A day for fresh resolve

We are duly proud of the great victory. But many of our goals and dreams remain unfulfilled even after 33 years. The year 2004 has not been a particularly happy one, with the nation experiencing a devastating flood, a shortfall in food production, rising prices on the economic front while in the political arena unrest continued. However, the silver lining in the cloud is that things appear to be changing for the better at the fag end of the year. The opposition's human chain programme has won acclaim as a peaceful alternative to hartal. The investment situation is improving and there is an air of buoyancy in trade and commerce. Hardened criminals are in the retreat, though we cannot overlook the mounting concern for human rights.

The conscientious citizens would always ask whether we have lived up to the dreams of the valiant sons and daughters of the soil who had laid down their lives so that we could have a country of our own. They dreamt of peace and prosperity, but we are still steeped in chaos and poverty. They aspired after an egalitarian society which remains a far cry. Political independence can only have a fuller meaning when we come out victorious in our battle against social injustice of every kind. It is sad truth that some Asian countries which lagged behind us or were at a comparable economic standing with us, at the time of our independence, have overtaken us by miles in terms of development. The day should inspire us to strive to bridge the gaps with those countries in a time-bound fashion. To make this happen, we need leadership, we need galvanisation of the people's power .

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We remember the martyrs of 1971 with a deep sense of gratitude and believe that the best way to pay back their debt is to translate their still unmet aspirations into reality.