Some Day poem

Some day

Zannat Ara Amzad

Her poem translated by Kazi Rafiqul Islam from Bangla in Amader Kotha blog.

Zannat is one of our award winning bloggers and students. You can see more of her english writing in her own blog, Zannat's World.

If some day

A stranger becomes known to me

If you and I spread our wings

When the sky is blue.

Eyes on eyes

All the untold words

Will turn into our love

On that day.

Whatever the day is

No matter what the time is

I will remove all barriers

Do play the flute of love.

Poem on 21st February

The morning of 21^st February

Sufiya Khatun

Her poem has been translated from Bangla--Amader Kotha blog--by Kazi Rafiqul Islam.

Sufiya is one of our award winning poets-essay writers-bloggers in Bangla and Rising Voices, International Women's Day Poetry Jam for her poem, "Priority" originally in Bangla, in Amader Kotha (Our Stories), first poem in this link or in this blog.

You can read more of Sufiya's blogging in Bangla on her Bangla blog, Moner Janala (Window of Mind)

Do not cry, o mother

Thousands of your sons are coming

Wake up to receive them.

This morning everyone is weaving

Garlands with flowers of their heart

Let the scene pacify, o mother

The pains for the lost son.

Prepare the bouquet of flowers

The morning star has risen

Souls of our brothers have come from the heaven

We have to receive them.

The red ‘Palash’ has bloomed

Also ‘Shimul’ on the branches.

Look o mother, my brothers

Are calling me.

Rafiq with a bouquet of flowers

Shafiq with a smile on the face

Salam and Jabbar in a happy mood

Are coming together.

Barkat is at the front

“O mother” he utters.

All of them have come to you, mother

Then what makes you cry?

Answer to 4 questions from narijibon bloggers

Asia Afrin Anni [ID: 862]

How do you have fun in your country?

Ans.:

Every people like doing fun. I do fun when I go outside with my family. Sometimes I go out any historical or nice place with my family members and doing fun by playing Badminton, flying kites, and moving around etc.

What is your typical dish?

Ans.:

I have so many favorite dishes. Among them, I like most to eat rice with onion and hilsha fish. I eat it when I celebrate Pahela Baishakh. I eat thrice in a day. I eat bread with butter with egg or vegetables for breakfast. Moreover, I eat rice with meat or fish and pulse for Dinner.

What are your favorite hobbies?
Ans.:

Every one has his/her own hobbies. I have also some hobbies, which are my favorite. They are reading books, stamp collecting, coin collecting, watching cricket on Television and so on.

What are the most frequent subjects in your blogs?
Ans.:

Blog is necessary for those persons who use computer. I would like to write about my country and the women of Bangladesh on my blog. I like to write them because I think every people of the world should know about these topics.

Sufia Khatun [ID# 734]

How do you have fun in your country?

Ans.:

I get fun watch TV; I speak with my friends get fun. I get fun when i sing a song. When I play in the rain. When I stand up in the river corner.

What is your typical dish?

Ans:

My favorite foods are bread, tea in the morning. And my favorite dish rice , fish , and dal at lunch hourly. My favorite dishes are rice, vegetable and milk for dinner.

What are your favorite hobbies?

Ans.:
My favorite hobby is traveling. I like it most.


What are the most frequent subjects in your blogs?

Ans.:
I write in Nari Jibon blog. The most frequent subjects are women life, journey, poverty etc.


Fabliha Tasnim Hridi [ID #855]

How do you have fun in your country?

Ans.:
For fun I phone my friends and talk with them. I read story books. I have many story books. Sometime I watch T.V. I also visit to some places for fun.

What is your typical dish?

Ans.:
My favorite dishes are Ice-cream, cake, sweet; I also like to eat first food because it’s also spicy and tasty.

What are your favorite hobbies?

Ans.:
My hobbies are collecting many ear rings. I also have many ear rings. And they are very beautiful. I also collect many Eid cards.

