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SPOTLIGHT

BLISSFULLY IGNORANT

By Moyukh Mahtab Photo: Shahrear Kabir Heemel Model: Srabosti, Arpita, Shumi, Samin Wardrobe: Bibiana Make up: Farzana Shakil
H AKA was the centre of culture the past few weeks - the literary Hay Festival and the Bengal Classical Music Festival drew in more people than ever before. Social media was flooded with posts and selfies, check-ins and erudite observations on the beauty of the written word or the transcendental melody of Chaurasia's flute. A great time to be in Dhaka.
But it was not all bliss - we lost a national treasure at the music festival. Qayyum Chowdhury died on stage on its fourth day. While so many were mourning the veteran artist's death, others were wondering out loud who Qayyum Chowdhury was. As one of the audience mentions on Facebook, she was struck-dumb when she heard a young boy ask this aloud, while another answered him -"Oh he was the cartoonist guy." So let us not get swayed by the popularity of these cultural events and think it to be the golden age of sophisticated young people - it is high time we introspect about our identity as a Bangladeshi or we stand to lose more than just our heritage.
In the month of December, our patriotism reaches its peak, national flags replace everyone's profile pictures. But when it comes to down to really being aware of our history, we seem to be completely oblivious. When the youth of the country, on 16th December say that on this day we fought for our language in 1952 or when students from reputed universities think the leader of the war-time government in Bangladesh was Jasimuddin instead of Tajuddin - who do we blame for our collective amnesia? Blaming the education system would be the easiest. The students studying under the national curriculum read a sanitised version of history, devoid of any complexity and interest. They learn of Sheikh Mujib or Ziaur Rahman and who among them declared independence. The broader picture of the war, with the global involvement of the United States or India is completely forgotten. How many people even know of Archer K Blood, the US diplomat who ruined his career for calling what was happening in Bangladesh, genocide?
And most English Medium students barely get one year of Bangladesh Studies.
But aren't the parents to blame too? Of course it is their responsibility to teach to their children what is important about our national identity, maybe take them to the Shaheed Minar on 21 st February or visit the Baddha Bhumi to remember the intellectuals who were murdered. So is it not very surprising, that the generation who are blissfully unaware of their history and find no qualms about preaching about the country on social media without doing any reading on what actually happened, are also devoid of any interest towards our writers and poets.
But it would be wrong to be all cynical. Of course every generation has apathetic young people. It's just that the sudden increase in number of people should be a warning of the worse that could be possible. The popularity of major book shops show that more young people are reading these days, the online archives about our heritage or our history is a proof of young people trying to hold on to our roots and preserving them. It's time our parents come forward too and give Sukumar Ray's poems a place beside Twinkle Twinkle. It is us who are patriotic with more fervour, it's time we start building on that to substantiate it. Speaking in Bangla, or reading Bangla books has almost gone out of fashion among a certain group. If we can bring back interest in Bangla Classical music to a generation which grew up with rock bands, a change in attitude towards Bangla literature is not only possible, but highly probable.
It was the great Bangaldeshi dream to go abroad and settle once. Now more young people see prospects here - from the start up businesses to the prospect of development work, more and more are coming back after finishing their education. There are hundreds who do not shun away from our heritage - one does not necessarily need to shun the west to know who he is. Passion is necessary, almost inevitable when it comes to one’s country. But it's time we add to that an interest to know who we are and where we came from, the tribulations and victories that led to the forging of our identities. It is as much up to the individual as the parents and the schools. Politicising our history will eventually lead to a collective disregard for it. Learning to speak and write in English should not be a replacement for knowing one's mother tongue. Passion must not lead us to a state of blissful ignorance.