Can we forgive ourselves for our indifference? The anniversary of the Battle of Palashi is a day to be observed with grief, but neither the government nor the media took any initiative to observe 250th anniversary of this day with due respect and attention.

So many events have taken place within this span of time. The British Raj foisted itself on India through the then Bengal province and also quit, being forced by the turmoil of the post-war period. Pakistan and India became two different nations.

And, finally, present-day Bangladesh arose on December 16, 1971, after a tortuous War of Liberation against Pakistan. Whatever the national politics of Bangladesh, the Battle of Palashi has always injected life blood into us through reminding us of the consequences of disunity, conspiracy and internal conflicts.

Bangladesh is now going through a transitional period. We are at a crossroads. For this reason, we must learn to evaluate the Battle of Palashi in a proper manner, and should bestow respect on our first unsung hero Nawab Siraj-ud Dowla, a defeated king but a courageous braveheart.