Wonders will never cease!

It was a couple of months back...
"Zamil, please take the electric bill and pay it today." My house senior requested me to clear the bill.
"No prob..." I took it from my colleague and shoved it inside the pocket.
We were on our way to office and the head-office of NEC (National Electricity Corporation), Sudan is located on the Ebeid Khatim Street in the middle of our everyday journey.

I entered the office and got my turn right after an individual...that was a good luck indeed. I brought out my receipt and forwarded with money to the cashier from other side of glassed wall.
I was really enjoying the easy-going...singing inside...Suddenly I noticed that the cashier was turning my receipt around and started scrutinising it. "What is the wrong in it? The receipt looks ok other than some extra folds which are still acceptable." -I assumed it from other side. The gentle man cast a look that I never saw it before. I swallowed for a while- as if I was standing for US Visa and I was going to miss it forever....or else I was in front of Police Inspector who was going to gag me for my illegal proposal! - the natural thinking of a foreigner from country like Bangladesh! The gentle man opened up with Arabic which I could hardly figure out but to take my beloved money and receipt back!

I put my spectacles on and tried to understand what was written in the receipt.....nothing significants drew my attention. " Did I not take the receipt from my colleague?" I asked myself," Did I drop it in the house? To err is human.....might be......"- I guessed pondering on my way out of the office. Meanwhile, I shoved my hands inside the pockets....no where it could be traced...At last another piece of paper was felt inside my money bag. I graved it immediately and started checking the both ....with my utter surprise, I gave him my yesterday's voucher of purchased items in stead of electric bill! What a height! The gentle man certainly would have laughed at me if I would have purchased very private items and gave him the list to check! However I managed to get to my work on time that day; "wonders will never cease!"- I murmured.

I turned around and went running inside. But by that time there was a queue of 30 minutes.....I sighed for a while; my companion certainly would be tearing his hairs out inside the vehicle by that time!

A return from Never Ending Story

"How was the exam of Iqra(my eldest daughter) yesterday?" I asked my wife 3,500 km away from Bangladesh being in Sudan.

"She repeated her father's story!"- My wife laughed at me sympathetically, "Yeah, that was a good name you gave to your one-Never ending story!" She is pinching me ," That is not ending rather returning!".

This woman is giving her whole life to rear my babies as perfect as an ideal mother could do. She passed almost sleepless nights to teach Iqra before each and every exams. I often see, she is more serious than my poor daughter to fight the exam! Yes, to fight the exam; now a days the study is no more a fun but a battle ground.....taking pen like spear , thousands of books in the bag like haversack... making small body smaller every day...over loaded and exhausted on return...! I really feel pity for them. When we used to roam around the places...running about the flowers just to catch up a butterfly ; they are shuttling around for coaching in the same time. When we used to make mud houses and exchange the dolls or making market places to trade just amusingly thinking and copying the activities of a married couple....they pass the same time playing with computers! I think they are making their life more electronic than natural one!

"She studied Science but appeared in Social Science -the totally different exam!"-My wife interrupted my thoughts. What should I say when her father appeared worng exams consecuitively twice in his childhood! So with such a duffer dossier, do I have right to charge my sweet baby? "No, never!"-I was justifying the incident as a father, "Have you checked the exam schedule of tomorrow's one?" I asked my wife fearing that she(Iqra) might be trapped again like his father.

"Yeah, it is Science!" -she sighed. "You know, I was almost crying on return, even the rickshaw- puller was asking me why I didn't check her schedule when she is such a younger one! Now tell me what I am supposed to do?" -her urge made me mew only.

"I got to go, need to feed Alvi (the youngest daughter) now!"- she left me alone in the ocean of thoughts.

I felt her every emotional speeches, her overburden responsibilities, her seriousness....all were started echoing together in my heart....as if all were falling crushed on the bank of my ocean of thoughts....I looked at the mail box till it went grey....my "Sweet voice" vanished 3,500 km away!

The cost of natural call!

"Nitu, you know...I had a real travelled time in my life while I was visiting one of my relative's house in a far village"- my uncle said on his way to my another aunt's house.

It was long ago....in my childhood, I was accompanying him and my aunt's house was not far away from my home; however we started walking through cross country in order to reach early.

"I was walking along the river bank on the way to my relative's house. When I was closer to a local launch ghat, I saw from a long distance that a big launch came nearer to cast the anchor in order to drop the passengers. I stared at it with my full heart content. Our country is so beautiful and she takes a new look in every morning." he continued, "Suddenly I felt something wrong within my belly.....I understood that it was nothing but a natural call...because I did not clear my bowl early in the morning!"

"What's up?"- I was enjoying his speech.. colouring it to a level that a man was holding a pot running here and there in order to say hallow to "nature". I chuckled inside.

" I was looking for a place to finish up my business...but as I told you, by then passengers were getting down from the ship. And so I was not alone in the site indeed! Suddenly a trick triggered in my mind, why not to try the same inside the toilet of the ship instead? I assumed that the ship would certainly take sometimes to unload and by then I should have finished my job." - he started unveiling his plan, "Well, I boarded on the ship and was looking for the toilet. It killed some of my planned times which I did not pay attention. However at last I got my turn in the toilet ......"

"Then, what happened?" I got interested.

