The New Nation - Internet Edition

Story of crab and fox

Abu Bakar Siddiquee

The poet stood in silence with a puzzled look; his usual sarcastic smile, with lips curving upwards, has disappeared long ago.

Almost all big cities of Europe possess impressive shopping center namely Harold in London, Galleria Lafayette Alley in Paris, and Kadewi in Berlin, so on and so forth. These grandeur shops furnished with remarkable collections, highly priced but genuine and branded articles with their plentiful varieties, charm the customers. One's yearning for buying the luxuries nursed through the years and repressed for luck off opportunity waited to be satisfied at these shops. The most pleasant feature is an array of superfluities of goods that are not available in the common markets; these immense accumulations of mentionable articles are worth seeing and well remembered for the whole life and gives exotic pleasure in buying them.

Mr. Habibur Rahman is waiting in front of such a Shopping Center for his colleague Mr. Azimuddin. Both are in government service. They have come to this city in an official visit for two weeks. All their expenses will be borne by the state; moreover they are paid daily allowances, which made their stay comfortable. Usually when one gets the opportune of such trip doesn't miss it, rather likes to avail the tour of nearby countries; this is another added profit. Mr. Habibur Rahman and Mr. Azimuddin saved some money from the daily allowances and have come to this grand shopping center to buy something worth mentioned and to soothe their eyes going through the varieties of articles.

At the entrance of the gate all of a sudden, a middle-aged gentleman addressed Habibur Rahman in a clear Bangla pronunciation,

'Perhaps you have come very recently from Dhaka?'

Before he could guess who is speaking a spontaneous reply came out of Mr. Habibur Rahman's lip, 'Yes, but how could you know? With an amazing surprise he asked the gentleman.

'Oh, I can very much assume, replied the gentleman with an irony-mixed tone, 'I'm residing in this town for so many years; How is that I won't be able to recognize a Bangladeshi? From the walking style I can say whether he is a new comer or not; even I can say the purpose of the visit also in some cases.'

Before Habibur Rahman could utter any word he said, 'you must have come to the Embassy for audit work? Isn't it?'

Habibur Rahman became more puzzled, he said, 'how could you know?'

'You climbed down from the black limousine of Bangladesh Embassy, so it is easily understood.' The witty, sarcastic smile is playing over the gentleman's face, 'otherwise why would the Embassy entertain you cordially like a son-in-law of Bengal! Why would they permit their limousine to drop you at the shop?

Habibur Rahman no more remained silent, it's his turn now, he asked,

'May I know your acquaintance?'

The aged gentleman answered enigmatically

'I stay in this country, work in this city, because my homeland never owned me.

Now it become clear to Habibur Rahman that this man is having no respect for his own country or it's Embassy, and also he is disturbed.

'What do you mean by "country never owned you"?' Habibur Rahman asked.

The gentleman startled, he didn't expect this sort of question. But very quickly he resumed his own composure, said,

'The country has resented me, yet the people wants me, the soil of my land is my soul; but the leaders and the bureaucrats of the country has evicted me.'

Mr. Habibur Rahman's inquisitiveness waned. He thought, 'how it can be that one can't return to his own land? How could a man turn to be an unwanted person in his own abode?'

By this time the gentleman changed the topic. Conversationally he said,

"Wow, you are wearing a sparkling white trouser and a bright blue colored shirt, but in your own country you won't be able to wear these, in a moment the dust and mud would make them dirty, also the bright color of the shirt fade out by the scorch sun ray.'

Habibur Rahman made no mistake to recognize the character of this gentleman; he is one of those who always love to revile his own country.

'How long have you not being to your motherland?' Habibur Rahman asked.

'I have not gone to my homeland since I left it; I have to quit my country after two years of liberation. In abroad I have roamed about here and there and tried to do something befitting, finally I have settled down here, in this city. I got the citizenship on political ground.'

Habibur Rahman, the audit officer, found the exact modus operandi of his computation.

'This gentleman is absconding or driven out of the country for some illegal or unethical performance. There must have been, there certainly was, a more fundamental cause, a more elemental one, for which he can't return to his homeland,' Habibur Rahman was analyzing.

The gentleman uttered, 'I have done a lot for liberation war, passed sleepless night in writing patriotic songs and poems, on daybreak hurled to the radio station to put them on air;' there is a tinge of despair in his voice, 'I have done all these for the sake of my country, to encourage the people, to excite and motivate them for joining the war. It's not an easy job to inspire the whole nation day after day through the radio-frequency media, to stir the spirits of people; to keep them free of frustration; to induce conscientious dedication for the country. That was a great job. I worked with all my loyalty, encouraged my co-workers, inspired the whole nation, enkindled the activities of liberation war.'

