Dr. Forqan Uddin Ahmed:
The New Year symbolizes the ending of one year and the beginning of yet another. But it is also considered a time when new beginnings can happen. The year will be gone and we will start again. As the New Year begins stay focused on our goals and let our attitude be happy, positive, and encouraging to others. A new year is a time to get our options clear and to make a significant decision to do what it is that makes us really happy. The real issue here is that we must take each day as a new opportunity to keep moving towards what we want.The first few days of each New Year have always seemed to be filled with a special magical quality of anticipation. What will the new calendar produce in our lives?
A new year is a time for inspirational dreams but more importantly a time to set our goals to see the dreams turn into a reality. The freshness of the New Year, its new enthusiasm; its wishes, colors and desires are all new; promises and determination are new, with a definition of their own, the New Year brings a new determination to keep one’s resolutions. “The ending of year is also a time when serious people want real changes in their lives. Change offers a fresh new start, a new beginning, and rightly so.”
We have celebrated the Golden Jubilee of Independence in 2021. The hundredth anniversary of the father of the nation has also been observed this year. Therefore, 2022 will be an important time of our national life for future Bangladesh. It will be a beginning of next fifty years in the year 2071 and fulfillment of a centenary program of our independence. There are many good things on the list of events. Other than murder, rape, fire, accidental death, others are not as visible or attentive. But the people of the country expect that such deaths will not be repeated in 2022 and onwards. Besides, we will understand the development outline if there is no repetition of such activities, such as man-made traffic, strike, casino business, militant strike, land grabbing, river occupation, food warehousing, marketing and supply of adulterated food and medicine, deprivation of basic rights. All plans and visions of 2030 and 2041 are not impossible. Though the polluted environment will lead to various natural disasters and our emerging economic growth will may slowdown. Noise pollution and air pollution will continue to hurt us amid the risk of climate change. In this reality, we need to be careful about social security, including poverty alleviation, employment, fair migration, health education development and services sectors. Otherwise guarantee of living will be a challenge in 2022 and ahead.
Even in these socio-political realities, the human qualities of the people in Bangladesh have not been completely eroded. Humans have a desire to become human. In many ways, that desire is expressed. In a word, the whole system of socio-politics in Bangladesh is constantly dehumanizing and cruel to the people in subjection. This system is completely hostile to human being. This system severely suppresses and distorts the potential for the development of human qualities.
By setting goals and taking action, we will accomplish more in a year than most people accomplish in a lifetime! We must not limit ourself, set our goals, take the action, and lead the life we perhaps once only dreamed of. The amazing thing about this coming year is that every one of us has one thing in common: we all have 365 days. The difference between us is how we use our days. The beginning of a new year is a good time for reflection of the year past but also it is a good time to think about the future, our dreams, our goals, and the things that make a difference in our life. Our life is rich with possibility, and we are the only who can discover the opportunities that will allow us to live our dreams.” The attitude we bring, the determination we have, the goals we set all will result in the type of year that we will have. So let our attitude be positive, our determination be strong, and regarding our goals don’t just set them – take action every day to achieving them.
The brave children of history have given us an independent country by sacrificing millions of lives. Our responsibility is to accelerate the progress of this country and nation. In order to promote the glorious freedom of the blood of three million martyrs and to consolidate the spirit of liberation war, only then the dream of Bangabandhu will be materialized to establish a society free from exploitation by eliminating corruption, terrorism, drugs and militancy. Thus, our prosperity and dignity as a nation in the world arena will be established. Our 2022 New Year’s promise must be announced for eliminating inequality and New Year’s resolution must be mandated as per promise.
(The writer is former Deputy Director General, Bangladesh
Ansar & VDP).