"I could not figure out how my sweet time passed away so quickly....as a matter of fact I was really enjoying the ride! Suddenly, I got a jerk....I looked around to hold something to make myself stable inside....but my business was yet to finish, you know! After a while I came out from my palace smiling with full satisfaction....a kind of fresh relief overcasted my entire mind, I closed my eyes to augment my feelings in the cool breeze outside. As I opened my eyes, instead of my ever known green bank, I casted an appalled look on the river....I ran to the back to make my eyes believe......but alas, the launch was by then miles away from the last station! I sat down exhausted and helpless. Immediately I shoved my hand inside my pocket...looking for last resort -the money I might be needing." -my uncle was seeing it happening again.

"Uncle, may I request you to walk slow, I am really tired of walking." I told him enroute.

"Do not think , we are closer....and will be there very soon" He satisfied me, " By then, the ticket checker with a set of big moustache and a giant belly came before me and asked me to produce the ticket. I narrated each and every confidential events those took place few minutes before to him...but the rude man barely believed that."
"I don't care those; just produce ticket or else be fined for availing unauthorised journey", He roared at me,
"OK, OK please take my money...and get me free from this stupid....", he returned, " You know, I had to pay twice to reach my relative's house! It's nothing but the cost of natural call!"

By then, the sun was setting on the west, the birds were falling back to their nests; I could see a little light at the horizon other side of the bil [a big chunk of low laying land] that's our aunt's house indeed!

Trapped in emotional cycle!

What you believe, I see
What I see, you don't believe
What you see, I follow
What I follow, you don't see
What you follow, I care
What I care, you don't follow
What you care, I feel
What I feel, you don't care
What you feel, I share
What I share, you don't feel
What you share, I bear
What I bear, you don't share
What you bear, I believe
What I believe, you don't see
What you believe, I see.

Obama Vs O Baba!

I was never a politician nor I cherished a desire to be like that.....I only dream if I could be President of our country(Bangladesh) then I would have sent our politician to USA first to learn political custom and etiquettes ...how the loser bow their head to the winner and extend helpful hands by telling..."I wish Godspeed to the man who was my former opponent and will be my president. And I call on all Americans, as I have often in this campaign, to not despair of our present difficulties, but to believe, always, in the promise and greatness of America"!

Today's breaking news in CNN was the declaration of new American President Barack Obama.

I don't know why our country's election always this and that way in the same year of American one. Well, may be I'm weak in calculation of years..!!

"Dear colleagues, please switch on to our channels to see what our political parties are planning for their election in the next 18 December 2008." -I pointed out my colleagues seeing their interest in US politics early in the today's morning (05 November 2008).

"My dear, what we'll see...one major political party is planning to go for election while their chairperson is away from the country; another is planning to quit the election when their chairperson is within the country... and making a sort of nuisance move which identifies their intention "situate the appreciation" rather than "appreciate the situation"!...that is to say they have already reconnoitered the ground and have found the negative responses. So quit the stage" one of them casted his remark with anger.

"Did you hear these type of words from our leaders," pointing to the remarks of McCain and Barack Obama on the TV screen, " or expect any good gestures out of them right after the declaration of result of an election? Actually we are nothing but hypocrites....while a bee takes honey from a flower, spider takes poison from it ! " he continues, " you see the channels, the adds are getting dirty every day beyond our imagination while we shout for our culture, expelling the sentiment of Hajis by putting statue in front of ZIA. Did you notice that what dresses they were putting on? Not less than the dresses of Texas cow boy!"

"O Baba (O my father- a kind of expression showing surprise), you've got a good voice...why not to join politics, after all our country would have been relieved from so-called politicians who even can not think "Out of the box"....who are still standing with sticks and stones at the cross road of Dhaka as before 1971!" I tried to pinch, "Still having same kind of voice....naturally causing voice; sorry, indoor noise pollution indeed...still looking for the dull issues like who did declare "War of Liberation", who is our "Father of nation" while the country as a whole is going to dog. Again another opportunist had gone for purchasing bucket before purchasing cows in order to get milk...."

"What is that"- second colleague inquired.

"Forgotten electric pylon issues?"- I continued , "My eldest brother of political science told me one day that we people are very forgetful in nature; we forget our right, forget our past and we forget everything easily.....so easily that few minutes before if we get a kick on our as...and if we get some good words and ointment from the giver....we go past him rubbing our buttocks!"

" Yeah, he is right. That's why our major parties still want to hang the assassinates of our presidents....though the respective parties were in power and did nothing but licking the fingers! We are releasing the culprits from the jail knowing fully well...."-the conversation got the life.

"Did you notice one thing?"- I returned.

"What's that?"- replied by other.

"The advocates running the government's cases of big issues are not impressive at all....in all aspects. On the other hand the opposites are hiring the highest ranking advocates to fight the case and there by justices are stumbled over every time under the cover of ...."

"We gotta go...it's time for office"-the senior most raised from the chair.

"Americans who sent a message to the world that we have never been just a collection of individuals or a collection of red states and blue states. We are, and always will be, the United States of America."- the voice of Obama , the new president of the USA echoed in the room till we depart.

A generous question...

A couple of days back, there was a big news in our country propagated mainly by students of arts, culture and many more. They waged war against "Fundamentalism". In the TV what I saw was something like, "Fundamentalists are killing our culture....so stop fundamentalism.....erect Lalon Statue again in front of the ZIA...".

