A New Bangladesh in 2024: Looking Back and Moving Forward

Interestingly, my childhood storyteller was not my mother, but my father. Over a decade ago, he captivated my sister and me with stories about three remarkable individuals: Former US President Bill Clinton, Former Pakistani Prime Minister Benazir Bhutto (the first female prime minister of a Muslim-majority country), and the only Nobel Laureate from Bangladesh to date, Muhammad Yunus . Two of them were Heads of State at the time, and the third seems destined to follow in their footsteps!

Muhammad Yunus needs no introduction. Celebrated worldwide for his pioneering work in microfinance, social business, and his vision for a World of Three Zeros, Dr. Yunus's leadership as he takes charge of the interim government in Bangladesh is full of potential. I cannot wait to see what the country achieves under his leadership.

The movement that toppled the previous government led by Former Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina has left both lessons and scars:

1. Employment and Education Challenges: The movement began as a student protest demanding equality in government jobs, highlighting the urgent need for decent job creation. Tackling Bangladesh’s approximately 40% NEET (Not in Education, Employment, or Training) youth population requires a massive wave of innovation in education, particularly in upskilling and employment.
2. Reformation of Student Politics: The protest exposed the stark reality of contemporary student-level party politics in Bangladesh. Reforming student politics and creating a new framework to develop the next generation of leaders in politics and development from among young people remain crucial.
3. Child Labor and Security: In early 2021, while raising global awareness for the elimination of child labor, I had a confrontation with a prominent German civil society member. I argued that child labor is more than a poverty or development issue; it is a serious security problem. The events in Dhaka in mid-July serve as proof of this assertion. I will not delve into details here, but the point is clear.
4. Police Brutality and Civil Rights: I have recently received data from a source that reveals horrific instances of serious eye injuries and blindness among student demonstrators due to police brutality, including the use of live rounds. The new government must urgently address this issue, and non-government stakeholders have a critical role to play as well.

Last but not the least, the protest made me experience a profound sense of “helplessness”, encapsulated by a popular social media rhetoric at the time: "Who do people go to when the police kill?" This and what followed underscore the need for a new decentralized civilian security technology infrastructure, not only in Bangladesh but in any place where democratic rights are jeopardized. I have started conversations on this and, while I am not certain if I will embrace it as part of my mission, I hope others will.

Long live Bangladesh! ????

Photo Courtesy: Dhaka Tribune