow has made the Awami League stronger, more united, and more steadfast than it has weakened it.

I played the flute with the same smile, I wore a noose around my neck,
I never compromised—this is history.
Will I forget this history today, am I such a child?—when
my father’s name was Sheikh Mujibur Rahman.

The Bangladesh Awami League will turn around like it did in the past, guided by the immortal ideals of its father Bangabandhu Sheikh Mujibur Rahman, the invincible courage of the nation’s national hero Sheikh Hasina, who will return home next December, and the modern and visionary vision of the vibrant Wazed Joy.

This party will break all the iron chains of oppression and return to the streets with its head held high and transform this crisis-ridden Bangladesh into a secure, prosperous, and democratic Golden Bengal—no one in the world has the power to stop this inevitable course of history.