I closed my eyes, trying to figure out what they really wanted to mean...."Are they defining Culture as a whole?" Suddenly my thoughts were interrupted by the news caster of the TV when she said,"We will be right back after a short break....upto then please be with us...." OK- I'm with you, no problem at all...I have enough time to see and gulp your bunch of adds...! But what was that...our girls are dancing putting on sleeveless blouses and mini skirts on the sea beach! Half naked girls are posing in front of the camera men! I asked myself, "Is it our culture?" I am really confused! Still about 80% people of the country are living in the villages. Are they like those on the beach or in front of camera men...? I started pondering.

I went for shopping knowing fully well, "The shopkeeper is going to give me either adulterated food or else less weight in return..!". I asked myself, "Is it our culture?"

We are more than 85% Muslims...following at least minimum rules and regulations of Islam. Rests of the 15% are also following some other religions. In which religion it suggests for adulterated food or giving less weight? In which religion it suggests for nudism? Have any one ever seen how nuns in the Christianity or monks in Buddhism are dressed? Are they moderates or fundamentalists?

What is our culture? Is it on the beach.....on the street....in the shops....in the media...in the place of worship or every where in our life? Culture as defined by the United Nations Educational, Scientific, and Cultural Organization (UNESCO) is, “the set of distinctive spiritual, material, intellectual and emotional features of society or a social group and that it encompasses in addition to art and literature, lifestyles, ways of living together, value systems, traditions and beliefs.” Is it not enough for a literate person to interpret those lines? If we take their complain and measure its weightage against each of the part mentioned in the definition ....Do you think that their complain can stand?

If one shout for fundamentalism....can any one ask that guy,"Are you learning anything without going into the fundamental aspects of it?" If the answer is YES-he would not be paid any attention at all-because he is not equipped yet to address the "Statue" business. If the answer is NO, he is fundamentalist in his own perspective. Should we not drive him out?

If you say, after all it was a gross step taken, undermining our culture by removing the Lalon statue....may I offer a generous question to you, how could you show and indulge those half naked girls in the TV and other medias....while knowing fully well , those are the gross deviations from our culture and major religions too!

On My Way to Bridal Banquet (Part-IV)

In order to make both families satisfied, before boarding, I informed them over the land phone about my safe arrival to the Shodor ghat and approximate time of departure. So both the families knew that we had crossed nearly the half way of our journey following the Meghna river by then.
Meanwhile, my father-in-law with his heavy heart sat in front of the TV. Suddenly he noticed a breaking news "there was a tornado in the Meghna river.....many launches and boats with people in capsized...missing..." His heart started throbbing...he just jumped out from the seat, ran out for others to get it confirmed. He rang to my father at Barisal but they were not also clear how to explain the incident....My mother started crying from one end and my father-in-law's family from other end. They could barely sleep that night.
Next day, my father-in-law went to office a bit earlier than usual time and accumulated all available news papers to see the legacy of last night storm in the Meghna river. There were so many pictures of dead bodies, capsized launches, boats...... He started reading each of the lines of those papers....He could not figure out how could it happen so quickly....tears started falling on the papers....but he could neither find our names nor the launch....it vanished from earth.....!, what he found was the childhood memories of my wife....her subtle foot-steps on the doorways, veranda.... deep into his heart! He could no longer waited for, he rang our family again and again with short interval. It was 08:15 am....08:30 am...still we could not be traced out...! We were supposed to reach by next morning at 04:30 am to 05:30 am at best. All the parents of our group were expecting something very sad incidents......a heavy breeze was blowing on inside our families.....all tears went dried after too much crying....!
Meanwhile, to show our river site, I took my wife out of the cabin...a kind of "Titanic" scene had been played in front of the deck early in the morning! She was so excited...her happiness knew no bounds....every look she casted...every generous smile she offered was a bounty for me....a handful pearls of the heaven...! I became more envious when I saw the naughty breeze wrapped her around ....tickling her innocent face ...suddenly covering with her long hairs and went past smiling....! I felt like to shout at the top of my voice,"See.....I am Alexander, the Great, how dare you could do that...!"
I presumed that we were crossing the normal time of arrival. However at last we reached Barisal at about 09:00 am. Our arrival made our awaiting families so much happy those can not be explained in writing. Hearing our arrival my father immediately rang to Dhaka and called upon my angel to hand over the phone....actually he was informing our arrival news to my father-in-law's house and taking a role of commentator narrating each of our steps on the air!

We came to know all about the tornado after we reached Barisal......God forbid, we were not there at the time of tornado! Then possible we could have real memory of "Titanic"!

After two days I had my Bridal Banquet....

On My Way to Bridal Banquet (Part-III)

It was ridiculous why our journey was not favouring! I involved my uncle Piku Again. I requested him to go to Shodor ghat to hire two or three cabins of any availabe shipping services. And others to return to home to get refreshed.
Fearing to fall in the hands of pirates, while I instructed my sweet angel to turned into simple lady; she rather turned into Princess Ann of "Roman Holiday"! I thanked God; at last we were going in peace....after so many odds... our journey by ship started at 07:30 pm.
We the new couple started gossiping ourselves forgetting the rest of the world. At around 10:30 pm, I presumed that we could be nearer to Chandpur by that time, peeped through the window to see the surrounding. With my utter surprise, I found myself just other side of the Shodor ghat in the Buriganga river! We just crossed the river width for last 3 hours...!! Since others were playing cards inside the cabins, they also were not aware of the incident or could be they did not want to disturb us.
I inquired the matter with the captain of the ship and learnt what was beyond one's imagination...there was a problem with the propeller of the launch and must be made alright before final journey and it would be delayed....might be for some more minutes.... or hours.... or days....! "The height of my journey for Bridal Banquet...!" - I chuckled once again.

