Sacrificing happiness

My grandparents were dead long back; so I never could relate the feeling of going back to roots during holydays. My father was in the defence so I shared the joy on Eids with the neighboring kids rather than with my cousins, uncles, aunts. After my father’s retirement, we settled in Dhaka. In only two occasions, we went to our village home to celebrate Eid with my distance relatives. I did enjoy the village flavor, but felt no urge in going back on every Eid as all my Chacha. Mama, Fufu, Khala were always in Dhaka.

Thus my ignorance on people’s urge on heading towards village-home was mountainous. I never realized what the city people undergo on their voyage during Eid. On 26th November, three of my friends and I decided to experience ‘Shodor ghat er gangaam’ after midnight. We reached at Shodor ghat in 45 minutes from Gulshan; Dhaka was vacant as expected. We are mature, all in 30s, so no over speeding! Reached Shador ghat at 2 A.M. And yes, it was indeed Shodor ghat; gathering of people was all-around, everybody trying to enter the vessels docked in the river. No one could tell it was 2 A.M unless the watch came in rescue.

Some people were having meals in nearby restaurants, some trying to get into the vessels, some quarreling with the security guards. We got aboard a vessel. There were no inch to move; people were sleeping everywhere. We wanted to see the cabins but it was restricted. An 1000 taka note to the security guards did the trick and walla – we were given VIP treatment then on; went to the engine room, cabin, roof, pilot’s den, everywhere. People were sleeping everywhere including in front off the toilets. The vessel was scheduled to start at 10 A.M. the following morning but people occupied 12-14 hours prior to that! There were children sleeping in roofs, babies in the balcony with hands tied to their parents. I am a father on three years old, so I could relate instantly what a father goes through if he sees his child shaking in the cold.

Two of my friends were discussing the prospect of a vessel liner on our way back; I was wondering what makes the city people go through the pain of reaching village homes; there must be something, must be.

I woke up at 7:00 A.M on Eid day. Turned on the TV, and there was this news – a launch drowned in Meghna on its way to Bhola; 13 dead bodies including seven children were recovered. I saw that vessel on 26th! I saw people sleeping there. I saw children searching comfort on fathers’ shoulder! I knew then and there, the reminiscence will hunt me for a while.

As I read the newspaper today, the vessel that drowned was carrying excess people and water started pouring right after it started moving. It reached a quay in noon time; many people wanted to get down; security guards did not allow them to do so as some of them did not buy tickets by then. Desh TV reports, mother searching for a six year old, father searching for his two sons, sisters searching for their only brother. This Eid apparently stored only sorrow for the relatives and people who died, Allah knows, for whose fault. Close ones will surely remember the lost ones in every Eid they come by.

In my childhood, I was told, Eid ul Azha teaches sacrifices; I never could understand why slaughtering animals in roads is considered as sacrifice. I do not support the way it’s been done so I always wondered what to sacrifice. This time around, I know I have sacrificed my happiness……..I just can’t forget the faces I saw that night; I saw a two years old shivering in cold; is he dead?

Why?.................

Should not it be 15 months hanging till the skins gets dried up. Should not Khaleda get 15 slaps in the face by a monkey nicknamed Falu? Should not all the family members return the money they got from state fund after 15 August?

Why there won't be another jail hotta incident where a group of unknown militants will enter the central jail and open fire at some of the cells. Why the whole nation should not celebrate birthday on 31st May?

The Bangladesh Supreme Court rejected an appeal by five former army officers convicted of killing the nation's founding president Sheikh Mujibur Rahman in a coup more than 34 years ago.

The men first went on trial in 1996, after Sheikh Hasina, Rahman's daughter, became prime minister, but the process came to a halt after Begum Khaleda Zia, Hasina's rival, came to power in 2001. Originally, 15 men - mostly former army officers - were sentenced to death for Rahman's killing, but in 1998 Bangladesh's high court reprieved three of them.

Welcome to democracy.....

