Duti is a Daughter of Rickshaw Puller

The rickshaw puller

I forgot the exact date or day but remember in the morning of that particular day I came out of my house and stood by the roadside to catch a rickshaw. 
Rickshaw is a kind of vehicle of three wheels, pulled by a human being, available almost cities even in countryside of Bangladesh. My home town Bogra is one of these cities, a District town.
Rickshaw is cheap and comfortable for short distant travel. Most of the people who are in need of going to nearby places choose this vehicle.
Rickshaw is always available in this road. But on that day especially at that very moment rickshaw was not available, even I could not see any rickshaw as far as my eyes could go. I was waiting and waited 30 minutes long. That was disgusting and annoying. Being annoyed at a certain point of time I was thinking for alternative. But before coming to a final decision a rickshaw appeared at a little distance going on a different way.
I called him and got on it. Rickshaw puller was pulling his rickshaw towards new market.
Actually my destination was some shops or showrooms of smart mobile phones located there.
In a Showroom: It was a large showroom. A good number of phones of different models and designs were displayed. I saw a considerable number of customers were buy with making their choice. I too was looking and checking phones to select one after my choice. At the time I was about select a phone I noticed a middle aged man looked a sales girl closely and then started talking.
The sales girl was really cute, sweet and young. Probably she was the younger one of all other sales girls there.
The man started talking to her saying, “Hey girl, I think I may know you..?
“I’ve been here for last six month. You might have come here previously”. The girl replied.
“No, I came for the first time”. The man assured her and continued saying, “Still I think I may know you. What’s your name and where are you from?”
“Duti Ghose, from Palpara, Sobujbag”
“That’s what I say I think I may know you, I am from there too. Who’s your father?”
“Bikash Ghose”.
“I know him. What’s he doing now?”
“He pulls rickshaw here”
“Oh I see! But why are you here? You supposed to be in university.”
“I’m studying Honours in English, 3rd year. This is part time job. I’m doing this job to earn some money that I can continue my study and bring laughter over my parents’ face. I want to see the smiling”.
The man listened to her attentively and finally said nodding his head, ‘Yes, I believe, you can”.
 On the way back home: I bought Symphony Studio 50. It’s a low range smart phone. But I was glad and gladly I was coming back.
Probably I forgot everything except new phone. But in midway I remembered talking between that sales girl and man. Words exchanged between them started coming in my mind. I agreed with that man specially to his last word, ‘You can”.
Yes, Duti can do, can do more than that. Not only Duti but all , all the girls like her can do more than that we ever imagine.
They can be prime minister, speaker of parliament, writer, artist, thinker, researcher, pilot, police officer, judge, barrister, doctor, engineer, teacher, architect etc. This is not something out of imagination but true and practical.