On My Way to Bridal Banquet (Part-II)

Next day, we again went to ZIA (Zia International Airport) in order to catch up rescheduled flight. This time, my mother with yesterday's team went to Barisal airport to receive us. After an hour delayed, our plane took off. I was very happy thinking the end of episode. It was a journey of 20 minutes.

"Fasten your seat belt. We are about to land in Barisal Airport."- declared from cockpit. I looked down through the window....the plane was descending very slowly towards the run way and could clearly see the awaiting team below..... Suddenly the flight started ascending from 100 m above the run way! Soon after the pilot made a lame excuse narrating the air below was not favourable for us to land! I swallowed for a while... and started sweating inside... thinking of many odds including plane-crash...! I looked at my newly married beloved wife sympathetically. "Is it the end of everything before it blooms?"- I asked myself. I tried to explain all good scientific reasons to console myself but all went in vain...I was breathing the last breath in every second.

But my sweet angel was still smiling, I guessed she could hardly understand what was going wrong. I paid a dry smile to her. However without much of difficulties we returned to Dhaka safely. The Biman declared the permanent suspension of any further flights to Barisal (and since then about 3 years no flights flew to Barisal). However we got our ticket fare back!
All but me enjoyed the free journey upto Barisal and back! After all it was an air-cruise. So this time, Piku, the great uncle, on my behalf caught hold my brother Tuhin, " Where are you going my dear, as per our deed (he knew the deed) your journey by air has just been completed ! So you don't get your fare back rather pay me new fare for journey by any means to Barisal. After all, you know, I am the cashier and PA to my bridegroom (me)!"

I was really upset by then but growing desperate to go by that day. I called upon Piku to hire a micro bus with which we could go to my home by that night. The bus was produced before us within a minute. I pulled my darling into the micro bus and ordered others to get in. Suddenly I thought it would be better to let my father-in-law to know our changed plan after all I was taking her dearest daughter away from him. I rang him but he suggested not to go with the proposal because of likely insecurity aspects enroute. On the other hand, I informed the same to my brave father, he signalled me to go ahead! Naturally, I abandoned the plan since I was yet in the territory of father-in-law at the north side of the Padma river!

It was 03:00 pm..the time was running faster than I expected; I was still nourishing my idea to go. I came out from micro bus and planed for another alternative....

On My Way to Bridal Banquet (Part-I)

"Discovering a woman is more adventurous than discovering a continent ! Do you believe that?"
Wha....t? Who said it? I looked around, there was none but a cool breeze went past me smiling!
Well it may be my illusion or else may be my father or may be grand-father or may be my grand-grand...... told me one day when I entered into the world of puberty! As a matter of fact, intelligent peoples are always there to guide you after they cut their own TAILs!

I with my newly married wife started from Dhaka by Biman (Government Aeroplane Services) to attend my final ceremony Bow Bhat (Bridal Banquet) at Barisal. She dressed herself like angel of heaven....always smiling and frequently looking at me making sure that I paid due attention to her too. We including my friend-type uncle -Piku, cousine - Tuhin and brother in law- Babu, kept on waiting for our special moment. Meanwhile I had a deal with my aunt that I should take his son i.e. my cousin to Barisal by aeroplane since he never flew before. Since then Tuhin was so excited to avail the opportunity like that. All the young unmarried lots were with me hunting around to look for some one special for them. Meanwhile, My father with his team including hired video personnel went to Barisal Airport to clip our descend from heaven to earth ! The flight was scheduled before noon but by that time we had our lunch offered by generous Biman...leading to declaration, "Flight number BG-......cancelled." I covered my face with shame....ears gotten hot....I barely looked at my angel who was still smiling on sit !
Piku, who kept on keeping us alive by sharing jokes, finally attacked my cousin, "Tuhin, you are that unwanted person for whom we could not fly".
"No, no its you....you see we all are brothers...but you are senior...you are that unwanted person in our group" -Tuhin mocked in return.
Finally, I approached before my angel and declared ,"Let us fall back to home". She smiled and started following me...

Answer Quiz-2

There was an old man living in a remote village of your country. He had 5 sons and 25 cows. The cows are numbered as per their production of milk per day e.g. in each day no-1 cow gives 1 litre of milk, no-2 gives 2 litres etc. The old man, in his death-bed, decided to distribute his cows among the sons desiring :

• Each of them will get equal number of cows.
• Each of them will get equal quantity of milk.

How do you distribute the cows among the sons to fulfill the desire of the old man?

The answer is:

Quiz-2

There was an old man living in a remote village of your country. He had 5 sons and 25 cows. The cows are numbered as per their production of milk per day e.g. in each day no-1 cow gives 1 litre of milk, no-2 gives 2 litres etc. The old man, in his death-bed, decided to distribute his cows among the sons desiring :

• Each of them will get equal number of cows.
• Each of them will get equal quantity of milk.

How do you distribute the cows among the sons to fulfill the desire of the old man?

