Space For Rent
Saturday, March 12, 2016, Falgun 29, 1422 BS, Jamadius Sani 2, 1437 Hijri


Month Of History
That immortal Joy Bangla
Anwar A Khan
Published :Saturday, 12 March, 2016,  Time : 12:00 AM  View Count : 47

Remarkable political movements always employ slogans that encapsulate, in a few powerful words, the aspirations of those fighting for a new world. French revolutionaries fought under the banner, "Liberty, Equality, Fraternity," the words that still resonate with radicals. The first words of the US Constitution-"We the People"-have quickened the hearts of generations of populist activists. Emiliano Zapata's soldiers longed for "Tierra y Libertad," and the peasant armies of Mao Tse Tung went to war for "Land to the Tiller." "Joy Bangla" is such a powerful and most patriotic slogan for the people of Bangladesh.
Every slogan has a context, circumstances that give rise to the words and make them effective. For example, when the Chinese communists were waging their long struggle against the army of Chiang Kai-shek, they relied upon mass support from peasants who formed the base of the Red Army. By pronouncing the slogan of "Joy Bangla" Bangabandhu Sheikh Mujibur Rahman echoed and reverberated millions of voices at the speed of light from one end of the country to the other to liberate Bangladesh from the brutal hands of Pakistani military junta and its local accomplices.
The imprecise nature of political slogans is a virtue. Actual political programmes do not derive from words alone but from the balance of class forces that exist at a particular point of time. What slogans do is that they clarify the most basic political cleavages, help people develop the mindset most suited to active participation in whatever struggles are at hand. "Joy Bangla" slogan has its glorified context. Bangladesh's War of Independence in 1971 was valiantly fought in the name of Bangabandhu Sheikh Mujibur Rahman and "Joy Bangla" slogan against the blood thirsty Pakistani Army and their mango-twigs.
Words change meanings. In our daily life, we listen and say many things to justify our conversation --- some words stay out in our mind, many go away with time. With human psychology, nobody can remember everything but when we say "Joy Bangla" our mind may immediately pick up that we are talking about Bangladesh. Although slogans work slowly this slogan is electrifying, and its mighty power is long lasting.
The political slogan gives a good feeling to the people. Creating a prominent identity is what every political party desires and so getting an extra identity is surely a bonus. Slogan is sewed with our political name and is used everywhere along with it. So, it technically works as a shadow for a political party's name. "Joy Bangla" slogan undoubtedly is the most powerful slogan which united the whole nation of Bangladesh into a single political platform to fight and achieve our own country, Bangladesh.
A political party name cannot stand alone as compressed communication to speak for its people. Thus political slogans have a key role in communicating the essence of a political party. Slogan is appealing as well as elaborate as compared to the one word noun. A phrase with a meaning is apparently easier for people to relate to and remember; thus the impact of this noun is accentuated with its shadow i.e. slogan. And "Joy Bangla" is standing on this glorious spirit.
A slogan actually works as a DNA for any political party. A truly successful slogan, if it is to continue to stay successful, is not just a benefit but a commitment - it is what the political party stands for! This DNA for the political party does not only attract the people but also helps in garnering the necessary support from them. "Joy Bangla" is much more than that.
Many times, a slogan is actually a précis of a political organisation and is designed to mirror the commitment and loyalty of its people. Moreover, slogans can also work as bridge between the political party and the people to build and strengthen the relationship. Since it gives meaning to the name, it can create feelings and attract people towards it. Thus, a person can relate and eventually be inclined towards the slogan resulting in increase of supporters. "Joy Bangla" slogan's support base was huge and it will remain the same in future.
Slogans are usually based on a short sentence easy to remember, long lines are hard to memorise, so the shorter the better! The message they leave and what picture they sketch in our minds when someone reads, hears or simply sees a slogan is crucial. Since the political name cannot specify the essence of its goal, it has to make something memorable that represents the party and the country itself. We should keep an eye on the sound it produces and the nerves it touches when it strikes the people's mind. "Joy Bangla" truly touches our nerves to fight the evil forces.
Slogan also works best to display the real perspective for any political party, this way it can attract the larger audience easily and can also connect with them emotionally.
For more than 100 years, political parties have used slogans in their political movements. All political parties have used catchy phrases to tell their people what make their political philosophy or service special or different. When done well, a slogan can become the centrepiece of a political party's identity. "Joy Bangla" is the centrepiece not only of the Awami League but also of the country, Bangladesh.
Political parties use slogans because it is an easy and quick way to grab the attention of the public by using simple and catchy phrases and "Joy Bangla" is such a simple and captivating phrase but its power is strong-boned and strong-willed for emancipation of the people of Bangladesh.
A very productive route for a political party to go down is a reliable slogan and "Joy Bangla" is such a reliable political slogan. The very slogan is believed to have that a phrase with meaning strikes more of a chord with the people and the country than just the political party name alone because the slogan is a deserving of esteem and respect; not only does it give the people a commitment but tells them what the party stands for deserving of esteem and respect of the same breath.
"Joy Bangla" has been exerting great power over the people of Bangladesh since long because it can give meaning to the name. So, it needs to apply to their everyday lives and should be connected emotionally with them.
Bangabandhu's electrifying voice on Mar 7, 1971 will remain alive all the times in our life. When he roared: "My brothers, today I appear before you with a heavy heart..." The audience at the then Race Course Ground (now Suhrawardy Udyan) hung on to every word of his 19-minute-long speech amid pin-drop silence 45 years ago. The crowd repeated after him when he was seen saying: "He (President Yahya Khan) didn't agree with me, rather he yielded to Mr Bhutto's demand."
And people assembled there erupted in an echo when he was heard uttering those immortal lines: "...The struggle this time is our struggle for emancipation, the struggle this time is the struggle for our independence." The crowd endorsed in unison as the deep resolute voice of Bangabandhu was heard saying: "You can't keep seven crore Bengalis subjugated. Now that we have learnt to court death, no one can dominate us." People there present resonated with the cry of "Joy Bangla" as the speech concluded with that immortal slogan.
According to Valerie Ann Taylor: "Joy Bangla' slogan worked miracle" Joy Bangla" is not only the slogan of the Awami League, it is the slogan of our Liberation War, it is the slogan of Bangladesh.
A slogan is a tag-line or phrase that creates to visually express the importance and benefits of a great speech. By and large, it's a theme to a struggle that usually have a genuine role in people's lives. It has the ability to loan people's time and attention by putting people at the heart of the solution. Fact is, it is so crucial for a great armed uprising to fight and defeat the Pakistani occupation forces. (The remaining part will appear tomorrow.)
Anwar A Khan is a political commentator









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