SUFFERING

A Very Common Scenario

It was five hour long journey including a twenty minute hotel break on the way.
I was free from worry about arrival at my destination in time.
During my journey either by bus or train sometimes I feel sleep but usually do not like to sleep. Rather I enjoy sightseeing. This is what I try to book ticket ensuring my seat is beside the window for every tour.
However, I was feeling a bit sleepy and slept.
Probably a big shaking break made me waking up. The bus was stopped running.
I checked my wrist watch. 45 minute. I mean for past 45 minute I had been in bus.
I am a frequent traveler the way I was traveling.
I have a good idea about the way and the bus. I can easily guess how far the bus can move by 45 minute.
But to my utter surprise I found the bus moved only a few yards which is almost near the place bus started.
I tried to understand what is all around and saw different type of vehicles hundreds and thousands in number are standstill in front.
I remembered this is called in our language 'Traffic Jam'.
Traffic Jam is well known to the people of this country as they have to suffer frequently from the vicious clutch of it.
My worry was getting intense, some questions started roaming about my mind - could I reach my destination or ...?
While I was thinking the bus started moving again and I saw a glimpse of hope. But that glimpse was only for a short while. Bus stopped again only in five minutes.
After more than 30 disgusting minutes bus started moving and it was moving fast and smooth. Rays of hope of arriving in time came back. I was happy in mind thinking to see the lovely face of my daughter.
But luck was not in favor.
The driver stopped driving all of a sudden and we all saw helper, conductor and driver running towards rear part of the bus. Reason? We got to know a while later one of rear wheels has punctured.
They engaged themselves to replace and they were trying to do it as soon as possible. But still they took about 40 minutes.
However, the bus finally finished its journey and we arrived at our destinations in ten almost ten hours in stead of four or four hour and thirty minutes.
I forgot everything for sometimes. But the sufferings I had to go through on the way returned to my mind. I had to spent quite sometimes giving thought into it and I became happy with what I found.
I found nothing but patience. It was really surprising to me that all the way I was showing patience. It is true that because of patience only I arrived at my destination. Patience really bears its results. It is a good lesson for me and of course for all that the way we want to achieve what we desire is not straight or short cut but zigzag, thorny and strewn with obstacles but we should keep going with patience. Patience will take us to our last destination.
In the afternoon I was out to the main point of town and first what I encountered there was a procession brought out jointly by a group of women organizations. From the writings written on the banners I understood the procession was to protest rape and killing of a newly married woman of a certain place of the district.
I got to know some more information from one of my journalist friends and clearly understood that these women organizations are in right legal point and from that legal point they brought out the procession to tell the government and the general people that rape and all types of repression on women must be stopped.
But the way they are on is not straight and short cut. It is zigzag and strewn with a lot of thorns just like the way I travelled in the morning. They need having patience and determined. I know women of this day are different. They are highly educated, modern, conscious and well aware. They certainty can achieve the very goal they desire.

Success and Failure

This is the rickshaw puller

Whatever the life may be, whether be in work or without work, it has an aim. There is no life without an aim or in other way it can be said no man would be found who leads a life without an aim.
If we have a closer look of lives of all other creatures of the world the life of human being would seemingly be more complicated, mysterious and diversified.
Come to the subject of living standard or eating habits.
All other creatures of the universe live in almost same level habitats - birds in nests and foxes in holes can be mentioned as examples. They eat the food of same classes and for food they do the same job till the termination of their life.
But if we cast our eyes to the living standard or eating habits of human beings we see a lot of variations.
In rural area farmers cultivate lands being in the sun or rain.
I knew Bangladesh is a country of rivers but I had no proof of it until I visited a place in southern part of the country the other day. I was bewildered observing rivers, lakes, ponds and marsh lands. I heard from someone sometime later that a large number of people of the area dependent on this vast land of waters as they catch fish, sell and maintain their livelihood.
During the days of my restless and unquiet early life I traveled a lot. Nature was something that always attracted me and this is what most of the destinations of my travel were places dominated by nature. I saw in all those places many people of some other kind of occupations apart from cultivating lands. I saw many running small business opening grocery, stationary or medicine shops in local markets, many pulling rickshaws or driving C N G driven vehicles etc.
Much later today when I lead an urban life I meet new people every day, observe their daily life and gather new experience.
On a hot summer day I saw a rickshaw puller having rest seated in a tea stall tired and perspired. His devastated appearance was telling that he pulled his rickshaw in the scorching sun for a very long time.
To know the reason and enrich my store house of experience I felt an urge to talk and have a brief chat with him.
What I got to know from a very brief chat was this that he wants to build a small house at his village in Thakurgaon District. That is his dream and goal. He wants the dream comes true and goal is achieved. He has nothing as quality but mental and physical strength to invest.
Mental and physical strength is his quality and he is using this quality in real sense. It would not be exaggeration if someone predicts that someday he must be successful in achieving his goal. This is universally applicable that to be successful one must have quality or qualification.
I know a number of people, while young, aspiring to become doctor, engineer, architect, pilot, administrator, judge, barrister, magistrate, high officials etc. But most of them could not be successful in achieving their goals. Nothing was behind their failures but lack of effort, qualities or qualifications.