Pollution in Sudan

It was 24 April 2008 when I landed in Sudan. After 5 months, it seems to me:

• Number of vehicles are increasing very fast thus generating air pollution.
• Increasing traffic congestion spoiling much of man-working hour.
• Increasing use of motor bike leading to frequent accidents.
• Increasing rate of non observance of normal traffic rules which will definitely cause traffic accidents.
• The traffic signals are connected with area based electricity supply.
• Use of polythene bag is higher than any developing country which is likely to create blockage in drainage system and ultimately leads to soil and ground water pollution.

My suggestions are:

• Stop importing vehicles of two stroke engines.
• Design for fly-over before it is too late.
• Educate people about traffic rules and its importance.
• For traffic signal lights of roads and highways, a separate electricity line/phase should be used and continuously maintained.
• Stop using polythene; encourage use of bio-degradable bags/sacks.

My back-door neighbour

" O, o, o...." The father was trying hard to make his baby sleep on his lap. The scenario made me passionate as I had the same feelings 5 years before . The kid was still crying....I shut the back window , pulled the curtains on and returned to my bed. I sighed for a while...."These people are really poor! They don't have any place to live but to occupy other's under-constructed-building for a time being; and one day they will be driven away.......!"

Shhh......with the whirling sound of wind, I got up in the dead of night at 01:30 a.m., there was a haboob (sand storm) going on out side my house. The whole house seemed to be blown away within a moment. Sand with pebbles were scratching away our window glasses, debris were flying around with immense dust...the electricity went out immediately. I jumped out from my bed. There was a hew and cry going on in the nearby houses specially from the tin-shed houses. I stood before my back window, in order to figure out what exactly was going on there at the back of my hired house. I could see nothing but to hear the crying of innocents. I returned to my bed obsessed with thinking,"What will happen to my poor back door neighbour...?"

"Ummu?" younger kid cried out with fear.The mother was almost lifeless to see the severity of storm. She immediately embraced the younger while holding the youngest in the lap. The father was managing the ragged curtain to protect them from speedy sand. "Ah...!" a flying debris just hit the mother's head pushing her aside with daughters. The sound of his falling wife was immediately buried under the sound of the storm. By that time the small kid crept out from her lap and started crawling over the blood of mother in dark. The baby cried out loudly...

The father was still fighting with sandy storm. He could not even imagined her wife being perished away by that time! The younger one was still hiding at her mother's back and peeping out frequently with fear. Suddenly, the father could see a black flying object drawing nearer very fast. Fearing imminent adversary he left the fence at once and started running desperately for his family. But this time the debris hit the baby on floor before his father could reach him. The small body cramped to death immediately. It was just a nightmare for him....he started searching blindly his wife, baby in the dark. The habob took all his lovers away! The father cried out to the sky with cold blood in hands, "Yeah Allah....."

I jumped out from my bed sweating; by then the morning light was playing with the floor. With a subtle steps, I approached to the back window again remembering the legacy of my dream ...

" O, o, o...." The father was swinging the youngest child on his lap while the rest of his family members fell asleep!

I closed my eyes once again with my whole heart contented!

Misunderstood!

It was November 2002. I was wandering in MG road at Pune, India. It was my second visit to Pune shopping area after a month. I insisted my colleague to fall back quickly as it was drawing nearer to sun set. We were looking for taxi to hire but failed. So we started walking for Dapudi...thinking if we could get a vacant one en route. Suddenly we appeared before a bus stand at the Y junction of the road where I could see an awaiting taxi with nearby buses. We approached to the vehicle and asked the driver in English ," Do you like to go to Dapudi?" The driver stared at me with little anger,"Aap Kea kahte hain?" (What do you say?) . I assumed him to be in bad mode, might be because of picking up a quarrel with his wife or others or might be for on going unprofitable business...!
" Do you like to go to Dapudi?" I asked him again.
" Aap Bhartiya hone ke nate, mere sath English main baat kyon kar rahe hain?" (Being Indian why you are speaking in English with me?!) expressed his anger.
"No, no, not at all" I meowed for a while!
"Main garib hun, is liye aap mere sath English main baat kar rahe hain?" (I am a poor guy , that's why you are speaking in English with me)- he started growling at us which was otherwise an indication to call upon nearby colleagues...to take post!
I was literally surprised to hear that; I grabbed my passport inside my pocket feeling my beloved country's passionate touch! I shouted, "You have misunderstood me, I am from Bangladesh" taking no breath..."I am Bangladeshi".
But who wanted to know those funny words oozing from my mouth! We resembled Indian; was it not enough for them to teach us a good lesson?- I presumed. By that time a little hew and cry took place around us. Our sixth sense started working inside fearing for next move from them! It was real bizarre! We neither had enough time to prove our honesty nor had any body but passport to identify us. The approaching crowds were grinning and enjoying our condition. We the poor fellows, were literally fused inside amidst so many unknown peoples. My colleague took no time to pull my hand saying," Let us quit, I am guessing something bad ahead..."
So there was no reason to stay but to make a quick passage through ridicule bowing my head in shame and cursing myself, old politicians and...
I was on my way off mode!

Whom to blame?

"The prices of most of the foodstuffs have already been increased a lot before the Ramadan begins...." the news bar crawls at the bottom of TV screen. I can not figure out why it takes place always right before Ramadan....while claiming ourselves to be true Muslims!

"Babul, have the prices of commodities been increased here?" I inquired our Bangladeshi maid servant working in Sudan.

