Bangladesh : A Treasure Trove Of Accomplishments

It is amazing when we can actually comprehend that we have passed more than 3 decades of our independence. Reminiscing about the by gone days, I wonder how we have done justice to the martyrs, who gave their lives for our country. The whole speech about how we have done nothing and all that has become so clichéd that it really holds no real value anymore. Therefore, let us not spend this Independence Day at home and point out the faults of our country, while the whole world is watching and whine like every other year.

Every country has negative aspects and drawbacks and thusly ours is no exception. It's just that the negative side of our country is more pronounced and prominent. Thanks to the superior work of our politicians in the field of corruption and the media's hunger for controversy, scandals and gossip, the positive side of our country is lost and unheard of. Let us take a moment and highlight the positive aspects for once. Sure, the negative side may outweigh the positive one, but this is only in the case of the amount present in each side. The focus should rather be given on the achievements and benefits of the positive side. Only then can we truly grasp, that our Independence has been indeed rewarded richly.

Our country is advancing in the fields of telecommunications and is considered as one of the world's fastest growing market for every technological product under the sun. We have seen development in the sports field, in our movie circuit (Matir Moyna), in our musical circuit (James in Bollywood) and now in our political sector.

The youth of our country are doing us proud. Many of our students are achieving the highest marks in the world on subjects like Math, Bangla and even English. Our educational system is upgrading even as we speak. Bangladesh may be a small country, but it has repeatedly given gems to the rapidly developing and technologically savvy world.

In 2005, another Bangladeshi did us proud. Jawed Karim co-founded the now-popular video sharing device named YouTube. It was a proud day for the Bangladeshis indeed. Currently, Karim's value of stocks stands at a staggering 64.5 million dollars. Also, YouTube is now considered one of the most used video sharing device ever. This is without a doubt a very impressive feat.

Another thing worth lauding is our honesty. On 12 February, we all read about Osman Chowdhury, a New York cabbie, who returned a bag of diamonds he found in his cab. It was left by a passenger of his. Instead of thinking about the money he would gain from selling them, he dutifully returned the diamonds to the original owner. This was also not achieved without difficulty. This is yet another reason for us to be proud of our countrymen.

Finally, the biggest achievement for us came, when our very own Professor Yunus was awarded the Noble Peace Prize, for his contribution in the field of eradication of poverty, by devising the micro-credit plan. This plan stirred the world and changed the whole concept of banking. The “banker to the poor” along with Grameen bank, globally launched its brain-child, the micro-credit plan. The scheme was met with widespread acclaim and appreciation and won deserving respect for a nation which has always managed to survive through numerous self-conflicts, pressure, a crippling war, a devastating flood and harsh criticism.

Least we forget our brave soldiers in Sierra Leone, it must therefore be once more mentioned. The events along with this and those depicted above, fail to paint a dismal picture of our beloved country. Other countries have faced worst and like them we will also bravely face the crises together and continue to fight for the Independence that we won on the year 1971. Together as one, working like team, Bangladesh will accomplish the golden dream dreamt by our ancestors and our forefathers. Let us celebrate this year's Independence Day on a positive note and cheer our country and our countrymen for whatever they have achieved, be it big or small. So please refrain from putting your country down and stand up on your feet and give our young nation the standing ovation it really deserves. Happy Independence Day to all!

By Osama Rahman

Why are famous people “famous”?

1. Adolf Hitler Because he liked killing people

2. Isaac Newton An apple just happened to fall on his head one fine day

3. Garfield (?) Because he doesn't care about his weight

4. Genghis Khan- He liked conquering different territories

5. Henry VIII He had six wives

6. Christopher Columbus He happened to be at the wrong places at the right time

7. Alexander Fleming His mucus fell into a bacterium laced petri dish(he sneezed)

8. Blaise Pascal Invented a mechanical calculator when he was EIGHTEEN

9. Joseph Stalin His first wife died. Later his son committed suicide and so did his second wife

10. Cleopatra She was married to her younger brother

By Nayeema