The New Nation - Internet Edition

Slowly comes the day

Hasan Mostafizur Rahman

: Sorry, dear, I'm late!

- Old dialogue. It's become shaggy due to random use! Tell me something new to hear. : Are you trying to insult me?

- No, never! Who has no prestige at all why the hell I'll try to insult him!

: Hey you! Hell, I don't know how I'm late. Got up from bed timely. After getting ready went to the street and faced problem. No brother-in-law would go. At last leaving the hope for getting rickshaw, started to search for c.n.g. baby taxi. But that brother-in-Iaws also wouldn't go. At long last got one. But the fair of thirty taka is fifty taka. Then had fallen into traffic jam.

- At what time did you set out?

: Oh? A. .. At nine thirty.

- Leaving home at nine thirty is it possible for you to reach here at ten o'clock? What ajam! You should set out before one hour.

: Forgive me, friend! I swear I won't do this again. You wait like this. Phew! Phew! It hurts me so much! But Allah knows how I get late each and every time.

- Leave it. What ought to happen is happened.

: No, I won't leave it. I feel very uneasy. What am I! Would you remember what had you done another day after not finding me in proper time like today?

- I do. I went back walking through the rain.

: Haven't you told the total. Wetting in the rain crying.

- Hmm. Who told you! I'll cry for you?

: You wrote this in the letter, forgotten?

- I wrote lie.

: Is it! Anyway, tell me why are you so good?

- Pumping? You're pumping me, isn't it?

: Nope. I'm telling the truth. I've never seen a good girl like you in my life.

- Don't tell more, please! Hearing such complement my ears are turning to numb!

- : Ha! Ha! Ha! Your sense of humour is excellent! It's this for what I like you more.

- Don't laugh like a goat! Is it your idea that I like much to hear this kind of harsh laugh of yours?

: Hal Ha! Ha!

- Hey! Would you stop?

: Stopped. You're a nice girl indeed.

- What's the matter, you're delivering only complement and complement today! Tell me what's your motive?

: No, there's no bad motive.

- Understood. Then what I have to do now?

: You have to scold me thoroughly so that I couldn't be late this way never, and couldn't cause you suffering.

- Tell me what happened to you today!

: Nothing happened. Just wanna redemption for what have I done by getting your scold.

-Very well. But I can't but scold you.

: Then what can you do?

- Only can love.

: What a dialogue!

- Not a dialogue, true. You're my entity, my existence. How can I scold my own existence, dear?

: Don't tell more! If you do so I'll cry loudly!

- You could do this. You're half lady. Fifty percent boy, fifty percent girl. Hie! Hie! Hie! : Your laugh is excellent!

- Tenku!

: What the hell meaning of it!

- The meaning is thank you, idiot! Hie! Hie! Hie!

: Do you know what laugh is called this laugh of yours?

- What laugh is called?

: Glass-broken laugh. Hearing one will think as if a glassware is broken into small pieces and spreading on the floor.

- What a nice simile you've given!

: But your smile is much more nice than this simile.

- Then give more nice similes, dear!

: Guess severe hot.

-Ok

: You feel excessively thirst. But you can't drink water. Your liver is about to blast. Right at that time if you drink a glass of cold lemonade mixed with pieces of ice, won't your liver become cold?

- Of course.

: When I hear your laugh my liver becomes right that kind of cold.

- Wow! What a tremendous simile! Hearing this praise I am turning to red-blue-violet due to a little bit shy!

: A little bit shy! This is called sense of humour. Ha! Ha! Ha! - See he is laughing again.

: Where's the problem? You forbade me to laugh that kind of laughing in front of other girls.

-You have good memory about letters I see!

: Who has written those letters we're to see.

- 0 I see!

: You write excellent letter. What a taste I get reading these! There are funny things also in these letters. Belly becomes torpid by laughing.

- Tenku.

: Welcome. But what about scold me?

- Are you willing to be scolded?

: It's not about will or unwillingness. I must be scolded.

- I won't able to scold you, but I can do a thing.