"No, sir. They don't do that here! You know, my Sudanese boss gave us a lot of food stuffs for this Ramadan." He explained with satisfaction.

I looked at the TV again, people are blaming merchants, government's poor policies etc; on the other hand, the representative from the merchants group are telling different stories narrating all business rules i.e. price increases when demand increases, higher cost for imported foodstuffs and many more.

But what I know as a plain Muslim, Ramadan is for "Self-restraint" which generates from Taqwa(a state of the heart that motivates virtuous conduct and prevents evil action). Combining both fear of Allah and love for Allah lead to Taqwa. So in that case whom do I blame for price hike?

Again fasting in Islam generates various character building factors like obedience to Allah, patience, responsibility as a Muslim to others specially to the poor, self-control and self discipline, purification of soul, afterlife accountability etc. If it is so, did we learn any thing last year Ramadan? Who is to be blamed for?

Is it I? Or you? Or WE?

Do our education system teaches our children to be good human before to be good Muslim? Have you ever heard in any Friday prayers where our religious teachers or moulobhies like to preach, "It is sin to adulterate the food, deceiving by giving less weight, going for price hike unnecessary....?" Have you seen how confusions about religion are infused by our medias without consulting within themselves?

Every where there are something missing in our day to day life! In the holy Quran and hadiths of our prophet Mohammad (pbuh), there are numerous instances where it has been instructed to refrain us from hurting or paining in any form to our neighbours, our other Muslim brothers . Are they not enough for us? We eager to look west to copy or carry out the bad things leaving their good ones which are already there in our holy scriptures 1400 years before!

Hence it is to be WE who should be put into trail, not the above parties alone. Because our shallow knowledge as well as less interest on Islam have made this thing so easy for us to do.

I was pondering all those within myself. I sighed for a while....when I see same drama is being played some other Muslim countries too!

When Monkey becomes Leopard

"A long time ago, one of my Zimbabwean friend told me an interesting story."- our new guest started telling us on the dinner table. We were eager to hear that.

" One day my foreigner friend told me that..." he continued, " In my country, there are so many monkeys that we had to device some techniques to get ride off them and save our food and fruits . I don't know when it started but what I know that we keep a narrow-necked-pitcher outside our house with a banana in it. We do all these showing them first. We close the door and remain ready inside our house. Now the greediest monkey comes forward to have it first. He takes no time to shove his hand inside the pitcher and grab the banana tightly. But since the neck of the pitcher is too narrow he can neither bring his fist out of the pitcher....nor he is leaving his banana for lossing it! So we exploit this weakness by catching him right then."

" Our next step is to color him into leopard and leave him free. So, from that time he becomes leopard to other monkeys....! On the other hand, getting free, the monkey runs for his life towards his gang fearing to be caught again....but by that time their friends have gone vanished out of his sight fearing him an approaching leopard! Hence we rest for few days again."

Male Bus!

I gave up learning Arabic because it is becoming very difficult for me to understand- specially the gender portion. The interesting part of it is that all most all the nouns, pronouns, verbs have their different gender forms! A couple of days back, I studied the human body parts in Arabic. Some where it was written that single body part(nose, mouth etc.) is Masculine gender whereas the doubles (ears, eyes, hands, legs etc.) are Feminine! Well, I don't mind for that but ......pondering all in my way back home.

"Zamil, have you seen that?" my colleague pointed the bus in front.

"What?"- I inquisitively asked him.

"The bus has got a beni (plait) hanging at the top-middle of its back ...!" He continued, " Tell me, my dear new Arabic learner, what is the gender of this bus?"

Well, I closed my eyes for a while..., curiously searching for gender in the faded-lesson from my memory ...I figured out the bus as human being....the number of body part was ONE, so...

"It must be male "- I exclaimed with joy.

"Hmmmmmmmmm..., that's a brilliant answer"-he appreciated.

She Goat with Bra!

It was afternoon, the sun was setting other side of the desert. I was driving on my way back to home. I found a flock of goats grassing beside the Mamoun Street at Khartoum, Sudan. Suddenly I found about two to three she goats having their udders covered with a piece of clothe . I was naturally looking for their kids around and found none but some handsome rams!

"Are they putting on bras to make them sexy?" I inquired my colleague with astonishment.

"May be...who doesn't want to be looked good? Can you remember the old ad: as I look good, I feel good!"-He started laughing.

"That's really funny!"- I muttered.

30 Seconds with an Orphan!

"Get up every body and take your seat please", the supervisor of the Intercity-bus service was shouting at the top of his voice to the awaiting passengers at Chittagong Bus Terminal. I was on my way to Dhaka...to meet my family. It was afternoon 1630 hrs. Meanwhile we all sat down. Fortunately I got my seat beside the window from where I could see our people, our nature and everything. The bus started its journey in time. While it was crossing the oldest flyover over the Tiger-pass, I noticed a well dressed boy of nine years was crying holding the grill of veranda of a four-storied Orphan house. There were other boys too; who all were laughing and playing inside the veranda in bare body, paying no attention to new comer. I assumed, it might be that their part were over much ago and they became accustomed with the surroundings. I stared at the lonely boy, a deep-sigh was exhaled out scratching me inside....

"Roiffa, where are you ?"- Rafik's step-mother cried out from the broken kitchen.

"I'm playing here only, under the Bore tree"- Rafik replied with fear.

