So, another year draws to its close today. At zero hour midnight in different time zones, people will welcome the New Year, 2023, as they celebrated a year ago to greet the outgoing year. It is an irreversible cycle of Nature.
As in the previous years, the outgoing year also has been eventful and will be remembered for happenings, both sweet and sour. From individual to the state, there have been various events of celebrations and sorrows. Besides extraordinary achievements, there have been disappointments as well as tragic moments in the lives of people the world over.
On a global scale, the year is remarkable for various things. First, the world substantially recovered from the Covid-19 pandemic. After almost two years of lockdown, restrictions, slowdown, deaths, illnesses, sufferings and vaccinations, normalcy came back. Though the spread of Omicron variant had appeared as a new threat and took a heavy toll in the first quarter, it eased later. However, the return to normalcy was seriously jolted by the Russian invasion of Ukraine, which turned into a full-scale war of devastation. There is no indication that the war will end soon. Thus, the world will embrace 2023 with a prolonged war as well as extended humanitarian crises.
The year also witnessed extreme weathers of climate change in the form of unprecedented heat waves, severe droughts and heavy floods in various parts of the world. All these remind us that Nature can no longer absorb the reckless ruinous activities of humans. But, unfortunately, driven by limitless greed and selfishness, human beings are yet to pay attention to the reminder. This will prove costly in the long run.
In Bangladesh, the formal inauguration of Padma Bridge is a landmark event. The bridge is not just a physical infrastructure for better connectivity but also a symbol of vibrant Bangladesh. And the opening of the country's first metro rail in Dhaka in the last week of December only adds another feather to the country's development cap.
With a number of remarkable advancements, the country has also faced some man-made disasters which exposed the vulnerabilities of unbalanced development. For instance, major fire incidents in Sitakknuda, Narayagang and Chowkbazar took a heavy toll on lives and property in the outgoing year.
Although Bangladesh languishes at the bottom of football ranking, the euphoria of fans here over Football World Cup was something exceptional. It was a great relief from the gloomy and unhappy tryst with destiny. The World Cup football tournament, sometimes dubbed the greatest show on earth, took place in several stadiums of Qatar this year. Ended with Lionel Messi of Argentina finally lifting the trophy, the month-long event is unforgettable, no doubt.
Finally, Bangladesh, as well as the whole world, has witnessed high inflation in the outgoing year that eroded real income and purchasing power. Inflation which is unlikely to come down soon becomes a big challenge in the Year 2023 and fighting against inflation will continue in the near future.
Every year starts with many expectations and hopes notwithstanding many odds and uncertainties. At the end of the year, stocktaking shows that it was a mixed bag for all. So, let's hope for the best in the New Year that will arrive tomorrow.