: What?

- I can twist one's ears very well. Can I?

: What! You wanna touch the ears of your to be hubby! What an uncivilised girl!

- Eh, what a hubby of mine! There's no news about marriage t Hey, how long I'll be standing here like this? Leg is paining.

: Leg is paining due to standing a while! A mere doll made of cream!

- What will you understand about leg pain, Mia? You're a horse. If you remain standing for lifetime won't feel leg pain.

: No, no, even the horse feels leg pain. Let's go over there to the veranda and sit under a tree.

- Let's go.

: Why have you sat down so far? Come closer. - Now I'm close to you.

: No, no, more closer.

- Don't feign, please! There are men around.

: What does make it difference? I'm not telling you to sit on my lap. - If there's no man around, you would have said right that.

: Ha! Ha! Ha! All right, come closer a slight more. I'll catch your hand. - Coming, honey! You're so tormenting!

: What a charm to catch your hand! How soft!

- Leave my hand.

: I didn't catch this hand to leave, beautiful! Ho ho ha ha ha!

- Hie! Hie! Hie! You've mastered the acting of the villain of stage drama very nicely I see!

: Thank you, beautiful. Then you too press my hand as I'm pressing.

- I can't be able to.

: Why the hell you'll be able to. You can only get caress, can't give. Selfish!

- Ok, I'm that.

: All right, you don't have to catch my hand. It's me who will catch.

- Uhhh! Why are you pressuring so much! Are you trying to break my hand? : Nope. Is it possible that I'll break the hand of my Babusona?

- Then why are you giving pressure like this, idiot! It's paining.

: Now?

- Yes, it's all right now. Do you know what pressure is called that you're giving on my hand now? Pressure of love.

: And what is called that the pressure I was giving earlier?

- Animalistic pressure.

: Ha! Ha!Ha!

- Didn't I forbid you to laugh like this?

: Why, what's the problem!

- Look, that girl is staring at you like a goat!

- : If she does what's the problem?

- No, none but me should look at you this way.

- : I feel inclined to smile again!

- If you smile I'll squeeze your throat!

: Love me very much, isn't it?

- I don't know!

: Hey, what're you thinking about?

- Umm?

: I was telling that what're you thinking about? Why absent minded?

- Dear, I'm not feeling well.

: Why?

- Didn't I tell you over telephone? I don't like this place. Mind turns to gloomy. Look around

precisely and see the gloomy atmosphere.

: Strange! Many times we had come here but you never told this!

- Didn't tell before. But after came here last time told you over telephone. Probably you forgot it.

: I forgot it indeed. So what're you wanna do now?

- I wish to go far somewhere. Beside a river. Or where there is water.

: But you have to go back home within 2 pm. Now it's approximately thirty past twelve o'clock. If we go far away t

- All right, leave it. Remain sitting here today. Have you brought my letter?

- : Yes.

- How much letters?

- : Three.

- True!

: Yes.

- Three pages each of one page obviously?

: Nope. Umm t total eight pages.

-Give me.

: Not now. At the time of going back. My letter?

- In my bag.

: How much?

- A lot. I've come with a sack of letters. Feel shame to give.

- : Why!

- Might be you'll think that this girl has no work without writing letters.

: Don't talk nonsense! You know very well I enjoy to read your letter.

- Is it!

: You're dazzling with joy.

- Won't I? Who doesn't like praise? Hie! Hie! Hie!

- : Glass-broken laugh.

- You had given another simile, what's that?

- : Rinijhini laugh.

- Yes, it's an excellent simile too.

: Damn these similes! We're talking nonsense only. For what discussion we have come here it's not started yet.

- I was waiting for hear. Start.

: You're waiting? Then why didn't you ask earlier?

-Dear, I'm a woman. Though I'm eager to talk about marriage don't I feel shy?

: Leave frivolity. Do you have any problem on next Thursday?

-Nope.

: You can think it can be happened on next Thursday. Discussing with others I'll let you be informed.

- But will it be right to do something this way?

