On March 11 of this year, the Dhaka University Central Students’ Union or DACSU election was held after 28 years. The election was much hyped especially among the students all around Bangladesh as DUCSU leaders has a history of contributing in different national issues as well as to protect the rights of the students. It was anticipated that the government backed Bangladesh Chhatra League panel would have won the election and that mostly happened with a big upset.

Quota reform movement leader Nurul Haq Nur got elected as the Vice President or VP, the topmost position competed in this election. Other than the BCL panel, other panels complained about the fairness of the election like the national and mayoral elections but Nur’s victory somewhat created a hype and his roles and positions are being highly followed up in different social media constantly. Some of the compliments about him, we must say, have even gone much beyond the contribution he is yet to make.

Quota reform protest had come out as a much hyped movement of the students and the whole nation followed it. Nur came into limelight with his leadership roles in that movement as he was several times attacked by the BCL activists and police. The outcome of the movement by removal of the whole quota system by the Prime minister Sheikh Hasina came out as a huge victory though there is still debate over the decision of complete removal of the quota but yet the movement was a successful one.

The success of that quota reform movement actually made Nur very popular among the students and that popularity is reflected in the results of the DUCSU elections. As the students of current time are very active on social media like facebook, Nur is flooded with somewhat undue complements. Of course we acknowledge his achievement to a great extent but compliments like ‘Alike Bangabandhu’ or the ‘next Bangabandhu’ must be embarrassing for himself also. With this sort of compliments, we are actually portraying our ignorance on the contribution of Bangabandhu in the politics of Bangladesh and the world.

Quota reform movement was a need based movement and did not cover any national issues. It was the demand of a group. It was very much related to self and personal interest. Its impact cannot be associated with the benefits of the mass people. We must say, the quota reform leaders did not have to face even the slightest difficulty that Bangabandhu Sheikh Mujibur Rahman had to go through to give the Bangalees their independence.

He had sacrificed his own life, lives of his family members and friends, his time, his youth, his self-interests to become a selfless world leader. The contribution of his works and efforts gave birth to a new nation on the map. Comparing the quota reform leaders even jokingly on the same scale as of Bangabandhu hence remains a sheer stupidity.

It is our bad luck that, as a nation, we often portray immaturity in our comments and knowledge. The youth today sometimes forget what March 26 or December 16 is called though they all aim to become public servants by memorizing countless general knowledge questions. Almost none of them take interest in our national history which is full of tales of sacrifice for the mass people. We do not feel associated with the works of our forefathers.

This is actually hurting our patriotism which is reflected through the absence of youths on different people’s agenda. We now try to settle every problem through social media. But the developments of our country as well as settlement of different issues has to be in reality and unfortunately our youths do not take much interest in that now-a-days until and unless the issue is at micro level and related to their direct benefits.

We also tend to create unnecessary hypes about a small incident while forgetting about national issues. Even then we try to gain personally which is creating questions over the future of our country. We also lose our interests very fast. Few days ago, students created a protest and movement related to the traffic management and accident reduction. But after the movement was finished upon some self-satisfying achievements and people’s hassles for several days, many road accidents took place. But those movement leaders are not found active on the streets on those instances.

They even did not follow up if the government has acted on their promised conditions. This cannot be the trait of leaders. If Bangabandhu had not given so many years of his lives to bring freedom to his fellow countrymen, we would not have our own flag, soil and national anthem even today.

Wise is he who provides due respects to everyone but does not provide undue ones. With only a few days’ works, we tend to put very high hopes on someone and eventually make his life difficult by putting so much pressure on him. Surrounded by all the praises, one usually forgets one’s ideals and becomes arrogant leading towards rush to achieve everything very fast. For example; Dr Imran H Sarkar, leader of Gono Jagoron Moncho could not sustain his expectations to become a national leader and now is almost lost. He is never found active on any people’s issues without his interesting comments on social media.

To become a national leader, it requires in-built people leadership and love for the people. It also requires mind to sacrifice everything for the people but so many leaders especially young ones shone in the past few years but almost no one is on the scene right now and people are also forgetting them quickly. We cannot compare them sacrificing national or global leaders like; Bangabandhu or his daughter Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina. Their contribution is much more than Nur or Imran’s standing point.

Sharp talks and little works is becoming the trait of our future leaders. We are not ready to work hard for the people rather we are all talk. Nice speeches with harsh truths but no solutions and no sacrifice. But this cannot be the trait of a good leader. Father of the nation Bangabandhu Sheikh Mujibur Rahman was imprisoned on multiple occasions. He was attacked repeatedly but no one could imprison his soul. He was uncompromising on the question of the people. Hence, he is placed in such a heightened place. To reach anywhere near him, it will take years of continuous selflessness and hardships.

Ideology is the most important feature of a good leader. It matters what ideologies they hold in their hearts. It is true that, we need new young leaders to come up for the sake of our country’s progress and future but we also need leaders with ideologies. Despite being so hyped, Nur needs to find and establish his ideologies which he would chase for his whole life but that is yet to come. We and even his followers will not be able to trace out his ideologies and until he find that pillar of his political career. Former DUCSU leader like Mahmudur Rahman Manna can be a great example of a leader with ideological conflict and self-interest centric leader.

Throughout his political career, he continued to change parties and switch ideologies. As a result, despite having lots of promises, he could not create a place in people’s mind. Moreover, he lost people’s trust and ended up in a place which he holds today. Like Manna, Nur also without strong ideologies, will not be able to create a place in people’s mind and will vanish like a flash. Hence, rather than getting flattered by undue compliments, we hope Nur will work on establishing his ideals.

We appreciate the triumph of Nur in an adverse condition. The DUCSU leaders are not mere student leaders rather they have strong possibility to become national leader one day. But several factors are going to come out as barriers to their advancement and undue flattering is one of them. It sounds and feels very good but actually is very dangerous to a soothing political career. The people also need to learn having patience and should allow the young leaders to nourish and nurture their political careers. Only then, they might create real impact in the future and will be able to carry on the huge tasks of taking the country forward.

We hope, Nur keeps growing as a leader and finds his core ideologies soon so that he can nurture them throughout the upcoming years before appearing on the national platform. Bangladesh needs to carry on with the huge works of realizing Bangabandhu’s dream of ‘Golden Bangla’. We hope one day Nur will come out as a great soldier in realizing that dream. We hope he can eye on the right principles and can forget about his self-interests and wish Bangladeshi people will receive something from him in the near future.

The writer is Chief Editor at Mohammadi News Agency (MNA), Editor at Kishore Bangla and Vice-Chairman, Democracy Research Center (DRC)