What are the most frequent subjects in your blogs?

Ans.:
I would like to write about my journey, friends, country, culture, people etc.



Rosy Alam [ID# 555]

How do you have fun in your country?

Ans.:

We do fun to all together. Many times I did do fun my younger brother and sisters and also I do fun with my friends. Like I did say with my friend fals talk but she believe me. Then I talk to her I did jock with her, I do fun with my mother too. Like I when come any specially day like Eid, Pahela baishakh I do fun. It is very enjoy day. Otherwise at night when is loadsheding I do fun with my younger sisters. Like we pay. and we do sing a song.

What is your typical dish?

Ans.:

Everybody have favorite dish. I have a favorite dish too. My favorite dish is fast food so much. When I go in fast food with my friend from college really I enjoyed that many time I go to fast food with friends and we eat fuska, chatputi, sandwiches. Fast food is my favorite dish because I can go with my friends and I can do much fun otherwise by fast food. We can keep our communication. So all side from fast food is my favorite dish.

What are your favorite hobbies?

Ans.:

I have many favorite hobbies. On of them my hobby to visit the amazing place. Really I enjoyed this. I think it gives me new idea and it help me to know different things. Others wise my hobby to watch the TV program. I want to see adventure more in English. I enjoyed this. On the behind my hobby to hearing music, songs. I like it so much. And my special hobby to write about poor domestic children. I try for write to take small domestics worker.

Suvra [ID# 842]

How do you have fun in your country?

Ans.:

Everyman makes a lot of fun with their close people. It may be their relative or friends. I also make a lot of fun mainly with my friends. When I go to my village, I and my village friends make a lot of fun. We have many fruit trees and many domestic animals. But I think stealing fruits is a interesting thing. So when I go my village, all of my friends get the news. They come to our house with a lot of information. Whose fruit tree is the best, whose hen is looking so healthy-- information like these. Last year I also had a gorgeous fun, not only me, all of my friends. We stole a hen. When we stole the hen, we saw the hen’s house was locked. We thought at that time one of our friend- name Boltu took the house and full speedily ran away. Showing his work we were made fool. When we get back our senses we also gave up the place very soon.

It was so fun in my life.


What is your typical dish?

Ans.:

My favorite dish is pitha [home made cake]. Different kinds of cakes I like very much. In the winter season all of the village people made different kinds of cake like vapa, chitoi, nokshi, kuli, patishapta etc. besides our government in every winter season organize a fair. Where are showing different types of cake. Many people come to our country for visited. They participate in the fair.

What are your favorite hobbies?

Ans.:

All kinds of people have many favorite things. Some one likes play, or some one likes sing, some one likes drawing, some one likes eating etc. I have also some favorite hobbies. My favorite hobby is drawing. In free time I draw many things like natural sceneries, lovely birds, sky, wonderful girl, angel, mermaid etc. I also like to read many types of stories books. it is also my favorite hobby. I like mainly adventures books, science fiction, stories books, poem, historical books etc.

Wake up, woman

Translated by Kazi Rafiqul Islam
written in Bengali by Afroza Akter Kazol

Wake up, you woman

Wake up and be angry

Wake up and you will see everything

Your anger will give you everything.

Do not remain timid anymore

You have to be bold this time

Here goes the saying

People fear the strong and dominate the weak.

You will not be dominated any more

You have to wake up

You have to struggle to survive.

Only then you will be respected by the male dominated society.

Do you know woman, you are a human being made of flesh and blood?

Why, then you remain like a wooden doll?

You have to live; you have to laugh with an open mind.

Don’t think you are too small

Rather think you can do everything

Only then you can build up your life.

of jackfruits, mangoes, and load-shedding

cross posted from bideshi blue

Driver Ripon and two ripe jackfruit

Bangladesh—what can I say—jackfruits, mangoes, litchees, and load-shedding. Several times per day, the power goes out at office, guesthouse, and friends’ apartments. Some have generators for fans and lights and some do not. Some computers have big battery backups and some do not. Blogging depends on local electricity as well as the connectivity to the server-provider, which may or may not have power.

