LOOKING BACK TO MOVE AHEAD
Chompa, a domestic worker is 18 years old. She dropped out of school in class six to provide for her family of seven. Her knowledge of the war is limited but she is adamant about the guilt of the war criminals.
She has heard first hand accounts of the horrors inflicted on the Bangladeshis from her parents and relatives in her home village. She says that justice must be served to repair the damage done to our country. But she does not think the world cares for her opinion. "The country goes on without us, they don't want us, but they need us."
Munib is 13 and currently studying in class five. His father is working as a guard and his mother is a domestic worker. Like Chompa, his knowledge comes from firsthand accounts and history books taught in his school. He first heard of the trials during the Shahbagh protests. Munib says the protests helped him learn more about the crimes committed by the razakars during the war.
He was horrified to learn about the dark foundations our nation was built on. Their guilt, he feels is clear as day. But he does not understand why it took so long for justice to be served. "The trials must continue and the death penalty must be served to all criminals," he says.
Jannatul is currently giving her A' levels and is 19. She says her knowledge of the war is adequate but she did not know all the names of the razakars nor did she have an extensive knowledge of the crimes committed. She was aware that they were horrific in nature but did not know the full details. The Shahbagh protests she says, raised a fire in her soul. Her love for Bangladesh took a passionate turn. She was indifferent and frustrated with the direction the country was going in.
"Throughout our history, it was the youth who first fought for our freedom. It was the students who willingly spilled their blood so we could speak freely in our mother tongue. It was the youth who rose up against the tyranny of the Pakistanis in the 1960s.
"It was because of them that we can proudly hoist our own flag. The power to change the country is in our hands. It was because of that realisation that I stood in the Shahbagh square day and night. That is why even though the protest itself is over, I religiously follow the trial proceedings. To move forward we must get closure" she felt.
Shojib, 15 years old, is studying in the seventh grade of a Bangla medium school. He has been reading books on the war throughout his life. He says he has always been passionate about our history.
"I am honoured to witness the trials with my own eyes. The trials themselves are very important. I want to help us begin anew politically. A clean slate for Bangladesh," he says with a hopeful twinkle in his eye.
"I went to our liberation war museum when I was very young and it was a very moving experience. What stood out the most was this dress of a toddler that was put up on the wall. It was the dress of a child who was brutally murdered in the war. That event changed me. The rage I feel against the razakars is still very raw. When I think of how they were allowed to come back in I feel my blood boil. Justice has to be served. They cannot be allowed to live. They cannot taint my beloved country anymore."
The common theme in the current generation's view of the liberation war and the war crimes stem from the Shahbagh protests. Regardless of political affiliation, one cannot deny that the ripples caused by the protests can be felt in the farthest corners of the country. For teenagers or children, their view of the trials and war crimes rely heavily on the environment they are raised in. But most of our youth do not have access to the full history.
The children who live in villages or those who are made to work at a young age do not possess a clear picture of the trials. But the news of the protests created a renewed interest in our history. A movement that was made by the common youth rather than renowned figures made it more accessible to the current generation.
While the protests are over, those who have been touched by the core sentiment remain avid followers of the trials. A common feeling among the youth is that they truly want to contribute to the direction our country is going to. They remain skeptical of the politics in our country. While frustrated with the continuous hartals their desire to change the country for the better is still strong.
Their attitude gives the rest of us something to think about. There is a growing discontent about the violence going on and most are fed up with the "dirty politics" from both sides. Could they be hands that shape this country once more? Will they succeed where the older generation of the 80s failed? The outcome of the trials will have a significant impact on the answer.
Our growth was stunted by the killings of intellectuals and the razakars were at the heart of the horror. We failed the dead when we allowed them back on our soil and gave them the helm once more. No more we say. We need to honour the martyrs and put Bangladesh back on the right path. The power to change is in the hands of the youth.
Photo: LS Archive/Sazzad Ibne Sayed
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