May the new year be peaceful, happy and prosperous. People are going through fear of life and livelihood in 2020 due to the impact of covid-19, but they want to hear the message of hope in the new year. Five expectations of the new year are mentioned in terms of global, regional and national level.
The dynamics of democracy
In 2020, the downward spiral of democracy has become more pronounced. The Freedom House report says that the indicators of democracy are declining in 6 countries of the world. Elections have been postponed in many countries due to the Kovid-19 epidemic. In many countries the politics of division and complacency have become more evident. But these rulers are being democratically elected! On the other hand, wars and conflicts are going on in different countries of the world. Trade war is also going on. The tendency to shift from multilateralism to monocentrism is also visible. The epidemic has killed more than 1.7 million people. Countless people have become unemployed. Income decreased; Poverty is on the rise. Again the wealth of a handful of people has increased.
Hopefully, coronavirus vaccination has already begun. If everyone is brought under the vaccine in the future, people's movement and communication will increase. The level of expressing one's anger, sadness or joy will increase. People will have the opportunity to assemble with their demands, democratic and human rights. There is talk of a return to multilateralism from the newly elected US administration. After the great calamity, the desire to break the old and build a new society arises. In the new year, freedom of movement and multilateralism will give new impetus to the fulfillment of democratic aspirations.
Climate, vitality and sustainability
There is a new aspiration among people around the world for sustainable, environmentally friendly and interdependent development of nature and man. Especially the youth are coming out of fossil fuels and talking about renewable-environmentally friendly fuels. On the other hand, coronavirus has created new awareness about microorganisms. There is an opportunity to realize the importance of balance between nature and environment in protecting public health. The United States has said it will return to the Paris Agreement on climate change in the new year. China has said it intends to reduce carbon emissions to zero by 2060.
The UN Climate Conference (COP-28) could not be held in 2020. The conference is expected to take place in Glasgow in November 2021. The conference will create an opportunity for world leaders to reaffirm their commitment to "protecting our planet" in tackling the negative effects of climate change. In the light of the Paris Agreement, efforts will be made to keep the global average temperature rise below 2 এবং C and limit it to 1.5 সেল C. Most people in the developing world are affected by climate change.
The backward Global Biodiversity Conference (CBD-COP-15) is also expected to be held in Kunming, China in the second quarter of the new year. From this conference, with the aim of 2050, a new journey of 'Living in Harmony with Nature' or living in harmony with nature may be facilitated. Efforts to achieve the 2030 Sustainable Development Goals will also be accelerated through these conferences.
In the field of technology, the way of thinking is widening. In particular, there is growing public support for finding ways to move beyond fossil fuel-based and environment-destroying technologies toward sustainable development. Instead of trying to adapt man and nature to technology, we have to move towards technology and man and nature.
Diverse culture
There is a global focus on culture. Basically Hollywood, Bollywood or China-centric cultural dominance exists. In this, the broken bridge of culture is not able to unite with everyone. The stillness of thought and consciousness is evident. Creativity is also eroding in Jabarkata. Culture has largely become a vehicle for domination or hegemony. Extremist nationalism has also been incited for political gain by riding on the dinghy of culture. Populists are using religion as a vehicle of culture to create conflict. Partitions are being created using racial or ethnic identities. The universal meaning of 'class' is being distorted and used for its own benefit. The stalks of the culture of fear are also wide. The monopoly is entrenched.
Cultural elements of values, customs, customs, etc. shape the informal organization. Informal organizations affect the behavior of individuals and the activities and capabilities of formal organizations. Thus the state, production system, family, social and economic relations, environment and human interdependence, balanced ecology, religious and ethnic tolerance etc. are determined and influenced by informal institutions. Hopefully, the practice and spread of a diverse healthy culture will arouse the desire to create new types of social structures worldwide. It will help people to establish tolerance, democracy and human rights.
Only by ensuring universal health, education and social security can Bangladesh become a universal citizen state. It is the aspiration of the masses to establish a humane, dignified, egalitarian, just democratic democratic citizen state by overcoming social and economic inequalities and divisions.
Peaceful Bay of Bengal
The Bay of Bengal has opened the door to endless possibilities in this region. There is also a tendency to try new instability centering on this sea. The spread of conflicting fears is noticeable. The competition for supremacy of the superpowers and the attempt to ally with them is the cause of growing tension and instability in the region.
In the Indo-Pacific region, some have been busy turning the region into a conflict zone by turning the inter-relationship between the two world powers, the United States and China, into a game of hostility to big players. They are provoking the United States or China to either side to disrupt a balanced relationship. Again, some are urging the two sides to try to have a relationship. Instability will continue to grow if there is no display of mutual power and arrogance and no respect for multilateralism. Such a trend could lead to a major crisis.
On the other hand, if the countries of the region join the network of production, trade and cultural exchange among themselves and at the regional and international levels, namely, North-South, East-West, prosperity will be accelerated on the basis of multilateralism. For this, we have to move out of arrogance around the Bay of Bengal and move towards a balanced, multilateral development-oriented peaceful system.
Universal Bangladesh
The days, months and times of the English calendar of 1971 and 2021 coincided. On the golden jubilee of independence, Bangladesh went back to its birth year! The greatest gift given to the people on the golden jubilee of independence will be the establishment of a universal society in the light of the three pillars of equality, human dignity and social justice declared in the Declaration of the Great War of Independence in the new year.
Only by ensuring universal health, education and social security can Bangladesh become a universal citizen state. It is the aspiration of the masses to establish a humane, dignified, egalitarian, just democratic democratic citizen state by overcoming social and economic inequalities and divisions.
This requires new and varied creative thinking, coordination of policies and laws, and visionary politics and proper political settlement. History has shown that the people of Bangladesh have turned to face any crisis, deprivation, disenfranchisement. In the new year, on the golden jubilee of independence, they will turn around with new vigor.