These load-shedding levels are the worst that I have seen in my eight years of travel to Bangladesh and fresh mangoes do not ease my discomfort. Load-shedding is relatively new excuse for no work at the office and classes even though Bangladeshis have worked, studied, and lived for many years without electricity, computers, blogging, and such.

Poor people suffer even more during the day and at night. As one guest house staff member said, his choto chele (little baby boy) does not understand load-shedding, heat, and sweating when the baby wakes up in the night.

Load-shedding is an ongoing challenge for bideshis habituated to central air & air conditioning, nearly constant electricity, and a phone number to call when the lights-power go out. Load-shedding is an increasing challenge for some Bangladeshis and students who have tasted-experienced electricity, fans, and even some air conditioning as well as blogging. Meanwhile, their assorted governments have made some corrupted poor choices-investments in power plants-generation and failed to meet growing demands for power as well as provide stable links-submarine cable to the global net.

Below, Nari Jibon students sit and swelter in dark computer lab during 1 hour+ loadshedding....and a virtual tour of our cyber cafe, office, and computer lab during load-shedding....

Marriage of mother’s grandfather

Translated by: Golam Rabbany Sujon
Written in Bengali: Nafisa Mubashira

It was long days ago. The name of the village is Amta that was three to four hours long distance from the Howra rail station. Railway was the only one way to communicate with the town. Then there was no metalled or cobbled road or electricity in the village but there were available green trees. There was also seen few houses in the long distance. The story was for that time – The name of my mother’s grandfather was Samsul Hoda and then he was only fifteen years old. Their family was powerful at Amta village. Everyone knew them by name. Samsul Hoda used to call by Shamu as his nick name. The name of Shamu’s aunt’s (paternal uncle’s wife) village was Dipo. Once, one of his aunt’s younger sisters named Johora came to visit their village. The Johora was only 5 years old. This small girl was taken to the tube-well by her elder sister and she started to play by water while she was taking bath. Then mother of Shamu looked at her and said that the girl was very beautiful. Johora also laughed to see her. Then Shamu’s mother said strongly that I would take you to me as my son’s wife.

Shamu’s mother started to do what she said. Shamu got married with Johora though Johora was his aunt according to the relation as she was younger sister of Shamu’s aunt. Shamu’s mother gave 15 vori (a unit of weight equal to 180 grains or a little over 11 grams) ornaments that made of gold to Johora as a new son’s wife. As a five years aged girl she became very happy to see these ornaments and nice clothes. She also started to jump and laughing to see these and many people. Many people from nearby several villages gathered to see new-married-child-wife and everyone praised of her beauties. The nose ornament of this small wife was so heavy that she could not drink water. Then she told “Let you open my nose ornament please, I’ll drink water.” Shamu’s mother opened the nose ornament understanding that she was getting pain. In the evening Johora said “Let me send to our house as it is going to be night, I’ll go to my house.” All the grandmothers told her “From now you will stay here as this is your husband’s house.” Then Johora passed that night with Shamu’s mother. In the morning everyone started to arrange of new wife’s farewell. Shamu’s mother made up her nicely and when they went to get up her into the palanquin, Johora said “let me give my nose ornament.” Then everyone started to laugh hearing such kind of word from a small baby. Then Shamu’s mother said “Oh! Sad we forgot to give your nose ornament.” At the time of leaving both guardians took decision that they would arrange a large and lightened ceremony when she would be taken to her husband’s house again. Then small-baby-wife started to go to her parent’s house from her husband’s house.

