Dhaka must remember the lessons of history

Today is the 53rd anniversary of the liberation and creation of Bangladesh. Memories of that historic day are still vivid in my mind.

- Shashi Shekhar

It was a pleasant morning, and as a school student, I attended the mandatory prayer assembly at the government inter-college, Prayagraj, then Allahabad. As soon as the national anthem stopped, the principal, Mr Khanwalkar, took to the stage. The principal addressing the assembly wasn't an everyday affair, so everyone waited with heightened anticipation.

As he stood facing a large gathering of students and teachers, everyone saw his face beaming, tears welling up in his eyes, and his voice choking with emotion. In a trembling but euphoric voice, he informed us that the Indian Army had forced close to a lakh Pakistani soldiers to surrender in Dhaka. We had won the war, and an independent country, Bangladesh, was now a reality. His words electrified the atmosphere, and the students felt a rush of enthusiasm. We were cheered. Despite our teachers' admonition, the students left the college. The impromptu students' procession kept cheering on the streets for hours on end.

Years later, while studying about the French Revolution, I was reminded of the day I was part of street sloganeering. At that moment, the penny dropped for me that revolutions, victory parades, and dejection of defeat all somehow someday converge on a junction.

The subcontinent's present situation is a classic example of such a scenario. Let's find out how.