Bicycle

Writer

-K C Milan

BICYCLE

Who can say that I've never seen a bicycle?

Bicycle is very popular bike and available all over the world. No one, I think, would be found anywhere all throughout the globe who is not familiar with bicycle.

It benefits three ways.

1. Almost all even village people of low income can buy as it is cheap 2. It offers comparatively easier and safer travel saving a good junk of time 3. Riding bicycle is a good exercise. Therefore, it offers those who ride it a good heath

Bicycle is available everywhere in Bangladesh. It is popular here to the same extent as it is in other countries of the world.

In Bangladesh bicycle is used or can be used by people of all age groups. Recently many girls and women will be found using this vehicle for easy communication every day.

But only 10 or 12 year ago riding bicycle was something shameful and disgraceful to girls or women of Bangladesh. The thing was more complicated in rural areas.

Rubina was 13 year old at that time. She was a girl of a remote village and a daughter of a poor farmer.

Rubina born to a poor parents, lived in a poor family, led a low standard life but cherished a sky like high and broad ambition.

Though the village was remote but luckily there were a primary school and a high school.

She was always a good student both in primary and high school level.

She passed SSC one day with a brilliant result. Heavenly happiness came over her parents from above. But that happiness was only for few days. Only in few days happiness flew away like vapor.

Her father had no ability to send her to town for higher study. But he wanted it and tried his best to find any means.

Without finding any means or alternative he with heavy heart decided to stop her study and give her to a marriage.

Rubina was disappointed. But her high ambition and indomitable interest in study made her thinking different.

She got to know from one of her school friends about a college. The college was not in town but at such a distance not possible to go and return by walk in a day. That was really another problem.

But she saw in her visionary eyes that a bicycle, only a bicycle can be right solution to this problem.

She requested her father to buy a bicycle anyway for her.

Her father thought twice. But one day like a good father bought a bicycle for her daughter.

Rubina started going to college by riding bicycle everyday. The villagers saw her, spoke ill of her terming her a slur to society, disgrace to her family. But Rubina never minded, never took their ill speaking as stumbling block to her way.

I am from the same remote village Rubina lives. But I have left that village and been away since my early life. Now the whole area not alone the village has become much developed.

The other day after several years I went to that village for a brief visit. Luckily I met some of my old friends. We gathered in a tea stall, talking, order for tea has already been placed and served.

I lift my cup up to the lips and about to have the first sip but before that a sound of motor cycle came to my ear. I turned to  a wayside and saw a lady on a motor cycle riding on her way.

“Who’s she?” I asked my friends.

One of them told, “She is  Rubina Madam.”

“A high government official, still lives here but only for her parents’ sake,” Informed another friend.

The other one sitting to my left said, “Now she is quite able to lead a decent life along with parents even in town. She may leave any time”.

I listened carefully.

I have never seen her face. But in my inner sight I saw a picture of present Rubina, a young, vibrant, educated, bold, ambitious and visionary lady. She is such a lady everything awaits for.

Now she is riding motor cycle but someday will drive motor car and some other day will fly from country to countries, I thought to myself.

