It's been just over a month since a student led mass uprising brought down the previous government. A month later, the event of turbulent July and happening August seem so surreal.
Think what you will, the month of August, for some odd reason, appeared long, so long that at the end of it, the beginning of the month seemed light years ago.
Life is indeed strange, for a prolonged period, a system, right or wrong, defines existence and, then, within a very short time, the picture undergoes a radical shift.
An edifice crumbles followed by swift changes.
Bangladesh never ceases to stimulate political analysts because she never falls into any preconceived template. So many times, this writer faced the question from people as to how the socio-political scenario might change/evolve and, each time the answer was the same: no political expert would be able to predict as to how things might change and what may trigger it.
In Late June and even through to mid July, the anti quota movement was solely focused on getting the quota system scrapped and, that was it.
However, we saw how intransigence, hubris and a total detachment from ground reality, mixed with unspeakable savagery outraged and united a whole country. The movement, demanding one change, metamorphosedintoa nationwide call for total transformation.
Tackling post-revolution impediments: For any revolution, the first month or the first few months are crucial as the main three challenges usually are, 1.Tackling subversionattempts 2. Containingreprisal attacks and,3. Reducing red tape tomaintain an unbroken communication with the people to stay informed about theexpectations of the masses.
While the country is still not on a stable footing, the government in place deserves kudos for managing to tackle a slew of challenges.
Nefarious efforts made to create a crack in the government were successfully thwarted, violence has been contained in the shortest possible time and, inclusion of student leaders in government structure means that the power at place is determined to keep a robust communication with the hopes/desires on the ground.
In fact, it's the last point which is the most significant because governments survive or fall on their ability to maintain and read the pulse of the masses.
The previous regime became alienated from the people and thus, failed to read the ethos driving the current day youth.
So far, the government to public communication has been fairly clear, devoid of the typical political equivocation.
The masses want a transparent system with low corruption and accountability. They also do not need vacuous rhetoric - a dubious feature, which has come to define politics in South Asia.
This social uprising has one motive - establishment of a utilitarian society, a place where actions will result in the benefit of the highest number of people.
Reforms, not rodomontade, is the philosophy of the day!
Understandably, the biggest reform related task is to identify and uproot elements that had been perpetuating corruption at all levels.
While law and order has come back, the presence of law enforcers is still low. Reportedly, the morale of the police needs to be boostedbecause their image has suffered heavily as they were the ones exploited by the previous regime to crack down on students.
From the perspective of a citizen, I can say that the police can regain respect if they come forward and admit theyhad been selfishly used as a political tool and not an entity to serve the people.
Sounds a bit too dramatic? Well, given the erosion of trust, an honest approach is now the only way.
Issue an apology, followed by an assertion to serve the people - that will do miracles for morale.
The colonial structure of policing, demanding the injection of fear among the masses, is not only outdated but also counter productive.
The police have to be seen as a friend and not a tormentor.
In a completely revamped operation, the men in uniform should make a strategic approach to win back hearts. For this, every police station has to launch a programme through which a regular no hold barred interaction between the police and citizens become possible.
This is the imperative for the next two three months.
Let the police become a force for the people and not any party!
Be optimistic, cut out the cynicism: Cleaning up the grime of more than a decade is indeed a daunting task. Then there is the thick layer of graft, affecting all layers of society. The reform has begun althoughthere is one disquieting thing: while among the youth there is hope, the older generation is often too cynical to expect a positive change.
A few examples will clarify the statement. In the first few weeks after the fall of the previous government, the young took up the task of maintaining traffic and while their work received widespread applause, there were a lot of murmurings of discontent with lines like: there are too many students at one traffic signal, they are too rigid about road crossing rules etc.
This scepticism, after a month since Aug 5, has taken the form of a question: what has happened, where are we headed?
Well, people who raise such questions laced with cynicism will, I am sorry to say, raise doubts about a system even if it's perfect.
I do not blame them because they have been used to a faulty system for so long that their whole outlook has become defected. In short, doom mongering is in their blood.
Also, there is an impatience among a section of people to see change. Firstly, it's just been a month, which is four weeks. An effort is underway to restructure an anomaly, which had been in place for more than a decade and, such a task will at least take 15 months, so let's be realistic in our expectations.
Lest we forget, no revolutions brought about a Utopia. If we compare the student movement of 2024 with other such uprisings, it will be clear that Bangladesh has come back to almost normal operation within the shortest possible time.
This is not the right time to go about finding faults with everything and air misgivings about the time needed to bring about change.
Any transformation is a slow process. On a lighter note,post-revolutionary fervour has a similarity with post marriage thrill factor. Initially it's full of excitement but soon, the slow process to build a marriage sets in along with its banalities.
Stability comes gradually, through resolve, determination and perseverance.
It's not Aladdin's lamp that you rub and, lo! Everything is picture perfect!
Bangladesh is on a new path, a road carved by youth based ideals blended with the virtue and wisdom of the seniors. There will be impediments but cynicism and 'kihobejanina' (do not know what will happen) sort of attitude will be regressive to say the least.
As we cross one month, let's look at back at all those who lost their lives and countless others who are alive but bear the scars of the violence unleashed on them.
When these young people took to the streets the thought: 'what will happen if we fail' did not deter them.
If the young had been cynical, we wouldn't be where we are today!
So, let's look forward with hope and, draw inspiration from Shakespeare: "virtue is bold and goodness never fearful!"
Pradosh Mitra is a social observer!
