The New Nation - Internet Edition

Md. Rahber-E-Alam (Raafa)

Experiencing something for the first time in life is always fun and memorable. However, everyone does not feel the same level of extraordinary excitement which comes after experiencing something different. Here I am going to describe a study tour and my feelings.

After my admission in Sunnydale, this was the first time we were taken on a study tour. In the month of noble Language Movement our school wanted us to study about the history of our language in an interesting way. We studied about the history of our Language Movement in the classes, through books.

We were supposed to visit four different places. Each one had some history behind it. In the morning of 15th February, all the Sunnydalians gathered at the school premises. Our teachers divided all of us and made us sit in two different buses.

I wondered how the whole day would be. Just after I arrived at the school that morning, I got to hear that sneakers were not allowed to be worn and I was wearing a black one. Immediately, I rushed towards my home and wore a Bata shoe and entered the school for the second time.

Finally, our tour began. Our first stop was Central Shaheed Minar (Martyrs' Memorial). We all took off our shoes as well as socks, and stepped on the cold floor of Shaheed Minar. Standing in front of it in a queue, we showed our respect to the language martyrs by keeping silence for one minute.

Then, we left for the historical city Sonargaon. It took a long and exhausting journey to reach Narayanganj.

At one point the bus had to stop to let some of us go to the toilet. However, we finally reached in front of Sonargaon's gate, we made another queue and followed our teachers inside.

The place was almost 500 years old, and indeed, it looked ancient. It was Isa Khan's capital, built in the sixteenth century. It was mainly a port for trade, as the place was situated beside Meghna, Sitalakkhya and Brahmaputra river. We were supposed to see the 'Lok Shilpa Jadughar' there.

We entered the first building through a huge iron gate, which was carved with designs.

Inside, at the centre, was a huge iron bed, perhaps, Isa Khan's. We knew the history of that place through a guide, and he took all of us in a line and told the details of each and every historical item present there. I was trying to copy his speech as fast as possible, as I thought it would help me in any assignment.

Even I tried to draw the panels, but the drawing was so horrible that I soon gave up. Each time our guide described us about something, our eyes widened and our jaws fell with wonder. There were ancient guitars, drums, toothbrushes, clothes and fabrics, models of wooden boats, etc. We had a note with us, telling brief history about each location.

Our next destination was the Balda Garden situated at Wari, Dhaka. We visited the whole garden in a line, which followed our teachers. I found flowers which I never saw before. It was just a botanical garden, with collection of different species of plant life.

The places we were visiting were related with history of emergence of Bangladesh. Our next and final destination was the Liberation War Museum. We were taken to a small hallroom, where we saw videos of the Liberation War of 1971. It showed the mass killing, the injustice and the torture, which the Bangladeshi people had to face during the war. Surviving through all these obstacles, we were the winners and the prize was an Independent country, named Bangladesh.

The video automatically brought sympathy in our mind for our people, as well as raised anger against our enemies who tortured us inhumanly. It made us feel what we have been through during the war. Each time the video showed a dead body, we yelled out, 'awwwww !!!' Even a child of 5 years became the victim of the Pakistani soldiers.

Eventually, we visited six different galleries inside the museum, which told about the history from the 17th century till the Liberation War of 1971. Once again, our jaws began to fall by what we saw and heard. The museum had several weapons of that time, used by the martyrs.

We found skulls taken out from several killing fields excavated by the museum authority. They gave us information to that extent that we forgot most of it. However, to me, seeing and hearing those things became the utmost priority.

Later, the museum authority arranged a quiz game for us, which made us shout with excitement as well. The winners were awarded with caps and with books about the Liberation War. We were provided with cupcakes and ships there, and finally, we left the museum.

After some time, I found our bus in front of the school gate. The tour was over. Very soon, I began to miss the excitement that I have been through in the tour.

However, I am glad that the school authority took the decision to arrange such a tour for us. I thank all the teachers who were with us to guide us on the tour. It's only for them, I have realised that to be a good citizen we need to know about our history. This tour is a success for me as it has raised my patriotism to some level, which would not have been possible without this.