He paused for a while, then begun,

'The country was liberated; the people got liberation, but what about me? What have I achieved? Leaving the soil of my golden country I have to be landed somewhere elsetbut why?

Habibur Rahman failed to understand for whom the question is thrown. Is it a self-talk or a question? Pique or repining? Whatever may be, Habibur Rahman could not accept his arguments by heart for two reasons: first, his expressions lack modesty, and secondly, the narration may not be true. The gentleman continued,

'Regularly I'm in touch of my country though I live far away; I get all the news - political, cultural, economical, and also about the morality of the leaders and all happenings.'

He said, 'this year there was untimely flood in my country, whole city of the capital became water logged, the government had to announce holiday for the flood affected situation. Is this the way of management? Have you ever heard of such thing in any developed country of the world?'

He did not bother to get an answer from Habibur Rahman. In the same drawl he continued,

'How it's possible to drain away the rainwater? All the drainage system is blocked by the wastage. Municipality doesn't care for all those, only knows how to make money. The drains, lakes, canals, beels all have vanished; I have heard that some land-grabbers acquired those, filled up with earth to made sky-tower and some places were turn to a ideal suburban town. In my childhood I saw the washer men washing clothes in the Dholai canal; now-a days not a single canal comes into view, all being filled up to a road. Now it's a question how in such an unplanned management a town can survive? It must have turn to a slum; actually now the city of Dhaka is nothing but a bustee.'

The gentleman has stopped his talk. Suddenly a man walks past Habibur Rahman. Habibur Rahman checked his pockets and handbag whether the valuable belongings are safe. The gentleman advised,

'Be careful, pick pocketing is a regular affair here now-a-day, you have to be alert.'

'How comes that? Habibur Rahman tried to be jocular, 'in such a highly developed cultured civilized country how can we expect the regular incidents of Gulistan of Dhaka?'

The gentleman makes an excuse,

'Oh, no, the local people won't do that; they aren't to blame for it. Actually the foreign resident like Algiers, Albanians, Czechs do all these. They are so swift in their performance that you only feel a wave of wind and by that time your things have gone and before you could realize that you have lost your wallet the picketer has vanished.'

He laughed out, came back to the reference of his homeland,

'I have heard that in Dhaka the traffic jam is terrific, it takes two to three hours to travel from Farm gate to Motijheel. How you attend the office in time? Or isn't that you don't have to be in the office at all?' There is some sort of maliciousness in his tone.

Habibur Rahman resists himself answering hard; he controlled his voice and very coolly said,

'There is a proverb, " where there is a will, there is a way," so if one wish, in that jam one can reach the office in time by a simple calculation, starting for the office a bit earlier.'

Though subdued by Habibur Rahman's answer the gentleman didn't stopped his conversation,

'It's a pity that the young and adolescent village girls are swarming in the Dhaka city to get a job in the garment factory in lieu of a meager amount of pay. They live in an unhygienic environment and do unsocial activities and becoming indecent detestable element of the society. But the government is not paying any heed to these sorts of problem, rather remained indifferent and patronizing the so-called Industrialist. Will that bring any good for the country?'

Habibur Rahman got an excellent opportune, he spoke out,

'Hear, Mr. Poet, our country is small but its population density is highest in the world, half of which consists of fair sex. The garment industry has created a job opportunity for them; brightened up their economic condition to give them standard living facilities. The woman folk have become independent in their earning from this field, why are you considering it in negative point? And also, the government has to patronize the industrialist of the country for its own reason.

It's not in my knowledge how many female workers of garments factory have been stooped down to plunge the society in immodesty. But it's a fact that garment industry is the source of highest export index of the country; won't this carry any value to you?'

The gentleman tried to say something; he was hesitant. Habibur Rahman resumed,

'Perhaps you don't know that at present our peasants grow more food grains, almost double in comparison to the past years, their is improvement in cultivation; the fisherman are not restricted to the river only, they use trawler to fish in the deep sea; the hand loomed industry has flourished a lot, they are engaged not only in weaving gamcha or lungi but making dresses of modern design having a great demand for export; new designs of Jamdani mingled with the western taste brought a great change in the sari culture; in Mirpur area a locality named Benarasi palli is groomed up; the world renowned Muslin of Mughal period is again revived; can you ignore all these constructive elements.'

