Emphasis on democracy, unification of Awami League and qualified people with disabilitiesঃ Iftu Ahmed

Abraham Lincoln (1809-1865), the 16th President of the United States, was one of the greatest men of modern times. He saved the American Union during the American Civil War. Otherwise, there would have been the possibility of the beginning of two states in America. He also showed the world that democracy can be a permanent means of governing. In 1836, he said in his speech at the historic Gettysburg, “Government of the people, by the people and for the people shall not perish from the earth, would live as long as democracy itself.” That is, “the government of the people, introduced by the people and for the people will not be erased from the face of the earth as long as democracy itself survives.” He used to say: “I destroy my enemy when I make them my friends.” Unfortunately, to show this generosity, Lincoln had to say goodbye to being caught in the assassin’s shots. Father of the Nation Bangabandhu Sheikh Mujibur Rahman (1920-1975) of Bangladesh was also moving towards the same fate. Bangabandhu used to say: “My greatest strength is the love of my people; my greatest weakness is that I love them too much.”

That is why the US government has not rehabilitated the family of a leader like Lincoln.

The exception is found in Bangladesh. After the assassination of the late Ziaur Rahman (1936-1981), the then Bangladesh government repatriated the Zia family.

Ziaur Rahman founded the BNP to perpetuate the illegally occupied state power in a conspiracy of palace politics. So Zia emerged as the first military dictator in the history of Bangladesh. This party formed from power did not have to fight. That is why their plight today.

All democracies in the world expect change of government by ballots, not by bullets. Zia underestimated this fact.

The great leader of the great independence, Bangabandhu, the Son of Sun, the initiator of the War of Liberation, “Be ready with whatever you have” and the real political party leading the independence, the Awami League, has to deal with the problems of the hybrid (new comer Awami League) leaders today.

The English word Hybrid comes from the Latin word Hybrida. Its lexical meaning is a method of making combining two different elements. Therefore, even though the hybrid is high yielding in the political sense, its quality is not right, just like the new Awami League leaders who came to politics do not carry the quality of the Awami leaders. So the hybrid is now becoming the subject of the Awami League’s infiltration definition and purification campaign. Otherwise, the Awami League sees the possibility of creating a crisis.

This is not something new, in the past it was still there. People from parties like Jamaat-e-Islami, BNP and Freedom Party are suspicious of Awami League. Because they are against the philosophy and ideology of Awami League. People from these parties cannot be expected to become Awami League overnight. So the question of hybrids arises against them for reasonable reasons. Moreover, where is the guarantee that there will be no conspiracy within the Awami League party from among them in the near future? So it is necessary to keep a sharp eye on the people from these groups. Membership will be canceled if it is against the party’s philosophy and ideology, it will be mentioned in the form.

An independent and sovereign Bangladesh free from exploitation, inequality and poverty is the goal of the Awami League.

The more the membership grows based on the philosophy and ideology of the Awami League, the stronger the party will become. In this way hybrid leaders can be unified in Awami League. It was also an opportunity to know the first 2021 vision of the Awami League from expatriate life. It was a well-thought-out 8 digital outlines for the new generation of Bangladesh. Number 6 was empowerment and equal rights for women. I have also learned that student, youth, woman and labor leadership are formed in districts, sub-districts (upazilas), villages and neighborhoods. But sadly, I didn’t find anywhere to mention the contribution of qualified disabled humanity. But Hon’ble Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina is a pioneer of the overall welfare of the disabled humanity. Here the words of this inequality and the contradictions hurt.

There are approximately 16 million people with disabilities in Bangladesh which is 10% of the country’s population. If they fail to bring them into the country’s development process, they will be dependent on others and the nation will suffer economically. Ignoring the people with disabilities will make national progress difficult. The government has a responsibility to train or educate them so that they can do something and contribute to the society.

In the modern world, disability is no longer a welfare state. Participating in social, economic, political, religious sports and cultural activities in every sphere of national life is the philosophy of modern disability. “Live for yourself and let people with disabilities live,” is the motto. “Focus on affordability, not disability”, is the order of the day.

Disability rights have emerged in the light of civil rights. “Prevent discrimination against all individuals, regardless of race, sex, age, religion, source of origin, marital status, physical or mental disability or position as disabled.” It is a victory for humanity and a society for people with disabilities, as well as access to the country.