After passing days, months and years 5 years old baby became 8 years old girl. Then, when she used to go out side of house, neighboring people used to advice her “you are married, you should not go out side of your house and people of your law’s family would talk bad about you etc.” In the meantime Johora’s father got died and there was none in their family to earn and maintain their family. Johora was the youngest child among the sisters and she had only one brother who used to study in a school in the village. As there was no alternative way he had to act as the main family holder. Then he was only about 15/16 years old boy and he took decision that he would sell the ornaments of Johora for running business and he would buy these ornaments again for her sister. But they could not keep it secret and anyhow this information reached to her husband’s house. Hearing this information they became ferocious and they could not take it easily. Shamu’s mother informed them “The brother who can sell ornaments of his sister, I can not accept such a family’s girl as my son’s wife.” Shamu also heard this news and then he used to run business at Calcutta. He could not abide by his mother’s decision and he started to think how he can take his wife. Shamu went to her maternal uncle who used to live at Calcutta. Shamu said everything to his uncle and they decided that they would come to take Johora to their house in the next Sunday at weekly off day. None of them went to the house in weekly off day but they both went to Dipo village by boat for taking Johora. They started to go at about 5.00 pm in the afternoon. They reached at Dipo village at about 11.00 pm at night. Then most of the new married men used to go to the father in law’s house at night as they used to get shame if they used to get at daytime. It was also an unspoken rule. They kept the boat slight distance from Johora’s house and Shamu also did not take his uncle to Johora’s house with him. The people of Johora’s house became very happy to see Shamu. They started to cook meat, fish, eggs and various kinds of cakes etc. It took long time to cook foods and completing taking foods. At about 2.00 pm in the midnight he was sent to the bed. Few minutes later the night became very silent. Shamu could not sleep as his uncle was waiting for him near the river. He was thinking how he would take Johora out side of house. Then he told Johora to go with him to out side of house as he needed to use out side latrine but Johora told him to go alone. But Shamu requested her to go with him as he was afraid of darkness. Shamu was taking her to the ahead but Johora was not interested to go more in the dark. At last Shamu took her to the lab and stopped her mouth by another hand and fluently reached to the boat. They started to run the boat after getting up Johora to the boat. The boat reached to the near of Shamu village when it was early in the morning. But Shamu did not go to his house and he sent Johora to his house with his uncle. Shamu returned to the Calcutta to his business centre and he told his uncle that if his mother would not accept Johora as his wife, he would never come to his house. He was not so brave to go to his mother and that’s why he sent Johora with his uncle. Seeing the innocent face of small girl and understanding the situation of Shamu’s mentality, her mother forgot everything and took Johora to the house gladly. She also said her brother (Shamu’s uncle) to return house soon.

Couple days later Shamu came to the house and all of his guardians took decision that they would take Johora several years later arranging a large and pleasurable ceremony. Johora was sent to her parents’ house again. Several years later, Johora’s brother also could not develop his business. So, Shamu himself bear the expenditure of ceremony and gave again ornaments. He hired palanquin, band party and took Johora to his house from his law’s family.

Fairy tales that I heard in my childhood

Translated by: Golam Rabbany Sujon
Written in Bengali: Nilufa Akter


First part

There was a farmer in a village. He had his wife and a daughter. But they were very poor. The farmer had two bighas of land. He used to cultivate that land and somehow they maintained their family with these crops. There was also a king in that village. He had a prince. Once the prince went to hunt in the forest but in the way he was bitten by a snake. Then the king applied to the villagers to save his son’s life but none of the villagers came to help him. The king also circulated in the village that he would pay what saver want from him instead of his son’s life. Then the daughter of the farmer agreed to save the life of prince. The girl made cure the prince. The King asked the girl what she wants but the girl did not reply. The king gave six bigha’s of land to the farmer thinking of their poverty. Then the farmer returned to their house with his daughter. Then the farmer cultivated all the lands and he got enough crops. He sold his crops and received lot of money. The farmer made a new house and gave her daughter in marriage to a rich family. Then farmer started to live happily as they had no poverty.