Golden kids of ruling party in action: Since the ruling Bangladesh Awami League took power following the general election of December 29, 2008, ‘cubs’ of its students and youth wings, who were earlier termed by the party chief and present Prime Minister, Sheikh Hasina as ‘Golden Kids’ are seen in continuous notoriety thus already turning all the educational institutions in the country into extreme volatility. According to newspaper reports, in past 86 days, 4 students were killed only by the ‘cubs’ of the student wing of Bangladesh Awami League while couple of dozens were made physically disable due to severe torture.

The latest episode of the ‘jubilation of victory’ by the ‘golden kids’ of the ruling government were witnessed at Dhaka Medical College on the last day of March. According to reports, Dhaka Medical College was on closed for an indefinite period over factional clashes of Bangladesh Chhatra League, the ruling Awami League’s associate body of students, in which one was killed and 25 were injured.

Judging by the escalatory factious fighting within the BCL, which apart from putting the government's credibility and image on the line, primarily goes to raise governance issue beyond the pale of a purely academic concern.

March 27: Police recovered 12 sharp weapons including machetes, swords and knives from Mohsin Hall at Dhaka University. Law enforcers raided the hall following a clash between two factions of Bangladesh Chhatra League, student wing of Awami League, over gaining control of Mohsin Hall.

March 31: A student of Dhaka Medical College died and 30 others were wounded after fierce clashes on the campus between two groups of Bangladesh Chhatra League, student wing of ruling party Awami League.

April 2: A joint team of Rapid Action Battalion and police today arrested Dr Kamrul Hasan on charge of having link to the murder of Abul Kalam Asad Rajib at Dhaka Medical College. The arrested Kamrul is a leader of Awami League-backed Shadinota Chikitshok Forum.

April 2: Ineffective leadership puts BCL in trouble.

April 4: Bangladesh Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina has ordered a crackdown on her party Awami League's (AL) student wing that is accused of increasingly indulging in criminal activities since she took office in January.

April 6: The central executive committee of Bangladesh Chhatra League failed to hold a single general meeting in its three years' existence.

April 6: A group of leaders and activists of Bangladesh Chhatra League allegedly beat up some listed contractors of Dhaka University yesterday over tender for two development works worth Tk 10 lakh on the campus.

April 9: At least 20 students injured at a factional clash among the Bangladesh Chhtara League activists on the Jagannath University (JNU) campus.

April 13: Rapid Action Battalion arrested two top central leaders of Bangladesh Chhatra League (BCL) on charge of disrupting academic atmosphere of Dhaka University.

April 13: Government officers and employees at Kumarkhali upazila headquarters yesterday abstained from work protesting assault on upazila nirbahi officer (UNO) allegedly by some activists of the Ruling Awami League and its front organisations.

April 15: Student bodies protest on tuition fee hike.

April 16: Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina has warned Bangladesh Chhatra League (BCL) men of stern actions for creating unrest in educational institutions.

April 17: One medical college in Barisal district was closed indefinitely following clashes between two factions of Bangladesh Chhatra League, student wing of ruling Awamil League; over establishing supremacy.

Revolt at BDR HQ

The url of this blog is Bangladesh kothai jai. I had no idea of where actually Bangladesh was heading, when I initiated this blog. After 29 December election, I was hopeful of writing some positive things if not many. After what happened today ar BDR HQ, I am back to square 1.

I have heard such stories in last few hours, that can be only compared to incidents f '75 and '81. I never thought that a coup is possible in the era of "Kache thakun shob shomoy" and "Digital Bangladesh".

I hope what I heard are false.

Revolt at BDR Headquarters

Soldiers of the BDR Headquarters in Dhaka staged a revolt against their top officers including the DG. Rumors are all around. Some say, the DG is dead. Others include - soldiers want pay raise; they want full scale war against Indian BSF etc.

But here is the rumor that beats all by a long margin - JMB naki actually BDR HQ attack korse. Next target High Court. Ora naki BDR DG ke convince korse to join them!

Ekti shundor nidorshon

Bangladesh Chhatra League expelled the leader of Dhaka University's Jagannath Hall unit. Reason was anti-organisational activities. After Awami league's landslide victory, this leader, started demanding money from students, threatened many and asked toll from a contractor engaged in construction work.

Indeed, this is a good gesture. Shadhu Shadhu.

28 Dec 2008: Bangladesh