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Showing posts from January, 2026

The meaning of patriotism

  What does patriotism or  deshprem  mean to you? To me, patriotism means love and devotion to my motherland. However, my love for my land is not blind or unconditional; it can question and point out flaws when necessary. I believe that patriotism does not mean unquestioningly supporting what one’s country does. Instead, it means taking a critical stance for national betterment. A nation that does not or cannot question is associated with authoritarianism or the suppression of dissent.  Patriotism manifests in various forms. We commonly associate patriotism with military service, as those who serve in the armed forces are ever-ready to sacrifice their lives for the nation. Patriotism is also closely linked to politics and politicians. However, ordinary people can be equally or almost equally patriotic, too; we witnessed ordinary people’s patriotic spirit during our nine-month-long Liberation War. Similarly, the nation witnessed ordinary people’s patriotic expressions...