Second part

There was a family in a city. There was a father, a mother and a daughter in a family. In a vacation during rainy season they went to visit to the Sundarbans and they started to watch Sundorbans. Suddenly they saw rumble of clouds and being afraid they got up to the launch in very hurry. But the parents forgot to take their daughter. The daughter stayed long whole in the embankment of the river. Clouds started to roar and the daughter became afraid. The daughter also wetted in the rain and fell in sick. Then a man saw that girl and took to his house. The man also took her to the physician and made her cure. But the girl could tell her address. After that the girl started to live there….

A Gas-Balloon Seller

By Zannat Ara Amzad

Long time ago there was an old man. He was a merchant. He had a business of a gas-balloon. He started selling gas-balloon when he was 12 years old. He started this business from his village. After that he came at Dhaka city. Instantly he developed his life by selling gas-balloon.

When I was three years old then I saw him. And I asked my mother about him. Then my mother told me about him. My mother saw him from her childhood. She saw that man always as same.

When the man used to sell the gas-balloons then he used to recite a rhyme like singing style. The rhyme was:

‘Gas-balloon char-ana

Dhaira rakhben charben-na

Chaira dile woira jaibo

Ar fira paiben-na…………’

[Gas-balloon is at tk 0.25;

Don’t leave, hold it;

If it is left then it will fly away;

You won’t get back that.]

He had polygamy. But he did that for some reasons. He got his second marriage after the death of his first wife. When his second wife died then he got third marriage and she also died. After the death of his third wife he got fourth marriage. But when she died then he decided that he will never get married. He took this as his fate and bad luck.

His has seven sons & five daughters. He made his all children educated. At a time he built seven buildings in Dhaka city & day by day he became a rich man. But he never changed his occupation.

I always saw him as same. I heard from my mother that she never saw any changes on him. He always put on lunge (like skirt), genji (T-shirt) & plastic shoes. Just his voice became changed for his age. But he always used to sell Baloons by reciting:

‘Gas-balloon char-ana

Dhaira rakhben charben-na

Chaira dile woira jaibo

Ar fira paiben-na…………’

Suddenly I heard that the man died. It is unbelievable but it’s true that when he died he was 150 years old. Today he is no more with us but I will remember him forever.

Woman

Translated by: Kazi Rafiqul Islam
Written in Bengali: Shahida Islam Mony

O woman, at times you are mother
Wife, sister or beloved at times.
You have filled the world
With love and affection.
But what did you get
With all these sacrifices?
Just once ask yourself
You will get the reply.
You are blank, alone, you are incomplete
Because you are a Bengalee woman.
Tears in your eyes
Shut your eyes
And feel from the core of your heart
Laments, laments and laments only.
Still you are a woman
You have to endure silently everything.
Then why observe this Women’s Day?
Come on woman, stand upright
Now is the time to protest.
No longer will you be the victim of slavery.
No more tears in the eyes
Not any more laments
Keep protesting o woman
And break the silence.
We are not helpless; no more will we remain slaves
Chant slogans, march forward on this Women’s Day.

I feel proud to be a Bangladeshi

By Jainub Khanam
Pictures taken by Mohtarimun Nahar [Bipa]

Bangladesh is a land of beauty. We got our Bangladesh by giving blood of million martyrs’. We have our own language ‘Bangla’.

There are six seasons in Bangladesh. The common fruits of Bangladesh are-- mango, jack-fruit, black-berry, melon, banana, coconut etc. These fruits are nutritious, delicious and tasty. Some common fishes of Bangladesh are -- salmon, carp boal, rui, katla etc. Hilsha fish is our national fish. It’s very famous in our country. The magpie is our national bird. The White Lily is our national flower. There are many rivers in our country. The Padma, the Meghna, the Jamuna, the Shitolakha and the Karnafuli etc are the main rivers of Bangladesh.