"Don't you have any jobs now? You, son of a bitch, got a chance to play a lot today? Let your father to come, I am going to complain against you. What should I say.... your father is an another duffer; hasn't your father come yet? I am dying and you are playing around. What do you think you are doing...; mere gobbling up all..." mother roared at him.

The little boy entered the house sweating...it was so vivid to him that his own mother never used such a slang to him. She used to cuddle him almost all the time and wetted him with shower of divine kisses. Even at that tender age, his small heart could smell the flavor of real love and affection of his mother. However by then he was quite tired and hungry. Rafik was searching something to eat; while he bent his body to get some food from beneath the chowki (bed), his step-mother almost jumped out from the kitchen and pulled his hair from the back. She took no time to drag him out from under the bed and started slapping mercilessly.

"You swine, why are stealing my food?" she started thundering on him.

Rafik was trembling with fear ,"I didn't steal food, I am very hungry Ma"

"You are arguing again with me?" she paused," You monster, you need whole world to swallow?" she threw him at the corner of the house. The tiny body could hardly digest the trust of blows...

" Oh, Ma go.."- Rafik cried out for help. He felt his blood started oozing from forehead and mixing with tears....

My bus went past the house very quickly leaving my thoughts behind......

"I can no longer tolerate your son! Either send him to the Orphan house else I go out from your house" Shahela finally declared in the dark moon night, " he started stealing things, quarrelling with me and what not...". Her husband did nothing but sighed. The poor Rafik was weeping on the floor. He used to do the same in every night, right from his father's second marriage. He recalled how his good days passed away so quickly after his mother's death! Rafik could anticipate his shorter stays in his house but what he could not realize how ruthlessly her step-mother was narrating the lies to father! His tears dribbled down at that emotional point....he started feeling his mother's face beckoning from the dark.."Ma go" he started weeping again. Suddenly he felt a very soft touch on his head:

"Rafi, my son, will we go with me ?"- Rafik's father asked sadly.

"Where Baba?" -he replied in return. Father embraced him deeply, "Orphan house"

"Baba, have I become orphan....." stumbled over his speech, Rafik continued, "right after the death of my beloved mother?" Rafik felt hearing a deep sigh rolled down from the up; but the rest was a blank...!

Answer Quiz-1

Can you make four triangles with six sticks, provided:

• You cann't criss cross them


• You cann't break them


• You only join them
  

Answer is :

Four triangles are 1-2-3, 1-6-4, 2-5-6 and 3-5-4

Hafez in Cafe!

It was 12 August 2008. I was on my way back to the office from Qatar Airways. Mr Naser, my senior colleague was accompanying me. It was around 1300 hrs, we were a bit tired after a long journey through busy streets of Khartoum, Sudan. I approached my senior by pointing to GAD Resturant in the Africa Street," Why not to have our lunch over there ?

"It's a good idea!" He nodded his head.

We entered the resturant with good appetite....and all foods seemed awaiting for us! We started having our lunch. In the mid way, I noticed a Bangali appearanced waiter was going past us to the juice corner. He was in uniform. Suddenly he appeared with two glasses of orange juice and started speaking in Bangla. It was amazing to find a Bangladeshi boy right here 3500 km away from Bangladesh! It seemed that I had knew that guy from long before. I was so delighted to see him there.

"When did you come here, my dear?"- I inquired.

"A couple of months before"-he smiled at us.

"What do you do here?" -my colleague asked him.

"I am a waiter here, sir"-he replied.

I asked," What class did you read back in Bangladesh?".

He answered ," I am a hafez (who memorises the Holy Quran)".

"Can you speak Arabic?"-I could hardly resist my temptation. Because I was rather struggling for last four months to learn Arabic and every time I tried I used to be stumbled over the techniques of learning it!

" Yes sir. You know, I lead almost every prayer as Imam (leader of prayer session) over there- right infront of the shop."- he pointed the place. " And I do practice reciting the Holy Quran every day. Well, you are not drinking the juice, sir. Remember you all are my guests today and you need not to pay for the juice!."

"Zamil, you see him; he is a quite fit for the job here. Look at him how easily he is earning for the nation due to his proficiency in Arabic." my senior opined. " I can remember, back in our country, the madrasa (kind of school for the study of Islamic religion and thought, especially the Holy Quran) system was about to be uprooted in the name of terrorism. On the contrary, they are earning foreign currency right from the country like Sudan...where the average temperature is as close as to the radiated heat of an oven!" he continued." But you see they can be made working force for the whole nation....". I losted myself in my daydream.....

" Batches of students of madrasas are reciting and understanding the Holy Quran. Some are researching the Quran and Sunnah(one of the basic sources of Islamic law, based on Prophet Muhammad(pbuh)'s words and deeds as recorded in the Hadith) and are finding the exact meaning of Islam. Some are going outside in order to eradicate the confusions of general masses regarding practised bidah (any type of innovation ), other batch has gone for vocational training. The government agencies are opening many voctional training and coaching centres in the remote areas of the country in order to make them fit for the employment in the Middle East and other Arabic-spoken countries. I could discover them shining like stars...doing extremely good, the name and fame of our beloved country is spreading quickly. The sons of the soil are pouring in thier hard earned foreign currencies for the development of her....our mother country once again started smiling with joy......."