: Don't let me get tempered! Then how you wanna do?

- There is no way?

: There is a way.

- What?

: Tell everything to your parents.

- If I couldn't make them agree at last what will happen then?

- : Then what's the way out without marriage like this?

- I know nothing! I don't know anything!

: Try to understand a little bit, honey! Me too have no intension to do something like this. But there is no way out of it.

- Say, we get married this way. What will happen then?

- : What will happen means?

- Who will inform to our home?

: Following the situation we'll take initiatives.

-The incident will have to keep secret. If Abbu knows this he'll be distressed seriously.

: But didn't you say about let them know?

- Idiot! Not about marriage. Let them know means who will go with proposal?

- : Why, father? The father and mother side uncles will be with him.

- But. .. Abbu won't agree!

: See, you're saying he won't agree, then again you're saying that will it be right to get married ourselves this way?

- What will I do!

: Try to understand the easy thing.

- What will I understand?

: Before this, tell me do you want me at any cost?

- Yes, I do.

: Then there is no other way to marry like this. My friends and I altogether did a lot of research about this and had found this. The proposal will be sent to your home at right time. We will be waiting till last moment. If they wouldn't agree then, the secret would be unveiled.

- Abbu will get serious shock.

: Why are you thinking like that the secret must be unveiled? You will be convincing them continuously. We're with you over here.

- I might manage Abbu and Ammu. I fear about big brother. You don't know him. A butcher! There's no work he can do when he get angry.

: He'll kill me by using professional killer? The wants, can do. For I get you I can die. 1t

-Will you stop, please! I wish to die!

: And I wish to slap you. Why water comes into your eyes in a simple situation? Water of eyes have become very cheap, isn't it?

- Don't feel well, I don't feel well! When I think about big brother. .. : Don't fear him so much!

- There's no one who will stand beside me in that situation. : Your Ammu will fight for you, you will see.

- I can be able to manage Ammu by making her understand. But Bhabi will create problem. Very trashy woman. She can take under her control anyone.

: Can you request her at that time?

- I'll die rather surrender to her. As her husband's sister what to do, I do more than that. But I don't know why she is being after me yet.

: Leave it. When the problem will arise we'll see.

- What would we see? I wanna know what will you do at that time. Before now also I asked you again and again. Haven't got the answer.

: Don't make me angry. If there is no creation of problem, how could I solve it? Each time I told you so.

- But how can will I keep secret such a big thing?

- : Couldn't understand.

- Donkey! Returning home after get married how could I keep it secret? I guess after returning home I'll tell everything fluently.

: Brat it!

- You won't understand. To keep secret such a big thing-

: Ok then, I'll discuss with my friends. You would have ready. It might happen on next Thursday.

- Is there no other way but this?

- : Yes.

- What?

: Go back. Marry as the choice of your parents.

- You've told this before. Please, don't tell it ever!

- : It's but a nice solution.

- Would you stop! Don't you feel shame to say this! I hate to hear this. I hate to think about another person also.

: Then what you wanna do?

- Don't know, I know nothing!

: If you say don't know, it has no value. You have to know. For long time we couldn't reach to any decision. How long will we live this way? At any day a mach-maker or bridegroom's party will come again with proposal and then you'll understand.

- At that situation if you loose your courage, I'll be finished.

- : I won't loose.

- What time is it tell me.

: It's approximately 2 pm.

- Oh! I've to rise. I had informed them I would return home within 2 pm. Let's go.

- : Stay be seated a while. I'm in a gloomy mood.

- All right, friend, five minutes.

: What're you thinking about?

- Umm?

: Telling what're you thinking about?

: If Abbu knows about the marriage he'll be distressed seriously.

: He won't know.

- If you loose heart it won't work. You'll have to adhere behind Abbu.

- : Don't tension about it. You've risen, what?

- Five minutes have finished, dear. Rise.

: Risen. Let's move.

- Let's move.

: Each and every time I feel serious distress at the time of depart. I don't wish to leave you. I wish bring you home with me. I wish t.