Change Must Take Place

Writer

-K C Milan

 All of my attention was drawn to a picture surfaced on Facebook. But in true judgement that was absolutely a normal picture and I believe was not taken in a good camera by any expert or professional photographer. One of Facebook users from my friend list posted the picture in his timeline. Probably he took that picture by his smart phone. However, reason behind my attention drawn to it was a group of school going girls. School going girls are normally jolly as they have nothing to be worried about. Probably all those girls in the picture were jolly and having a lot of fun while on their way to school together. But when on a wooden or bamboo bridge over a brook to be crossed they seemed gloomy and frightened. Reason they were gloomy and frightened might be a thought of falling down as the bridge was probably shaky. I always like and love girls. Wherever and whenever I see the girls I feel a kind of sympathy for them. Because I have a young daughter and I see her face reflecting on faces of all these girls. This is what I became gloomy too. I asked to myself how many days and how many times will they lose their jolliness, their laughter and their fun?In search of answer to all these questions I went back to the days of twenty year ago. I mean the days I spent in my village home. Not only my village but that total area was cut off all modern amenities like electricity, road etc.There were primary and high schools nearby my village or house but still we had to walk through knee deep water and sticky mud especially in rainy season. We could not use even bicycle let alone other vehicles. We had to walk 15 miles only to get to a photo studio for some passport size photographs.But now within this time a huge change took place all over those areas. Electricity is available, roads have been paved, place of bicycle has been occupied by some other motor driven vehicles. A degree college has been established, more than three private banks have opened their branches there. People are getting treatment from government health clinic, doing business or buying necessary things from local markets. There is a branch post office, some N G O's are doing activities through their branch offices opened in our village. In fact the village has been turned into a small town now.This is reality which comes through a lot of changes in course of time.I am sure this reality will come and appear to that place even to that wooden or bamboo bridge.It may take sometimes. May be two, three or five years but surely that wooden or Bamboo Bridge of today will be removed and modern bridge will be constructed over there. The things may happen that these girls will be seen at that time driving their own cars over the bridge with happy mind and smile on face. This is not dream but reality. Because changes are taking place every hour and everywhere. A season changes into another one, change takes place in nature and human life, love changes into hatred and hatred into love.In short, change must take place everywhere in course of time.

A Word of Acceptance and Acclamation

Writer

- K C Milan

Unfortunately I forgot what definition of word according to Grammar is. So I had to take sometimes to find it out. 

However, I found the definition of word which is "Word is a meaningful element of speech or word is a meaningful element used with others to make a complete sense." 
The definition itself shows the importance of word. 
Without word we can make a kind of sound but cannot express what we want to. 
An old and almost a forgotten memory was getting back its root in my mind while I was thinking about it. 
Long ago while I was young and a college student I discovered one day that a beautiful girl from my nearby area was after my heart. 
Instead of saying "I love you" I exhibited a number of signs to make her understand about the weakness that I have for her. 
I was fool and I discovered my foolishness on a particular day after several months when she told me to wish her a happy married life. 
I don't know from where I got so much courage. Only on that day I told that I love her. 
She replied with much surprise saying 'Why didn't you tell me?" 
Let me stop here. I told this only to make it clear that apart from saying in words we may use some other means to make someone to understand our feelings which may work sometimes but not most of the times. 
Here is the inevitable use and importance of word. 
It seems to me words can be categorized or classified in a number of categories or classifications like word of love, word of hatred, word of disappointment, word of inspiration, word of criticism, word of acclamation and so on. 
The words of all these categories are effective enough to bring immediate actions. 
The people of Bangladesh use to listen to a recorded speech of Bangabandhu Sheikh Mujibur Rahman especially on the day of victory, the 16th of December. 
This is the only speech of Bangabandhu Sheikh Mujibur Rahman that has been classified as not only historical but inspirational. 
I too listened to this speech several times. This is really inspirational and encouraging. 
Bangabandhu delivered this speech to inspire the unarmed general public to face the armed forces of the then West Pakistan and snatch freedom. 
And only in six month time it happened. 
I have seen some people so spirited, so encouraged, so inspired that they can as if fly over the clouds and touch the sky. Encouragement was the reason behind them and disappointment was also a reason behind them I saw disappointed. 
I encountered a number of people neither beaten up nor injured but crying. They were crying being mentally hurt at rude behavior or cruel words. 
This is how the words work, this is what can be called power. 
Words have power of destruction and power of repair. 
In this finishing line of the article I remember a few words of one of my colleagues Zumur Roy. 
She said the other day that "Its good thing, Milan Bhai writes stories. I read his writings whenever it gets published in the magazine named Omega. 
Those were the words of encouragement, acceptance and acclamation and I believe with that encouragement only I could write this article.