"Zamil, we need to go now"- I was called upon from world of illusion, my colleague was about to stand. I thanked the boy. As I came out from the resturant I could feel his poor wet glance haunting at my back...I jumped into the illusion again......!

First day in desert

"Who likes to write in the national news paper after the end of the mission?" asked by His Majesty the Ambassador of the Peoples' Republic of Bangladesh to Kuwait in our farewell dinner. I raised my hand with others. Today after 16 years I could remember all my stories which shaped me up to date. I am in a kind of nostalgia....

"This land is full of bomb, bomb-lets, mine and other dangerous thing..." kept on by our Deputy while we were standing beside a desert at the outskirts of Al Jahra of Kuwait. " You have to be very careful while dealing with this modern weaponries .... as you can understand these do not recognise the friend or foe...."

I was a bit shaky with my only beloved LIFE! After all we all of us love our own life. I stared at the open desert where I had to be there for next twenty months or so. I could see nothing more than sands embracing the sand dunes! Since I am a man from a riverine country, seeing desert for the first time was a great surprise for me at that moment! However I could hardly imagine that there were a lot of dangerous stories awaiting for me ...

Never ending story!

I was then only 8/9 years old, studying at class-II in the Mukul Smriti Primary School at Barisal. It was possible mid of the year...I was appearing in my First Terminal Exam. I appeared my exam nicely in the first day.

My mother asked me," Yes honey, how is your exam today?"

"It was fine. But Amma (mother) the subject I read yesterday...it was not there today! However I could answer properly since I read it earlier"- I replied with little confusion.

"Well, don't worry my sweet heart, it will be alright; but study hard for tomorrow's one, OK?"- Amma smiled divinely at me with usual manner. I nodded only.

In the next day , the same thing happened with my utter surprise! Frankly speaking I did not know what was the problem in that time. Same question asked by my mother and the same answer was produced before her. This time mother told me," Let me talk to your father to find out what is the exact cause of this." I was afraid at that time and had a kind of cold feeling inside!

My father came at afternoon; mother narrated every details of my incident. My father called me immediately and asked me to bring the Exam Schedule. I showed him which I had. He instructed me to get ready for next day's visit (fortunately there was no exam in the next day!) to school-office. Being ordered I just replied like an obedient soldier,"OK, Abba (father)"

I could barely sleep that night! Next morning my father took me to school and entered into the room of Royal Bengal Tigers(my ever fierced teachers lot). My father repeated the same story to the teachers in front of me. My class teacher asked me to produce the schedule. Meanwhile he brought his one. And it was my utter surprise...I had written wrong schedule! And there was no reason why I should not be fired? I was sweating inside and just looking for some places to hide. The teachers were grinning at me; I wished I were a invisible man at that time! I noted the exam schedule of last year! It was so terrible and funny that I could not just believe my eyes even! I was the loser....stood helplessly alone amid with hungry tigers!

So, that was my turn to answer my father. I could feel that my father was certainly ashamed of me! He sighed and went out distressed leaving me behind. My ferocious class teacher ordered me to shove my head beneath the table ...and I could hear only sound of caning! I cursed my self, I cursed my friend from whom I copied and I cursed the originator of educational system! My tears rolled down on to the black floor where I could see a poor face peeping at me crying. I closed my eyes wishing to see my mother's face... "Is she hearing me? Oh, Amma help me, I am in the paws of hungry tigers!" -I murmured.

It seemed to me that I had been waiting forever to hear the sound of the next can, showering on my back, just like a never-ending-story!

Quiz-1

Can you make four triangles with six sticks, provided:

• You cann't criss cross them
• You cann't break them
• You only join them

Answer will be given soon....

1st Day in Sudan

"Fasten your seat belt" the sweet voice echoed with digital display on TV, "We are going to land on the Khartoum International Airport; the time in Sudan is now 1635 hrs, and the outside temperature is......" continued; I drew my head nearer to the side-window and could find a vast land of desert with Khartoum as an oasis in it! It was 1700hrs of 24 Apr 2008, the sun was just above the horizon..shining high and hot! I stepped into the airport arrival lounge amid black people. They all are speaking in Arabic.

Though Sudan being the largest country of Africa but the airport is so small and that to within the lap of Khartoum! It seemed funny to me. However my colleagues were waiting outside the airport to receive me. It was real hot out there which reminded me on my first day in Kuwait which was also in the same month(April) back in 1992. The climate of both the countries seemed alike. Meanwhile all my luggages were shoved inside and I took no time to jumped into the Pajero which then headed for our destination at Burri Daraysa closer to the River Nile. "Zamil, now we are at the south side of the airport" my senior colleague Mr Naser contnued, " You see, there are three main streets in Khartoum namely Africa Street, Ebeid Khatim Street and Sixty Street ; these all are running from south to north, running parallel to each other and the airport is sandwiched between former two streets."

I felt very good seeing the road condition and the traffic system of Khartoum. It is no less than a developed country!I looked at the setting Sun, it was still shining and clear even at 1900hrs! I wondered inside"Why the sun is still like that even at this time. Is it because of the very location of Sudan... since it is between the Tropic of Cancer and Equator? May be..." I murmured. It was 2200hrs back in my country, my wife along with daughters were eagerly waiting for me to hear the safe journey..I dipped into the nostalgic world again...

" Here we come." my colleague turned the vehicle at right. I peeped through the window....there were few black men and women on their way home....reminding me the end of another day from history of mankind.