Bangladesh: beautiful one day, perfect the next

Independence Day has come and gone, and like all of the previous commemorative days, the occasion served to remind me of the pride I feel in my heart to be Bangladeshi.

So much was sacrificed. So much blood was spilt to achieve our independence and four decades later we're still prisoners in our own homes through hartals and blockades. One wonders if the madness will ever cease and one day we will be truly free of these senseless political moves.

On Independence Day, I received a card from Sir Frank Peters on which he had written: “Bangladesh: beautiful one day, perfect the next”. The words touched my soul. This to me not only adds a new dimension to Independence Day itself, it is another justification for the massive sacrifices our beloved freedom fighters made. I think it's a brilliant slogan that has the potential to promote pride in all Bangladeshis worldwide and should be used to attract tourists.

Ferdous Imam and family
Mirpur-1, Dhaka