– Bilal Hasan (M.Lib. & I.Sc. AMU)
The world witnessed an unusual event on 5th of August when protesting students overthrew the existing prime minister of Bangladesh forcing her to resign and leave the country. It was a show of the student’s strength, the power of youth, which, if propelled in a positive direction, changes the course of life. One couldn’t imagine that these protests which started a month ago, demanding amendments in the preexisting constitution, could lead to such an outcome. However, a sneak peek into the matter clarifies this doubt.
A month ago, when these protests erupted, the Sheikh Hasina government could have tackled the protests calmly, for there are instances of calm protests in Bangladesh. However, she dealt the matter with high hand and restored to state sponsored violent crackdown on the protestors. As a result, the protests turned more violent and anti-Hasina sentiments gained traction in Bangladesh. Afterward when the supreme court intervened into the matter, the students were supposed to end the protests. However, by that time it was too late. Sheikh Hasina was accused of corruption and the blood bath she ordered in the protests was apparent. There forth the students demanded her resignation. For this too, she didn’t hesitate to move back and resorted to more violence, allowing her party workers to openly fire at protestors. These collectively resulted in her resignation and departure from Bangladesh.
The protests started by students led to ouster of the dictatorial regime within a month and a half
What we infer from here, a nation is the conglomerate of its people. No country can run against the consent of its people. If for some time, a ruler comes and acts according to his whims, it only takes a matter of time when the people realize, and they give their mandate to change the ruler. We witness something alike in the Lok Sabha election too. Although it appeared to commoners that BJP is going to win in an absolute majority, their bad governance led to a decline in their seat share. It is noteworthy that this has less to do with their anti-Muslim stance. It was mainly due to their failed policies, unemployment, covid mismanagement etc. Collectively it gave us insight that dictatorship cannot sustain for a prolonged time.
Now for us to contemplate, we are having a different story. Muslims in India are facing continuous persecution by the hands of a right-wing majority. For us to make positive changes in society, we need to address our issues in the right direction and the first step to this is waking up from fool’s paradise. We think that the Muslims’ role in Lok Sabha elections were pivotal in reducing BJP seat share. However, anti-Muslim hatred continues to flourish day by day. We trusted the liberal-secular politico bloc, whom we looked at as our messiah. But what happened? They closed their eyes as soon elections ended.
More than 1000 people were killed in the violent clashes between the protestors and the prosecutors, which in hindsight is a small price to pay for freedom
Hence for us to choose our path correctly, we need to address our issues within our community. From the revolution in Bangladesh, we learnt that youth have the power to steer the course of action. We see that in earlier times it was the youth who led revolutions that made changes in society. From the scientific revolution to the communist revolution, the Arab spring that shook the middle east or be the recent events in Sri Lanka, students or youth were at the forefront in bringing about the changes. More importantly, the Islamic revolution led by Prophet Muhammad ﷺ was led along with a courageous group of Sahaba RA, most of them being in their youth.
So, to address our issues, the power of youth is prime. Our youth must also realize that they have the potential to steer out the current problems. Only upon realization and furthering rectification can we truly bring about changes in society as Iqbal says.
“Sabaq phir padh Sadaqat ka, Adalat ka, Shujaat ka
Liya jaye ga tujh se kaam dunya ki imamat ka”