-Don't say more, I'll cry.

: You of course call me tonight. If you talk over telephone, you'll feel better.

- I can't promise, dear. If I get chance I'll do.

: Then Allah hafez.

- Allah hafez.

A memorable travel

Shah Abdul Halim

(From previous issue)

The meeting in the Iqbal Academy Pakistan was fruitful. We discussed how to strengthen Iqbal Academy Bangladesh and the need to induct Iqbal scholars from the Department of Urdu and Department of Persian, Dhaka University in the Trustee Board of Iqbal Academy Bangladesh. I suggested Irshad ul Mujeeb Sheikh to take translation project for publication of the various works of Iqbal into Bengali. I suggested him to take up such a project with estimated cost of translation and publication. I recommended that while preparing the translation project, they have to mention the qualifications of the translators and editors so that only qualified people are entrusted with the responsibility.

I mentioned that it is Dr. Abdul Wahed who has kept the memory of Iqbal somewhat fresh among a section of the litterateurs and also among general people of Bangladesh and I requested Irshad ul Mujeeb Sheikh to cooperate with Dr. Abdul Wahed in every possible way.

I also requested Irshad ul Mujeeb Sheikh to explore the possibility of establishing a cultural centre in Bangladesh by the Government of Pakistan under the purview of already existing cultural agreement between Bangladesh and Pakistan and make a massive display of the books of Iqbal and papers of Quaid- i- Azam and Muslim League. Irshad ul Mujeeb Sheikh told me that he would prepare a note based on our discussion and place it before Muhammad Suheyl Umar, Director of Iqbal Academy Pakistan and try to do whatever is possible.

I left Lahore for Karachi by Pakistan Railways 16 D.N. Karachi Express on 14 July 2008. The train left Lahore at 7.00 p.m. one hour late then the scheduled time. It was supposed to reach next day, 15 July 2008 at I p.m. But it was late by several hours and reached Karachi at 5 p.m.

Since no booking of the first class coach in the Pakistan Railways was available, Protocol Officer Hafez Muhammad Abdullah booked an economy coach. I had no idea that the economy coach is without air-condition. I thought it would be difficult to travel such a long distance, approximately 1200 kilometers, in such hot temperature - 38 degree Celsius. I asked the porter if he could upgrade my ticket. These people normally maintain some secret link with the Railway Guard and I thought the porter might be of help. Anyway Protocol Officer Hafez Muhammad Abdullah and the porter were able to upgrade the ticket and they arrived five-six minutes before the departure of the train with upgraded ticket for which I had to pay additional Pakistani Rs. 500.00 to the porter in addition to what the Pakistan Railways charged. We rushed to the assigned buggy number 13 and found that it was reserved entirely for the women. The Ticket Clerk there was very rude asked us to go the Railway Guard for necessary correction. We had no time for going to the Railway Guard for the train will leave within four-five minutes. I asked him to help me anyway being a Muslim brother from another country and on persuasion he changed the buggy number to 14 and I was somehow been able to enter the train air-condition coach number 14. Due to the worry over getting an upgraded ticket I became tense and thirsty and requested Protocol Officer Hafez Muhammad Abdullah if he could help me and bring a bottle of cool drinking water. He was kind and brought me the needed water. The train by that time had started moving on whistle from the Railway Guard. I said to Protocol Officer Hafez Muhammad Abdullah goodbye and requested him to always remember me in his prayers and embraced each other. I am grateful to Hafez Muhammad Abdullah for everything he had done to make my stay and movement in Lahore comfortable. He was always active to make available whatever I needed. May Allah give him the best rewards.

After Protocol Officer Hafez Muhammad Abdullah left I discovered that I was given a sitting chair in the corridor of the air-condition train and not a sleeping coach. Anyway I managed to put my legs on the suitcase and traveled to Karachi.

