That’s the national slogan/war cry of Bangladesh. I remember it from the 1971 war. Bangladesh was originally part of Pakistan — “East Pakistan,” far removed geographically and culturally — and came to chafe under Pakistani military rule. An independence movement grew, led by Sheikh Mujibur Rahman. Pakistan cracked down harshly.
A bloody separatist war ensued; Sheikh Mujib was arrested and sentenced to death. Things looked very grim until India suddenly intervened, a deus ex machina, and Pakistan was forced to let go. Bangladesh became a country, and Sheikh Mujib was released for a triumphant homecoming to head it.
I followed these dramatic events; at the time I was trying to write sci-fi/fantasy, and was inspired to somehow make literature of the Bangladesh story. Eventually it did seep into my novel Children of the Dragon, published in 1978.
Sheikh Mujib was meanwhile assassinated, in 1975. His daughter, Sheikh Hasina, took over his Awami League party. Her main rival was another woman, Khaleda Zia, leading a different party. The two alternated in power several times over decades. The Economist magazine, covering this saga, called them the “Battling Begums.”
Eventually Sheikh Hasina gained a definitive upper hand, and a lock on power, as the world’s only female autocrat. Zia was imprisoned, her party neutered.
The real Bangladeshi hero, meantime, was Muhammad Yunus, whose Grameen Bank pioneered the concept of “micro-loans,” modest amounts advanced to help poor villagers start small businesses. Most banks wouldn’t deign to bother with such small beer. But Yunus made a great success of it, with highly beneficial economic impacts. Yunus and Grameen were awarded the 2006 Nobel Peace Prize.
Yet Sheikh Hasina was no fan, especially after Yunus made noises about entering politics against her. He never did, but still he was subjected to persecution, charging him with corruption, with Hasina’s regime trying to grab control of Grameen, and forcing him out of the country.
Sheikh Hasina actually had quite a good record herself on the economy, doing a lot of sensible things to advance it and curb poverty. It seems baffling that she felt a need for increasingly anti-democratic means to retain power. Antagonizing much of the population — whereas her good economic record ought to have endowed her with enough genuine popularity to win elections without being a monster. But I increasingly learn that power itself is a poison warping the minds of people holding it.
The last straw was a scheme to give job preferences to families of 1971 war veterans. Which in practice meant regime flunkies. Vast public protests ensued; met by a harsh crackdown. The Economist reported 60,000 people detained, a figure I could hardly believe.
And then Sheikh Hasina was suddenly overthrown. Forced to resign, and flee into exile in India. It wasn’t clear to me exactly how this was brought about; I’m not normally keen on military coups.
Then came an even bigger shocker. Guess who’s now named head of an interim government? Muhammad Yunus! Returning from France, at 84, to take on this huge challenge, to put the country back together. Hearing that news on the radio, I smacked my face and almost fell off my chair.
With so much of the world spinning into madness, this made me feel really good. And then came news of the latest polling with Harris jumping six points ahead!
