The immortal slogan: Joy Bangla

Remarkable political movements always employ slogans that encapsulate in a few powerful words the aspirations of those fighting for a new world. French revolutionaries fought under the banner, "Liberty, Equality, Fraternity," words that still resonate with radicals. The first words of the US Constitution – 'We the People' – have quickened the hearts of generations of populist activists. Emiliano Zapata's soldiers longed for 'Tierray Libertad', and the peasant armies of Mao Tse Tung went to war for 'Land to the Tiller'. 'Joy Bangla' is such a slogan having great power, force, potency or effect and also it is the most patriotic slogan for the people of Bangladesh.

Every slogan has a context, circumstances that give rise to the words and make them effective. For example, when the Chinese communists were waging their long struggle against the army of Chiang Kai-shek, they relied upon mass support from peasants, who formed the base of the Red Army. By pronouncing the slogan of 'Joy Bangla', Bangabandhu Sheikh Mujibur Rahman echoed and reverberated millions of voices at the speed of light from one end of the country to another to liberate Bangladesh from the brutal hands of Pakistan military junta and its local hellish accomplices.

The imprecise nature of political slogans is a virtue. Actual political programmes do not derive from words alone but from the balance of class forces that exist at a particular point in time. What slogans do is clarify the most basic political cleavages; and they help people develop the mindset most suited to active participation in whatever struggles are at hand. The 'Joy Bangla' slogan has its glorified context. Bangladesh's War of Independence in 1971 was valiantly fought against the bloodthirsty Pakistan Army and their mango-twigs in the name of Bangabandhu Sheikh Mujibur Rahman and enunciating the 'Joy Bangla' slogan. Words change meanings. In our daily life, we listen and say many things to justify our conversation – some words stay out in our mind, many go away with time. With human psychology, nobody can remember everything but when we say 'Joy Bangla', our mind may immediately pick up that we are talking about Bangladesh. Although slogans work slowly, this slogan remains electrifying and its mighty power is everlasting.

The political slogan gives a good feeling to the people. Creating a prominent identity is what every political party desires and so getting an extra identity is surely a bonus. Slogan is sewed with our political name and is used everywhere along with it. It technically works as a shadow for a political party's name. The 'Joy Bangla' slogan, undoubtedly is the most powerful slogan which united the whole nation of Bangladesh into a solitary political platform to fight and achieve our own country, Bangladesh. A political party's name cannot stand alone as compressed communication to speak for its people. Thus political slogans have a key role in communicating the essence of a political party. A slogan is appealing as well as elaborate compared to the one word noun. A phrase with a meaning is apparently easier for people to relate to and remember; thus the impact of this noun is accentuated with its shadow i.e. a slogan. And the 'Joy Bangla' slogan stands on this glorious spirit.

A slogan actually works as a DNA for any political party. A truly successful slogan, if it is to continue to stay successful, is not just a proclamation but a commitment – it is what the political party stands for! This DNA for the political party does not only attract the people but also helps in garnering the necessary support from the people. The 'Joy Bangla' slogan is much more than that. Many times a slogan is actually a précis of a political organisation and is designed to mirror the commitment and loyalty of its people. Moreover, slogans can also work as a bridge between the political party and the people to build and strengthen the relationship. Since it gives meaning to the name, it can create feelings and attract people towards it. Thus, a person can relate and eventually be inclined towards the slogan resulting in an increase of supporters. The 'Joy Bangla' slogan's support base was huge and it will remain huge in future.

Slogans are usually based on a short sentence with easy to remember words. Long lines are hard to memorise, so the shorter the better! The message they leave and what picture they sketch in our minds when someone reads, hears or simply sees a slogan is crucial. Since the political name cannot specify the essence of its goal, it has to make something memorable that represents the party and the country itself. We should keep an eye on the sound it produces and the nerves it touches when it strikes the people's mind. The 'Joy Bangla' slogan truly compels us to fight the evil forces. A slogan also works best to display the real perspective for any political party, this way it can attract the larger audience easily and can also connect with them emotionally. For more than 100 years, political parties have used slogans in their political movements. All political parties have used catchy phrases to tell their people what makes their political philosophy or service special or different. When done well, a slogan can become the centre-piece of a political party's identity. The 'Joy Bangla' slogan is not only the centrepiece of Bangladesh Awami League but also the centrepiece of the country, Bangladesh.

The 'Joy Bangla' slogan has been exerting great power over the people of Bangladesh since Bangabandhu made it immortal. On 7 March, 1971 when Bangabandhu roared: "My brothers, today I appear before you with a heavy heart…", the audience at the-then Race Course Ground (now Suhrawardy Uddan) hung on to every word of his 19-minute-long speech amid pin-drop silence. But the people assembled there erupted in an echo when he was heard uttering those immortal lines: "...The struggle this time is the struggle for our emancipation, the struggle this time is the struggle for our independence." The crowd endorsed in unison as the deep resolute voice of Bangabandhu was heard saying, "You can't keep seven crore Bengalees subjugated. Now that we have learnt to court death, no one can dominate us." People there resonated with the cry of 'Joy Bangla' as the speech concluded with that immortal slogan.

Every day we see millions of messages and catchphrases everywhere from print media to online advertisements. True, there are some slogans that we know by heart but a millions of them have come and gone that we hardly ever noticed. What is it about a political slogan that catapults it into fame? Here is a solitary one: 'Joy Bangla'. It is simple, catchy, short and easy to remember and it perfectly defines Bangladesh, Bangabandhu Sheikh Mujibur Rahman and his political party. It also highlights the history of our pre-independence exploitation, oppression and persecution by the Pakistani rulers and various facets of the Bengalee struggle.   

It is very unfortunate that after 1975 and up until 1990, people, especially the young, used to feel shy in voicing the 'Joy Bangla' slogan because they were taught that they shouldn't utter it by politicians like Ziaur Rahman, Hussain Muhammad Ershad and Khaleda Zia. The future generations must utter the slogan loudly and proudly.

We must work hard for full revival of the spirit of the Liberation War. And we all need to work together so that the future generations chant the 'Joy Bangla' slogan in a louder voice because  the underlying spirit of Bangabandhu's political struggles is embodied in this slogan. The spirit has not changed since the country's founding and will never change. 

"This slogan epitomises the aspirations of the Bengalee people over many years. Right after Bangabandhu's six point demand, another slogan became popular: 'Tomar amar thikana, Padma, Meghna, Jamuna'. This is also the reflection of the communal harmony that has always been the cardinal principle of Bangalee culture. For the first time in 1971, the aspirations of people of all religions and social classes found a common platform," Shamsuzzaman Khan, the late academician, folklorist and writer pointed out.

Our political aspiration should be destroying the anti-national, anti-independence and anti-liberation forces from this sacred soil of Bangladesh as the end result. The Joy Bangla' slogan showed that two simple words can inspire a generation, unite a community, and change a nation. Two simple words can conjure up images of a multitude of movements. Two simple words can transcend cultural differences. These two simple words provided inspiration for the Bangladesh liberation movement, helped establish Bangladesh. These two simple words are: 'Joy Bangla'! 

(The writer is a researcher in Bangladesh's history)