Before moving to the train air-conditions coach number 14, I was waiting in the economy section of the train for sometime. There I have seen ladies in full Nikab while the temperature is 38 degree Celsius. I thought that was enough for women observing Hijab. But then extra cloth was used to make the women's area a separate section, a watertight compartment. I remember in my country Bangladesh in fifties women used Burka with full Nikab, covered head to toe and the eye covered with nets like ladies in Afghanistan and they were yet encircled by extra cloth when traveling by rickshaw.

In the train the Railway Ticket Clerk and later the Railway Guard were distributing still vacant sleeping coaches to those in the sitting chairs in the corridor of the train. I requested them twice but failed to draw their attention and sympathy although I am a foreigner from a brotherly Muslim country. This may be for the fact that I don't know the underhand dealings. Protocol Officer Hafez Muhammad Abdullah also did not get the first class air-condition sleeping coach initially for the same reason I believe. The porter who arranged an upgraded ticket seemed to me better conversant with the secret art of underhand negotiations.

I was alone in the sitting coach in the corridor of the air-condition train. In my back at some distance there were two ladies and in the front in the far off there were two or three gentlemen. So there was no away to talk to them, exchange views and learn about the situation in Pakistan. More importantly, I was traveling alone and there was none close by whom I could request to look after my luggage, a suitcase and a briefcase containing passport, air-ticket and other important papers and I found it difficult to go the toilet. I was thirsty and there was no way to collect water or tea. In the middle of the night I asked someone if tea is available in the train. I was talking to myself how to get tea. An old gentleman knowing English was offering Salah in the corridor of the train. He was in the sleeping coach with his family. At the end of the Salah he came forward and offered me tea and cakes. After Salatul Fazr at about 5.30 a.m. 15 July 2008 the train stopped at Rohri Station and the vendors were moving selling tea and other items. I purchased two cups of tea with milk, very good tea, at a cost of Rs. 20.00. The cost seemed to me very high compared to Bangladesh keeping in view that Pakistani Rupee and Bangladesh Taka are equal in value viz a viz U.S. Dollar. I was afraid of purchasing other food items scared of being contaminated by a disease. This was the first time I purchased something to eat or drink during my visit to Pakistan. In the rest of the visit my host always arranged my food.

Sarfaraz Ali from the sleeping coach joined me at 7.30 a.m. He is a banker working in HSBC Bank Middle East Ltd., Lahore. He was traveling to Karachi to attend the marriage of a relative. Now I got a chance to exchange views. My loneliness from now on was over. We discussed about situation in Pakistan He purchased some food and shared it with me. The young banker was born in 1973. His father worked in PIA in sixties. Sarfaraz Ali himself raised the issue of division of Pakistan in 1971.

He said that his father had visited Dhaka once or twice, but did never stay in Dhaka. He said that his father told him that people of East Pakistan now Bangladesh used to "hate" the people of West Pakistan, now Pakistan at that time. Sarfaraz Ali told me that he wants to know the truth of the matter and if I could explain in the real facts since I was in Dhaka at that time.

I raised the issue of Lal Masjid killing in Islamabad and said the innocent people of the Lal Masjid, old, women and children could be saved if they were encircled for a few days. They would have surrendered when the food stocks were exhausted. But that General Parvez Musharraf and Pakistan army could not give up the theory of settling matters by using brute force. Therefore they destroyed whole dormitory by dynamite.

One of the lessons of 1971 debacle, I told young Sarfaraz Ali, is that you will never find a peaceful solution to any problem as long as you keep the military option open. The other lesson is that politicians must act in a responsible manner and must not play with the emotions of the people and the rulers must not exploit regions within a country for the benefit of other and must not deprive people of its legitimate economic and political rights. I asked Sarfaraz Ali to work sincerely to build a strong Pakistan and be sure that they don't fall on the U.S. trap.

I reached Karachi at 5.00 p.m. on 15 July 2008. Earlier from Lahore I sent cell messages to Muhammad Husain Mehanti, my host in Karachi to send Ashraf Ali, my colleague in the Embassy of Saudi Arabia in Bangladesh who is now settled in Pakistan to the Karachi Railway Station to receive me.