The poet couldn't answer. At the same moment Mr. Azimuddin, friend of Habibur Rahman appeared there. Habibur Rahman made them introduced, 'he is my colleague Azimuddin and here is a ex-citizen of our country, who has composed poems and songs during liberation war; at present a citizen of this city under political asylum.'

The gentleman didn't seem to be satisfied with the adjunct applied for him. He said, 'I am a Bangladeshi in heart and soul. For political reason I can't enter my country. Any country is limited to a particular region, got a boundary line, but my poems have no bounds, it's infinite. Till now my songs and poems are published in almost all dailies and magazines of my country.'

In a firm tone Habibur Rahman replied,

'Yes, may be your poems and songs are infinite but you alone won't be able to start a campaign or agitation for attaining a special object with your poems and songs. You won't be able to bring any change in the flow of country's progress; it requires will power and efforts of group of peoples. Rather, we the people who are still residing in that country and amongst all corruption, poverty, indigence and inefficient administration going ahead with self integrity under the banner of our hard earned independence, will be able to bring the changes in the system; the country will thrive though slow; it will definitely advance towards prosperity.

It's true that we are living panting; but our red green flag is flying all over the world to prove that we are a free nation, we are independent; despite that our living standard is low, despite that we are emerged in corruption, yet we are a sovereign nation; despite the fact that our country is under-developed none can reject our presence nor any force can efface our existence from the heart of the world. The country is poor but we are a free nation. He is lucky who enjoys the freedom.'

Black shadow shrouded the face of the poet. Habibur Rahman became defendant, he said,

' Listen Mr. Poet, I am an auditor, it's my job to work out factual numerals after summation and deduction of the accounts, so long whatever conversation I have made with you I have audited very carefully. The pith is that after liberation of the country a group of our fellows were busy in making fortune, and I think you were one of those opportunists. At that time you were smarter than your companions to loot wealth by anyhow with an incredible rapidity. That was the time you did something objectionable, wrote unsanctified poem and song, uttered immodest words, which have hurt the sentiment and integrity of the newly liberated country and that was taken as unpardonable offence; as such the country has to crack down on you and you are thrown out. At the moment you realize it very well that the country will never own you and this is a hard truth.

As you realize the hard truth, you feel to make sarcastic, ridicule, and taunt remark towards your place of nurture and its occupants; thus you get satisfaction of revenge to some extent.

But you know very well that you are residing in this foreign land with your head lowering, like a parasite, and you have to reside like this forever, till death. Whereas we, the citizen of the corrupt and disaster stricken, but of independent nation, will live happily expanding our chest, raising our head. We won't be deprived of prosperity; happiness won't leave us. The restlessness of the time will tranquil, because all calamities are short lasting. We shall live in good environment; our next genera will progress and competing the world's reform will lead the country further ahead. And they shall remain better off.

Today, standing on the soil of a highly developed city of Europe, you are casting reflection, defaming your native land; may be some other day, in this same spot, the great intellectuals of the world will assemble to hold a conference on the glory and fame of our country, have this thought ever crossed your mind?'

No reply came from the poet; there is no expression in his face. Habibur Rahman and Azimuddin stepped inside the shopping center.

The poet stood in silence, there is sudden emptying of his eyes, and his thought had run out of words.

Really, the fox had placed its tail in the crab hole to hold the crab and to uplift the tail quickly to bring the crab out of hole to engulf; but had never thought off to be cramped by the ten footed, short bodied, short-tailed crustacean.

School teachers need quality higher education

Dr. Kazi Enamul Hoque

Recently I have finished my Ph.D from the Universiti Sains Malaysia-a second top research-based public university in Malaysia. This is unusual in our country to have Ph.D being a school teacher. Many highly educated people have raised their eye-brow when they came to know I was having Ph.D degree. So far I went through the record; I am the first who had this degree abroad in the field of Educational Management and Leadership. I had the scholarship under the scheme of teaching assistance for which I had to teach the post graduate students. It is highly unexpected, for a school teacher to teach the post graduate students of private university let alone public in Bangladesh. For instance, recently I tried to be a 'part time lecturer' in a private university in Bangladesh but I was refused due to having experience as a school teacher.