Bangladesh is an agricultural country. The soil of Bangladesh is very fertile. So, golden crops grow in our country. Most of the people live in village.

Bangladesh is a beautiful country, but most of the people are poor. Flood is a great problem in our country. Bangladesh suffers from flood almost in every year. Over population is our main problem. It is the main cause of our food shortage. Poor people don't have enough food to eat.

Bangladesh is also famous for Cox's Bazar sea-beach. The scenery of the Cox’s Bazar is amazing. We have Shahid Minar and National memorial. We have patriotic poets, like-- Kazi Nazrul Islam, Jasim Uddin and Michale Modhusudhan Datta. Kazi Nazrul Islam is our national poet of Bangladesh.

I am Bangladeshi. Bangladeshi people are very friendly. We always try to celebrate our all the seasonal occasions together, like—Pohela Boisakh, Pohela Falgun, Nobanno Uthsob etc. I was born in this country. I feel proud to be a Bangladeshi. I love my country very much.

Some Pictures of our Natural Beauties:

Still they are at margins of society

By Golam Rabbany Sujon

First Published

Many national and international organizations/donors work with disadvantage people and provide facilities, assist them for being self-employed. But there are very few organizations that work with Hijras on HIV/AIDS, STDs awareness program etc. Hijras are deprived of many facilities in our so-called society. They are obstructed from their birth. One hijra (Joya) informed that hijras don’t get proper right, love and affection as like as other children in their family and society. Family members and relatives don’t want to keep good relation with them. People laugh at them. So once they leave their family and started to live with other hijras. Hijras like to live in group. They beg door to door, shop to shop, office to office etc. They live from hand to mouth. They can not go to the school like other children. They are insulted everywhere. They can not go on with other same aged people. They have few proper opportunities to take skill. But if they get proper education and technical skill they will able to work like other people.

Two hijras are in the market

Some NGOs have awareness program on HIV/AIDS, STDs and they provide condoms, lubricant and medicine. But they need education, technical skill, honor & rights like other people in our society. They need working opportunities. Govt. and foreign donors are spending money to develop disadvantage people, why they are not held as disadvantage people and supporting.

“Joya” organizer Badhon hijra organization

Flood and my Jacket

Translated by: Golam Rabbany Sujon
Written in Bengali: Helen Sarkar

May be the incident is very simple to some persons but there may have something sympathetic or pitiful. Ok I am describing everything- everyone is aware about 1998’s flood. Probably flood is as like as relative to us, one or half a time it comes to us in every year. Then we used to live near Tepakhola embankment though our house was under Faridpur district. We had nothing to do; we had to live there due to my mother’s job. But those days were very pleasure to us. Mother’s office and our residence was same house. I used to enter to my mother’s office room whenever I got scope to go and I used to tell my mother when you would to come to our house. No sooner my mother replied that she was staying in the house whole day. It was just fan.

But sometimes my mother used to go to the fieldwork and then I used to go with my mother. I was great lucky that I was able to move with my mother and I could see nice and bad things in the world. The people of that area were eager with flood and river-erosion as that area was situated near the river of Padma. According to regularity flood came and people took shelter to the Beri-embankment of Padma near our house. I did not hear ever in my life such like crying and shouting from their heart. Flood affected People used to tell their problems and poverty from the morning to night coming to us. We kept sufficient contribution to the disaster people according to our abilities.