I also talked to Ashraf Ali over telephone from Islamabad and requested him to immediately establish contact with Adam Ali and Aftab who earlier worked with me in the Embassy of Saudi Arabia in Bangladesh and now settled in Karachi and from Lahore I sent cell message to Ashraf Ali to receive me at the Karachi Railway Station.

Brother Ashraf Ali, Protocol Officer Brother Muhammad Raziuddin Khaled Mehanti and other brothers received me at the Karachi Railway Station. I found that there is no change in Ashraf Ali except that he has become old and his beard has become longer than it was before.

I decided to stay the first night at the residence of Ashraf Ali. I put my luggage at his residence and rushed to meet Adam Ali. Adam Ali was driver in the Embassy of Saudi Arabia in Bangladesh. He is now 80 years or more.

His left side is paralyzed and he had several cardiac attacks. Seeing me Adam Ali started weeping and recalled that I employed him in the Saudi Embassy in Dhaka which really I forget. I gave him some money so that he could use it for his treatment.

The purpose of my visit to Karachi was to meet Bihari Khala. In 1958 we used to stay in Bashaboo, Dhaka side by side. Since then our two families developed affinity. Bihari Khala developed likeness for my mother although much younger than my mother. This family was uprooted from their house in Bashaboo, Dhaka in 1971 where they could not return till they left for Karachi in 1988.

I reached the residence of Bihari Khala at about 10.00 p.m. Only after reaching their home I could come to know that Bihari Khala died in 1991 and her eldest son Aftab who worked in the security section of the Embassy of Saudi Arabia in Bangladesh died of kidney failure only fifty days earlier. He has left behind his young wife and two little daughters. Aslam, the second son of Bihari Khala and Khalu have also not yet returned home from their jobs.

I kissed all the children, the grandchildren of Bihari Khala and also kissed Moina, the daughter of Bihari Khala in the forehead. I came to know from Moina that Raushan, the eldest daughter of Bihari Khala who was married in India also had died and they have lost contact with that family. Moina was asking to know the welfare of my brothers and sisters by their nick name. She was asking: How is Hira Bhai, Nihar Apa, Nargis Apa, Nazma Apa, Mukul Bhai, Flowra, Khokon. They also came to know of the death of my mother and two sisters from me.

(To be continued)

Poem

Should we be throttled fast?

M. Mizanur Rahman

Our air is overwhelmed with poisonous smokes

of carbon dioxides.

Reconditioned cars or trucks often jam our roads!

Down from the downtrodden on their heels

our aristocrats in cars do look up!

Roads are not so wide, narrow lanes and bi-lanes

can hardly accommodate so many cars and trucks!

We all along are taking dioxides

in breath on our gulp!

When one dies, who cares to discern the person

affected on and on?

Those creative hands vanish in the air in death

poisoned by virulent gases through the breath?

Nobody knows how stealthily forever s/he is gone!

Wave in the sea

Md Maiz Uddin

Wave plays in the sea with a pleasure

Running one after another with competition to measure,

Who is but making waves and why?

Gentle breeze becomes oozy

And restless duty done to thy.

Glittering waves pla ys a vital role

To make one husty and enroll

His punctuality, sincerity, integrity.

If thou art to idle killer of time

Fortune declares of movement thine

Lay beyond uphold and bold

Aquatic beings struggling for survival

Though not removed from a whale

Teaches one to be cautious and punctual

Found in the surface of the sea, vessels

Are trembling with fear, endeavour and dear one

Can assist her just to carry to the shore

As human being can drag out a wounded personality

To the human civilisation

Without any hesitation

gust to receive in one's core.

Birds charping in the sky ov'r the sea

Remember all activities done by thee,

Drowing sun tells us active to be.

Moonlight

Nazeefa Tasnia Huda

The light of the moon

falls on our tiled roof in the town.

It falls on everyone

lighting everything down.

We do not find the sun at night

but it is the cold moonlight,

and stars that keep away the dark.

The earth becomes a lighted park.