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The power of youth

Published : Sunday, 16 March, 2025 at 12:00 AM  Count : 1285
Moinul Abedin
Centuries ago William Shakespeare versified, "Crabbed age and youth cannot live together/Youth is full of pleasance, age is full of care". In truth, youth minds are romantic and reckless, devoid of petty worldly concerns unlike the aged, therefore, they can take inevitable risks, face the uphill challenges, jeopardize their own auspicious existence for the sake of any worthy and noble cause, any moment, anywhere.

If we take into account the context of our country, we recall that during our language movement in February, 1952, the average age of all the officially recognized five martyrs was under 30. After this embryonic event of our struggle for emancipation, the nation witnessed the mass uprising of 1969. Asad, who was only 29, and Motiur, who was only 16, embraced martyrdom which paved the way for our war of liberation in 1971. Notably, the majority of the freedom fighters were young adults, Our sector commanders were in their early thirties, out of our seven "Bir shrestha"s five are vicenarian and rest of the two are tricenarian.

Let us take another example of Noor Hossain who is one of the most widely known martyrs of Bangladesh's pro-democracy movement. When he was shot dead by the police of Ershad's despotic regime on November 10,1987 wearing the words "Down with autocracy"and "Let Democracy Be Free", he was a promising youth of only 26. Subsequently, Dr. Milon who was killed on November 27, 1990 at the height of mass uprising and whose martyrdom expedited the dethroning of the then military dictator Ershad, was in his early thirties.

“According to a recent census, 28 percent of the total population of Bangladesh are young people, aged between 15 and 29 years. Unfortunately a good number of them are not on the right track. Data by the Bangladesh Bureau of Statistics (BBS) in 2023 disclosed that 40 percent youth in Bangladesh are neither studying nor working. Mentionably, juvenile crime is a serious social problem in Bangladesh”

Last but not the least, the recent 2024 July Revolution was orchestrated, initiated and led by the indomitable generation Z. Their defiant voice roared against the monstrous misrule of the satanic tyranny, their sacred blood spilled on the roads and alleys to turn the whole Bangladesh into a crimson sea. With the tide of this sea of blood, appeared 36th July, the supreme sacrifice of thousands brave soldiers was finally paid off, the oppressed and incarcerated nation got free from the diabolic clutches of 15 years old fascism. Before that the so-called well-seasoned "crabbed" politicians only languished helplessly, occasionally barking from their comfort zone but in stark contrast the fiery young pupils fought tooth and nail defying deadly bullets to write an additional chapter of the history of revolution in blood ink.

However, there is always the other side of the coin. According to a recent census, 28 percent of the total population of Bangladesh are young people, aged between 15 and 29 years. Unfortunately a good number of them are not on the right track. A data by the Bangladesh Bureau of Statistics (BBS) in 2023 disclosed that 40 percent youth in Bangladesh are neither studying nor working. Mentionably, juvenile crime is a serious social problem in Bangladesh. It includes a range of offenses, including theft, assault, addiction, mugging, murder and gang involvement. Needless to say, their latent potential and positive energy are draining out in a destructive way failing to avail any befitting platform to nurture them. This is nothing but our collective failure.

Should we watch this like a passive bystander? Should we let the larcenist politicians use them for their immoral personal gains? Should we let them go astray depriving them of 21st century standard education and employment? Where is the state machinery to scheme pragmatic plans for salvaging and rehabilitating them to normalcy?

We can never afford to lose this magnificent workforce. We proved earlier it is solely the carefree young generation who can harness the country's glorious future. Poet Nazrul galvanized the youth in one of his poems:

O tempestuous youth, wake up!
Come like a tornado, trampling everything that falls
In front of thee, in causeless glee. (Kabir Chowdhury's translation)

Youth can destroy hideous obstacles in order to create thriving opportunities. Youth is power, let us empower them for a powerful nation.

The writer is a First Language English Teacher, Glenrich International School, Uttara, Dhaka



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