One day I washed all of ours warm clothes like sweater, jackets etc and kept those in the sun for drying. My sky-colored jeans jacket was not drying as that was much heavy. It was also one of the favorite dresses to me. In the evening my mother took every clothes from the sun but she did not take in to the room. I asked my mother that why she did not take my jacket and my mother replied that that was wet and nobody would steal that jacket. So we passed that night as we had deep sleep keeping my jacket in the veranda. In the morning I did not found my jacket and I saw that ropes were fallen in the floor. The dress was stolen which was one of the favorite dress to me – but I did not shock and I did not shout for losing this instead of feeling sympathy for the thief. I thought that he/she might be a good person but stole this dress due to more poverty. May be he/she was fasting for want of food. Sometimes I think that we who are solvent in our society indirectly motivate poor people for being thief and indirectly we try to make them understand- “you have no right to live well. You will be corrupted, you will steal and you have to have nothing”

Flood comes every year and probably we wait for flood every year. We also wait for taking picture while we provide minor relief. We wait to see helpless people’s cry-wet-eyes and smiling faces of donors. ‘How much we gave to the disaster people’ it is an invisible competition among us. We are the people of civil society!! We want to buy helpless-crying-hungry children, old people and poor people by minor relief packet.

But we don’t want to protect flood affecting again or submerge the lands, wasting crops and fall people in sea of tears.

May flood clean all the darts from the hearts, take away our ill conscience by its skilled hand and in these ways we will be pure, really workable and helpful for the society.

My Journey at Cox’s Bazaar

By Lubana Rahman

“I was shocked, my blood was running in my veins in so high speed …I am suddenly reached in cloud nine! I can’t believe this! Is it happened at last or still I am in dream…”---this was my first inner expression when I have heard about this trip from my husband. He was planning to give me surprise and he succeeded on it!

I am not an extrovert person but I do love journey, outing and of course cooking. But here, today, I am taking you with me into my journey at Cox’s Bazaar through my experience.

Our journey began at dawn. We caught 7 o’ clock’s train. I relieved my breath after taking a seat in train. As my husband, Riaz and me both are service holder, we have very little common leisure time. We were planning for this journey by train to Cox’s Bazaar for few years. However, suddenly, at night, after returning home from his job, he told me that I have a surprise for which I am devouringly dreaming and that was the very next day we were setting off to Cox’s Bazaar. Hurriedly, I arranged the entire luggage, taking digital camera for capturing beautiful moments, taking a flask full of tea and some dry food.

We reached at chittagong rail station after a seven hours journey. I enjoyed all the views the journey could offer along its rail-tracks; passing time eating, drinking, and taking some snaps. From station, we send off for our cousin’s house at Agrabad with handful of sweets and fruits as a gift of our hearty hospitality to them. After taking a half hour refreshment, we are getting ready for roaming in Foyze Lake with our cousin. There a pleasing, heart-charming view waiting for us to welcome these thirsty, eager eyes of us. What a view! I don’t know the exact expressing word which can truly express my feelings; I am lacking of that! It is so huge that one day must be scheduled for enjoying those heart-cooling, spell-bounded views. We did regret of spending such little time here. We just did some rides, boating less than for half an hour, riding on hills and sipping the beauties as my athirst eyes can do. We took snaps even after dark as if framing out could save more time to view these beauties for longer!

Some pictures of Fayaze Lake:

I am with my husband

Next day, we were set off for Cox’s Bazaar in rain by bus. You can go at Cox’s bazaar by bus or reserve taxi; it is three-hour journey but don’t worry, your heart is already stealing away by roadside views. Those heart-thundering scenarios make you forget all the tensions, boringness and tiredness. Fresh, hilly air filled with welcoming aroma, engulfing us to its enchanting views. I enjoyed with every cells, with every breath, with my heart and with my soul. Chips and soft drink just worked as catalyst in this bus-journey.

Some pictures of Cox’s Bazaar:

Taking a meal from a restaurant, we step for the sea-beach. It was a wintry noon; its chilling was little higher because few hours ago, a hilly raining spread its touches to the weather. Waves were coming and breaking on beach…as if…as if...So many unspoken words, stories were trying to say its visitors but before it reaching to us, just breaking down. The sky bent down with the sea at horizon. To me, the world seems stopped there, I was drowning, drowning to its silence, bewildering to its hugeness, to its enormous beauty, overwhelmed by all of the sea and the horizon has offered to me.