Sorry, this writing is not for letting you know my achievement. This is a small effort to inspire my colleagues (School Teachers) to open their eyes and best use the three years study leave for their higher education abroad. School teachers (ST) can have their M.Eds and Ph.Ds abroad and be the part of school level policy makers and curriculum experts. If we look around, say in Malaysia and neighboring country India, it is not unusual to find some Ph.D holders in every secondary and even primary school. But in our country, it seems taboo for secondary and primary school teachers. Even most of the school teachers do not know they have the provision of having three years study leave. The policy makers (PM) also deliberately take no step to create their (ST) awareness for higher study. Now question arises why they (PM) are interested to keep the teachers in dark.

School teachers are very much experienced in field level education. They know very well what type of policy and curriculum can fulfill the requirement of stakeholders and societal people. But they (ST) have no representation in educational policy-making and curriculum development. This is because they have no expertise in that particular field. Only University Teachers (UT) and Civil Servants (CS) have the expertise though they have no practical experience in field level education. And it is like a cycle. This is because they (CS and UT) enjoy all sorts of government opportunities to be expert in their fields. In other words the government has got them expert with all of monetary and logical supports. Though it should be more result-oriented if school teachers are given support to be expert, it is unknown why no attention is put to them.

It was mentioned above about the study leave for school teachers. In accordance with the act of 1973 (Board Regulation), school teachers get three years 'Study Leave" with one year full pay, one year half pay and the rest without pay. But university teachers are allowed 5 years study leave with full pay. Not only that, university also pays tuition fees for the candidate. Why is this discrimination? Is it not the indirect discouraging for the school teachers? Is it possible for school teachers to finish Ph.D by three years that takes five years for university teachers? Is there any special quota for school teachers to have the scholarship for higher education? Are the policy makers interested to include school teachers in realistic policy making and curriculum development for the greater interest of the nation? Probably not. Then what is their interest? It should mention that the nation is still deprived of having an effective educational policy and living curriculum.

There are hundreds of projects in educational sector. Thousands and million dollars are there. If school teachers start to have Ph.D and become specialist in different areas then they (ST) will be more preferred as consultants because of their practical and field level experience. But school teachers do not know they have the potentiality to be expert if they are supported by the government. If the policy-makers had good intention, they could preserve some scholarship for them (ST) to have their Ph.Ds or M.Eds abroad. I have met many school teachers from different countries (Malaysia, Thailand, Laos, Cambodia, Vietnam, Oman, Jordan etc.) to have their Ph.Ds and M.Eds by full-pledged government support. So far I know, in our country, the government does not have such type of allocation. Sometimes they (PM) encourage them (ST) to undergo some sort of short training (domestic) to improve their quality. To my mind, it has surface and deeper meaning. In surface meaning, they want to show how serious they are to raise teacher's quality. In deeper meaning, it is a crocodile-tear to take the lion share of the training allocation in guise of being expert. It is the irony for school teachers to confine themselves in short training mostly limited in cities funded by different government, non-government or international agencies. Though the output is negligible, the trainers (experts) are satisfied with their attractive packages. Thus the school teachers are the victims of ill politics of bureaucracy. Another irony is that these experts often blame the teachers not to be enough knowledgeable. This is also another technique to make them (ST) mentally weak. Australian cricketers often play this trick to excite the rivals. Then he (ST) starts to think, "Oh God, I am so worse, I have not enough knowledge to be a teacher. Those policy-makers are storehouse of knowledge". Thus they (ST) loose their confidence on themselves and never dare to think they can contribute to educational policy making and curriculum development. This is exactly they (PM) want and they are winning because of lacking foresightedness of school teachers.

I call upon school teachers to wake up and stand back against all sorts of conspiracies. Teachers associations should not confine themselves only to ensure monetary benefits also to work for gaining at least 200 scholarships every year for school teachers for higher study in foreign universities. When school teachers will interact with foreign teachers, it will broaden their outlook. They will learn how to explore and generate knowledge. Then they will be more effective in the classroom and will be contributing to producing the global standard students. Only global standard teachers can make the world class manpower and school teachers should have the priority to achieve this societal demand. When they (ST) will raise voice for scholarship quota, they will be blamed to be weak in English or will be shown some other excuses to stop them or make them mentally weak. Remember dear colleagues, do not give up. I met some renowned university teachers from Bangladesh having Ph.D but could not speak English at the beginning at all. They have learnt gradually and become fluent within a year or two. It is high time for school teachers to move for gaining scholarship quota and increase the duration of study leave for five years. There is no alternative to increase own quality for long lasting development. Higher study can ensure teachers' quality and make them knowledgeable. Then they will be placed in policy making. In regards social status, when there will be enough Ph.D holders at school level, they (ST) will be cared and honoured. Also remember, all other will try to let you down or tempt you with salary increasing or other benefit to draw back your attention otherwise. But teachers should not compromise of raising quality with higher study abroad by government support.

