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: