As we rapidly approach the December 17 milestone in the history of Bangladesh - the 53rd birth anniversary of a free and independent nation - and approach the end of another year, we must pause long enough to pray for those who sacrificed their lives and to ask ourselves what progress was made along the way.

Is the Bangladesh we know today adequate reward for the gross spillage of patriotic blood by our brothers and sisters, the deaths, hardship, and famine that pursued really worth it?

Is Bangladesh 2024 just a poor wilting shadow of the thoughts, dreams, hopes, and aspirations they embraced closest to their hearts?

We were told countless times by those in power and talking heads that regularly pop up on TV/radio talk shows and such, that the children - the future of Bangladesh - are the nation's most valuable assets. Priceless and much greater in value than gold, precious minerals, gas and oil.

While this is an absolute irrefutable fact, my mind boggles. I cannot understand why Bangladeshi children are allowed to be beaten mercilessly in schools, madrasahs, child care centres, even in their homes and possibly damage them mentally and physically for life?

Why are Bangladeshi children, seemingly, considered by the government to be of less value then say Swedish children are to theirs, or children in any of the other 67 countries that have outlawed the senseless, horrific, demonic practice of corporal punishment?

It just doesn't add up. It doesn't make a scrap of sense. It's cruel. It's inhumane and as every child is only on loan from Allah - similar to a library book that's returned eventually - why are they so mistreated especially by those who profess to be aligned with and want to please Allah. What are the benefits to be had from beating and damaging them?

Abolish ignorance

We know many of the alleged school "teachers" and imams are ignorant of the damage they have done and are doing, and they should never have been employed as teachers in the first place. We know many parents are uneducated and ignorant and believe the corporal punishment dished out to them by their parents is in the best interest of their children. After all they, themselves, were subjected to it and it didn't do them any harm, they argue, (Allah take pity upon them, as they stretch out for their hourly move-forward-and-forget-the-past medication fix.)

In 2011 modern day Bangladesh heroes, Supreme Court Justices Imman Ali and Justice Sheikh Hassan Arif attempted to bring sanity into the Bangladesh education system to rid Bangladesh of the horrific damaging scourge, declaring it to be: "cruel, inhuman and degrading treatment and a clear violation of a child's fundamental right to life, liberty and freedom." It drew a modicum positive response.

Some schools saw the wisdom and complied, while it was evil business as usual by the majority, especially in Madrashas, and children continued to be brutally beaten to a pulp, maimed, scarred mentally or physically for life, hating school and not permitting an Elon Musk or Thomas Edison to develop and emerge from within.

Some Allah-loving little souls choose to escape the humiliation, brutality, and torture by committing suicide. Imagine these bright sparkling-eyed youths with dreams of a great life ahead and yet to gain facial hair, declaring they had enough... couldn't take any more hypocrisy... and opting out of life before it had time to bloom.

You'll find no support for such inhumane, despicable behaviour condoned in the Holy Quran, the Bible, the Bhagavad Gita, the Tripitaka or any other religious texts - and there are over 1,000 - but it would do everyone an enormous amount of good to look!

Just because children are small, that doesn't make them less human or less sensitive to hurt and pain or having lesser feelings about the cruelty inflicted upon them.

I hold the opinion the Professor Yunus interim's government could create history by doing what's right for the children, what's right for the nation, and do what all previous governments throughout Bangladesh history has shamefully failed to do and that's to eradicate corporal punishment in all settings.

Surely what the people of Bangladesh suffered in 1971 is more than enough for any nation in a lifetime. What benefits are gained by making the children suffer?

Noble statesman Nelson Mandela once said "Education is the most powerful weapon which you can use to change the world."

For proof of this, Bangladesh doesn't have to look too deep into its history book. August 5, 2024 saw the emergence of the Anti Discrimination Students Movement - many of whom, no doubt were victims of corporal punishment.

It's time for Bangladesh to get real, ignore the errors and mistakes of previous administrations, and do what's right and in the best interest of the nation.

Schools should not be hellholes

Getting the education system right is a must for every country. Forget the verbal hollow headline-grabbing platitudes like "the children are the future of Bangladesh" and instead show them that they are and that they are appreciated, valued, and protected in body and mind. Retire half of the present teaching staff if necessary and replace them with properly trained teachers who will love, respect, and encourage the best from each and every single pupil.

Schools should not be hellholes to be feared, hated, and despised, but a place where children feel safe, have lots of fun, and learn as if they were participating in a daily game.

I fondly remember my namesake, Frank Peters-Ali, when he was about six. He had packed his school bag and was heading off to school with an award-winning smile draped across his face. He and his school satchel-carrying mum Poppy had made it just around the corner when they were met by another mum and her boy who told them the school was closed that day. Well, little Frank (Allah love him) burst into tears with disappointment as if his fun world had collapsed forever! ALL schools should have that effect and be fun places to be.

My hope is that 2025 will be spiritually uplifting education fun houses for children and not despicable hellholes that crush children's dreams and aspirations. Over to you Professor Yunus.

Sir Frank Peters is a former newspaper and magazine publisher and editor, a humanitarian, a royal senior advisor and goodwill ambassador, an Honorary Member of the Bangladesh Freedom Fighters, and a foreign non-political friend of Bangladesh. E-mail: SirFrankPeters@gmail.com