For my colleagues' awareness I like to cite some examples how school teachers are look down upon. I went for permission to use the library of National Institute of Educational Administration and Management (NIEAM) for my research work. I wanted to see the Director General but I was asked to see the Director (Research) with application. I followed the procedures and submitted the application to his Private Secretary (P.S). His P.S went in with the application and came back with refusal result. The P.S informed me that school teachers have no access in the library. Though I mentioned I was a Ph.D student and needed to look for whether there was any research work in my respective areas, the Director never felt to ask me before denial my access in the library. I was astonished and never thought of such constraint of accessing in the library of civilized society. Recently I have joined in my school after finishing my Ph.D. My school principal was very happy and introduced me one day with the Chairman of SMC. But the Chairman pretended not to hear anything. I offered my salam as usual and went back to teachers' room. After sometime the chairman went to the teachers room and by the by wanted to know from the principal whether I can compose Bangla letter. I expressed my sorrow and gently replied that I could not. Then he commented,"What sort of Ph.D he has done, he does not know how to type Bangla". That was his opening statement about me! He measures Ph.D degree with the standard of Bangla typing skill! What a silly! He was supposed to hail me but I do not know why he was so furious. Three years before I left the school with study leave. He has been chairman for 6 months and his behaviour surely made me sad. By God swear, it did not make me upset or weak mentally. I am proud and happy being a school teacher. Though his behaviour was very rude and impolite in international perspective, it is very common in Bangladesh. In particular, the civil servants are used to behaving in that way with the subordinates. School teachers are considered the sub-ordinates of their sub-ordinates. Moreover school teachers are very poor in knowledge (according to my chairman). So they (ST) are the subjects of look down upon! I should let you know that my honourable Chairman is a very talented civil servant.

School teachers must overcome all these constraints with their quality, strong determination and foresightedness. They (ST) have to face all these evil souls with intelligence and cool brain. These teachers should spread around for higher study, explore epoch-oriented knowledge, be expert and face all these odd situations with your world-class skill.

Poem

One eyed demon

M. Mizanur Rahman

This all-powerful one-eyed demon is in collaboration with his crony

to trade human blood everywhere on earth to earn money.

This bloodthirsty one-eyed demon is spilling and

sucking human blood in middle-east,

in Asia i.e. Palestine, Afghanistan and Iraq

and elsewhere .. .in conflicts or warfare on wolf's provision

like a mythological horrendous beast.

This one-eyed demon has his poisonous fangs

found in Abu Gharib of Iraq and in Guantanamo bay of Cuba.

He has made Israel a police state

like that of a man-eating vampire

watching all around its victims;

where he appears to be a ten-faced rakkhosh Rabana- baba.

He is proud of his modern war-machines and the power of fire.

No peace loving people on earth wants war or anarchy in terrorism

But this demon feels if his interest is interfered he'll beat all's ism.

For this one-eyed demon no law exists on earth to record his crime.

He appears to be above law but natural law must punish him on time.

Epitaph

Mohammad Shahidul Islam

Stranger!

Approach this golden stage with gravity!

Ask him, why to die, who will tie;

Theatre!

An Ode to Chaka

Sunlight gives us dream to wheel life;

Innocence has brought up the lamb in heart

Methakhali; the village of immortal nature

Frequently cherished to the bull

The Maya in two wheels plays cacophony

of time, proof of society.

Two wheels monitor the cloths of nature:

The mellow morning, manly noon, hasty afternoon

beckoning the twilight, inviting night for morning again

Wheels of weal and woe?

Life and death desire leg and wheel

Lifeless body on wheels wanted to love life

Dead body goes mocking to the pleasure of life

The beloved body is scaring, ghostly

Dead body is meaningless, meaningful to nature

The charitable nature loves dead body;

This once jinxed her,

Legs can not move with dead body

Is it wheel's pleasure?

Attention! Mystic wheels are looming!

Selim Al Deen

Silence of nature falls in

Evening, mummy stops

Lullaby, baby cries for

Insomnia and

Milk

All quiet in the

Lab Aid,

Dramatic future

Ends, we mourn, your

Eternal works inspire to found

New Selimism.