Is Patriotism Alive and Kicking?

Aasha Mehreen Amin

Photo: Am Ahad/drik News

One of the predictable expectations of the generation that experienced the Muktijuddho and lived to tell its tale is to narrowly define the notion of patriotism. To them, and justifiably so, it is the unconditional love for one's motherland; the irresistible urge to free it from the clutches of oppressive rule.

There is nothing illogical about such presumptions. All nationalistic movements -- to establish the basic rights of the common person, to speak one's mother tongue or to bring democracy -- have been spearheaded by the youth of this country, braving teargas, bullets, incarceration and death. Idealism, we know, is born amongst the young and uncorrupted. They are the ones who can fight without fear and dream without restraint.

For a post-independence generation, patriotism is a little more complex. The fire of nationalism lurks within, emerging from time to time when the occasion calls for it, but the youth of today are waiting desperately for a change in their present reality that will ultimately define their sense of nationalism.

So what is a young Bangladeshi's reality these days? When we talk of a post-independence generation let us stick to those young men and women who were born Bangladeshis. Being a citizen of an independent country is a given something they take for granted. Hence the need for other factors that will keep them rooted to the soil of their birth.

Economic status and global image are the outer perimeters that may encourage national pride. But ultimately it boils down to the opportunities to lead a decent life the youth of this country craves for that can bring about the patriotism required for a nation to progress.

A young person whose job opportunities have been curtailed by economic hardship or a flawed education system or the ability to acquire necessary skills, will take the first chance he gets to escape wherever there is hope of a better life. A young man who has never been given the chance to go to school or was forced to drop out to slog away his youth just to feed himself and his family may resort to the only other modes of escape: drug addiction, crime or a premature death. A young woman in Bangladesh may only see a future where the chains on her freedom will become tighter and harsher over time. For her, those lands where women can take their own decisions, and walk freely in the streets without fear, are the fantasies they wish they could run away to. How does patriotism have a place in this bleak scenario?

Young people of today's Bangladesh are also bombarded by the idea of globalisation. They find it difficult to cope with their counterparts to be the 'ideal global citizen.' True, a tiny fraction of them, watch the same TV shows, are adept Facebookers, listen to the same tunes, use the same smart phones and have even adopted universal mannerisms. These youngsters either flee to those foreign lands or create islands in their own country, shutting out the reality of the rest of their fellow citizens.

For struggling economies like us globalisation is an illusion for the young and restless who expect at least a decent standard of living that includes financial and personal security from the countries of their origin.

It is at this point that the biggest crisis that threatens to annihilate patriotism becomes relevant: the dwindling number of role models in our political landscape. It is the worst debacle Bangladesh has ever faced; the biggest let-down for the millions of talented, energetic youth.

Young people today, are reluctant bystanders of the petty, bitter squabbling of their so-called leaders. Those at the helm of power continue to perpetuate the unhealthy political culture embroiled in megalomania and self-aggrandizement. There is no intention of cleaning up the debris of corruption that has poisoned every crevice of society. It is as if each government that comes to power with lofty promises of change for the better end up inheriting their predecessor's arrogance and insatiable appetite for material gain.

Young people watch helplessly as they see honesty being punished and opportunism rewarded. Some are enticed like their elder brothers and sisters by the ends, completely ignoring the ignobility of the means. Being in politics today, is seen not as the privilege to make a significant difference to the common man's lot but the opportunity to grab as much as possible from the land they are oath-bound to protect and cherish. What patriotic values are our young people supposed to learn from such leaders?

For the aging leaders of the present and the younger ones who will succeed them this is the moment of truth. Unless they discard the culture of greed and embrace the moral obligation to lead the country to economic stability and unadulterated democracy, a priceless opportunity will be lost. The opportunity to use the strength of this huge, young populace and allow them to take the country to the expected heights of development.

Coming back to the question of patriotism, it is a mysterious emotion that lies deep within every human being and manifests itself at some time or another. In the wake of a post 9/11 Islamophobic west that is struggling itself with poor international image, economic recession and growing discontent of ordinary people, young Bangladeshis are realising that the outside world is no longer the answer. They must fulfil their dreams within their motherland for it is the only place that will never deny them a fundamental right -- their right to belong. To be patriotic is not just a moral obligation, it is the only way to live with dignity.

The writer is Editor, Star Magazine, The Daily Star.