The spirit of the liberation war lives on in the disabled freedom fighters, who finally received a rare moment in the sun at the first sports competition organised for them by the Bangladesh Olympic Association at Sher-e-Bangla National Stadium, pictured above. These men and women who were maimed fighting for liberation represent the best of Bangladesh. They represent our ability to triumph over adversity and to face troubled times with courage and optimism. 2004 was a difficult year for Bangladesh, as we endured, among other things, floods and terrorist attacks, but we feel that as the new year dawns, we are turning a corner, and that hope beckons as long as we keep our resolve to never stop trying.