Every December, the country is usually awash with red and green. Streets fill with flags, patriotic songs echo from loudspeakers, and neighbourhoods bustle with fairs, concerts, and cultural programmes marking the Month of Victory. This year, like the 2024, the familiar atmosphere is conspicuously absent.
Across the capital and beyond, celebrations appear subdued and largely confined to formal observances—a change many attributes to reduced government initiatives, a shifting political landscape, and budgetary constraints following last year’s dramatic upheaval.
For ordinary citizens in cities and villages, the difference is immediately noticeable.
Mofizul Islam, who has sold flags and bandanas in Shahbagh for the past ten years, says December has never felt this quiet. “In previous years, I couldn’t catch a breath after 1 December with students buying flags,” he told TIMES of Bangladesh. “But this year, hardly anything is selling. People aren’t in a festive mood.”
Shahriar Sakib, a resident of Badda, echoed that sense of absence. “December used to be festive in the area from the start,” he said. “But this year it’s completely cold. No special initiatives are noticeable. It doesn’t even feel like the month of victory.”
Ashraf Hossain, a private company employee in the capital’s Lalbagh area, said Victory Month was once a time for family outings. “I usually take the children to victory fairs or concerts,” he said. “This year, there’s no news on TV, no posters outside. I never imagined victory month would be so dull.”
Navid Bin Chowdhury, a resident of Raozan in Chattogram, Sobhan Kabir from Kaliganj in Jhenaidah and Bikram Aditya Bhattacharya from Sylhet city also echoed similar views.
A break from recent tradition
The muted mood contrasts sharply with the previous two years. In 2022 and 2023, Victory Month was marked by extensive, highly visible government-led programmes. The Ministry of Cultural Affairs organised acrobatic shows, folk theatre performances (Jatra), and simultaneous victory song programmes across all 64 districts—efforts that even earned Guinness World Records recognition.
Other ministries were also heavily involved. The Ministry of Information and Communication Technology ran month-long technology campaigns, youth and women training programmes, award ceremonies, and digital innovation showcases, keeping public engagement high throughout December.
In 2023, activities expanded from the national to the grassroots level. Schools, community groups, and local administrations hosted discussion sessions, cultural events, and children’s competitions, creating a lively and celebratory environment nationwide.
A changed political context
December 2024 marked a fundamental political shift. The month came four months after the ouster of the Sheikh Hasina government in a student-led uprising and the assumption of power by a Muhammad Yunus–led interim administration.
Against this backdrop, Victory Day celebrations took on a different tone and framing.
The Ministry of Information organised programmes under the theme of a “new independence.” Activities included screenings of films and documentaries on both the 1971 Liberation War and the July Uprising, publication of commemorative supplements and booklets, special broadcasts on Bangladesh Television and radio, and decorative displays across the ministry and its departments.
The Ministry of Liberation War Affairs organised inclusive Bijoy Melas, emphasising that victory belongs to everyone. Key activities included solemn tributes at memorials, honouring freedom fighters, and free cinema screenings.
The Ministry of Cultural Affairs sought to symbolically bridge past and present by fusing the spirit of the Liberation War with that of the July Revolution. Highlights included the General Osmani Jatra, exhibitions featuring revolution-themed graffiti, and nationwide cultural competitions.
Despite repeated attempts, Liberation War Affairs Adviser Faruk E Azam, Cultural Affairs Adviser Mostofa Sarwar Farooki, and Chief Adviser’s Press Secretary Shafiqul Alam could not be reached for comments.
Limited coordination, scaled-down visibility
Even with multiple ministries involved, the overall public visibility of programmes remained limited. Officials acknowledge that financial and administrative constraints played a role.
This year, the Ministry of Cultural Affairs is coordinating with the Ministry of Liberation War Affairs, which is overseeing the central programmes. Activities marking December 16, Victory Day, will include wreath-laying at the National Martyrs’ Memorial and national flag hoisting ceremonies.
At the district level, three-day fairs, cultural performances, and children’s competitions are planned. A month-long Jatra festival is also underway, alongside programmes for Martyred Intellectuals Day on December 14 and a nationwide victory song performance.
Joint Secretary of the Ministry of Liberation War Affairs Mohammad Azizur Rahman said, “Although activities have increased slightly compared to last year, due to financial and policy constraints, large-scale central events have been limited.”
The ministry’s revised budget for the 2024–25 fiscal year stood at Tk7,122 crore, with Tk7,330 crore allocated for the 2025–26 fiscal year.
The Ministry of Information’s broader Victory Month activities also appeared scaled back. Public Relations Officer Mamun Rashid told TIMES that no final programme had been confirmed beyond December 16. Although coordination meetings had taken place, officials were unable to provide clear details, highlighting gaps in internal planning and communication.
Competing memories, contested meanings
Political analysts say the subdued atmosphere reflects more than logistical challenges.
Sabbir Ahmed, professor of Political Science at Dhaka University, argues that diverging interpretations of history are influencing state enthusiasm. “Political forces active during the July movement, anti-discriminatory platforms, NCP, Jamaat, and BNP all interpret Victory Day history differently,” he told TIMES. “The way the previous government presented it cannot naturally be maintained under the current circumstances.”
He added that while some groups deny aspects of the Liberation War, others frame it exclusively through the Awami League’s political narrative—making it difficult for the interim administration to sustain earlier modes of commemoration.
“The July 2024 movement was important, but it is not comparable to the 1971 Liberation War,” Sabbir said. “The Liberation War is the foundation of the nation and statehood; July represents a new aspiration for democracy and equality. Both are significant, but the place of 1971 is unique and incomparable.”
Mamun Al Mostafa, professor at Dhaka University’s Department of Political Science, also stressed the centrality of 1971 in Bangladesh’s national consciousness.
“The birth of Bangladesh is a unique and historic event, deeply intertwined with individual birth, generational continuity, and the very existence of national identity,” he said.
Referring to the interim government, he noted, “State resources and budgets are distributed according to the political reality and the forces that bring a government to power. How Victory Month or other key national moments are observed depends on the government’s political memory, sense of responsibility, and alliances.”
He added that previous governments consistently reinforced Victory narratives by highlighting their political roots in the Liberation War. “The key question now,” he said, “is how active that political memory and interest are under the current interim administration.”
Warnings against historical amnesia
Eminent political scientist Professor Dilara Chowdhury cautioned against sidelining 1971 amid contemporary political change.
“Ignoring 1971 would be a serious mistake,” she said, noting that even the revolutionaries of July acknowledge the importance and significance of the Liberation War.
Referring to this year’s subdued atmosphere, she added, “There was no festive mood like previous years, and even the observance of Martyred Intellectuals Day was hardly visible. If we forget those who gave their lives for the country, future generations will forget them too.”
“Independence and the nation’s future came through their sacrifices,” she said. “How can those who laid down their lives be ignored? We must recognise everyone who sacrificed their lives for the country—from those who fought British rule to the present day.”
As Bangladesh marks Victory Month under a new political order, the quieter streets and restrained celebrations reveal a nation renegotiating how it remembers its past—caught between political transition, fiscal reality, and the enduring weight of 1971.