Micro-loans or small-loans are good in Bangladesh, but employment opportunities are better. Because hard earned money does not have to be returned. Grameen Bank provides micro-loans to the poorest and 95% of its recipients are women. It is working for the economic growth and social development of Bangladesh. Is this loan-generating income enough to support rural households in Bangladesh? Otherwise, rural people can get jobs in rural business organizations and reduce their poverty. Nobel laureate Professor Yunus said: “If they can find a better way to lift the poor out of poverty tomorrow, they will abandon micro-loans and adopt new methods.” Is this loan-generating income enough to support rural households in Bangladesh? Otherwise, rural people can get jobs in rural business organizations and reduce their poverty. Nobel laureate Professor Yunus said: “If they can find a better way to lift the poor out of poverty tomorrow, they will abandon micro-loans and adopt new methods.” To this end, employment opportunities have to be created by setting up workshops, factories, industries and big stores for the people to get out of the poverty net.

Lasting peace cannot be achieved without the development of the largest segment of the population. The people with disabilities in Bangladesh are a significant part of the country’s large population and most of them are poor. The nation will benefit if they can be provided micro-loans or employment opportunities for them.

In America, it is seen that as a result of the employment system, women and people with disabilities are getting job opportunities and the country is moving towards forward and prosperity. This Bangladeshi writer and hearing impaired is no exception here. The time has come to understand the matter.

The disabled people of Bangladesh need systematic support. To improve the quality of life of the people with disabilities, the government must take necessary measures to ensure their welfare, education and employment, public access, transportation and participation in state and local government activities, telecommunications, voting and elections, sports, cultural and activities.

The government should take steps to protect the political rights of the people with disabilities. In local government, seats at all levels should be made suitable for persons with disabilities. A minimum of 15 per cent seats in the National Assembly should be reserved for persons with disabilities. The people with disabilities should be included in all committees of political parties. Political parties should adopt provisions for the disabled in their election manifestos.

Success of the people with disabilities in the world

Quintus Pedias

In 77, Pliny the Elder (23-69), the Roman writer, mentioned in his national history book “Quintas Pedias”, a Roman painter and the first deaf person in history.

John Milton (1608-1674)

English poet and political writer John Milton was born in London on December 9, 1608. He received his MA from Cambridge in 1632. He was a man of high morals and wrote about religion, love and politics.

In 1652, Milton became completely blind. In 1667, his epic “Paradise Lost” was published. In 1671, two of his books, Paradise Regained and Samson Agonist, were published. Milton’s three contributions make him one of the best poets in England. Milton would memorize verse after verse at night and instruct helpers to write from his memory in the morning. He passed away on November 8, 1674 at the age of 65.

Ludwig van Beethoven (1770-1827)

Ludwig van Beethoven, a German composer who was one of the best composers in the world. His works have immortalized classical European music. At age 20, he began to lose his hearing and became completely deaf. His deafness did not hinder his writings. Even after deafness, he composed most of his best music.

The European Anthem, composed by Beethoven in 1923, was adopted by the Council of Europe in 1972 and adopted by European leaders in 1985 as the Official Anthem of the European Union.

Franklin Delano Roosevelt (1882-1945)

Franklin Delano Roosevelt was born on January 30, 1882, in Hyde Park, New York, USA. Roosevelt graduated from Harvard in 1903 with a degree in history. He entered Columbia University’s law school in 1904 and passed the bar exam in 1907.

In 1921, at the age of 39, Roosevelt became paralyzed by polio in both positions. In fact, it made him physically disabled, but it enriched his consciousness. He is the only President of the United States to have been elected President of the United States for four consecutive terms (1933-1945). Sitting in a wheelchair, he led America’s extreme economic crisis and war. He was a very brave warrior. He turned the biggest obstacles in his life into the biggest opportunities and became successful. He used to say: “Handicaps exist only in the mind.”

Helen Adams Keller (1880-1968)

Helen Adams Keller, an American writer, political activist and speaker, was born with full sight and hearing. When he was just 19 months old, he contracted a fever that kept him blind and deaf. He was the first deaf-blind person to earn a Bachelor of Arts from Radcliffe College.

Deaf Nobel Laureates

The three deaf Nobel laureates in history, Charles Jules Henry Nicole (1866-1936), Sir Charles Scott Sherrington (1857-1952) and Sir John Workup Cornforth (1917-2013) were the best examples of excellence.

World Olympics

While the only medal in the World Olympics is a dream for many countries in the world, athletes with disabilities have snatched many gold, silver and bronze medals from the Olympics and announced that people with disabilities are not just silent spectators in sports. That is why in the modern world we see the uncompromising relentless struggle of the disabled people in the midst of various obstacles across the globe.

So deafness or disability cannot hold back from greatness. This is an unprecedented fact!