There is a small market, build up based on handicrafts of oyster-shell of mollusk. We did roaming here and there, eating local food and then waving good bye to Cox’s Bazaar; we were heading for Agrabad by bus at 5 p.m. In downpour rain, we reached at our cousin’s home at 9.30 p.m.

The next day in Agrabad make me wake up with its soft, drizzling sound of cats and dogs rain. Today we booked the whole day for Potenga sea-beach. Here, we did shopping till noon for our family as souvenir from Chittagong, then stepped down to the beach after enjoying mouth-watering local meals, seeing the ebb and flow, taking snacks and of course lots of snaps before returning to our cousin’s home.

Some pictures of Potenga sea-beach:

This is the last day here. We, today will go back again Dhaka by train at 3 p.m. this last day, Chittagong offered us a bright, sunny day from her lap as special souvenir to us as if, “see, I also have bright sunny day!”. After taking breakfast, we headed for Chittagong war-cemetery for the few hours we have before leaving Chittagong. This cemetery is build for those brave soldiers who died in World War II. This place is so solemn, so calm and beautifully mantled with lime, green grass, scented flowers as if to show them this ‘world’-y respect to their sacrificed soul. I bend my head to those graves that fights for this wonderful world.

Some pictures of World War II:

Our train journey towards Dhaka began at 3 o’ clock. We did lunch in train, enjoying this seven-hour long journey with chips, flask full of tea, fruits and the views. We reached at Dhaka at 11 o’ clock. Here it is ended but I am luring for again the journey to Cox’s Bazaar, tempting to spend more days there, enticing to sip all the beauties it has offered to me. How many unvisited sights are still there! How many waves are still breaking down, telling so many unspoken stories to its viewers… Ahhh, what a journey it was!

Woman’s rights

Translated by: Kazi Rafiqul Islam
Written in Bengali: Afroza Akter Kajol

We are women, we are able
To do everything
We will not sit idle, helpless and repressed.
Why women will remain deprived of education?
They are the half of the society
Without them the society is paralyzed.
Women have to wake up
They have to think themselves free
They do not want negligence any more
They want dignity and honor.
Men and women both are human beings
Why the men do not realize?
Why in today’s society
Women are still slaves?
Women can also take the lead
Side by side with men
If the women sit idle
The society will not proceed
So women have to be given
Equal rights to that of men
Women can build up
They can conquer the world
Women now realize
They can do everything

Grandmother

Translated by: Golam Rabbany Sujon
Written in Bengali: Nafisa Mubashira

Grandmother shouted “I’ll break your backbone by kicking”
“Why, what I have done?” Said Nadia
Grandmother said again “More speech!! I’ll kick on your face?”
Nadia said to her father “Are you hearing, what grandmother is telling?”
Father said “She is your grandmother, so tolerate her speaking.”
Nadia said “How deep relation with grandmother, Dad”
At the time of taking dinner Grandmother shouted “Would you give me dinner or I have to die without food”

Mother called everyone at the dinning table to take dinner. Grandmother started to take dinner. After taking one or two times food she said to my mother “hey daughter of rich family, do you not know how to cook well.” And then she went away to her room with full of her food.

My brother and grandmother would lie in a room. I saw my brother lay in a corner of his bed and grandmother was scolding him. Seeing me grandmother told “Do you take him from her or I’ll kick him?” At the end of her speech she already kicked my brother and brother fell down from the bed. My brother got hurt and started bleeding. Seeing this no sooner I shouted and went to tell to my mother. We took my brother to the physician and we saw grandmother was trying to sleep lying in the bed. Then grandmother also said “what a soft body is, doctor is needed for a slight case”. Nobody replied to her speech.

One day grand mother wanted to go to the village. Beside our final examination was also completed and we also wanted same things. I sit beside my elder sister but grandmother scolded us and took seat middle of us. We reached to the village in the afternoon. Then my younger cousin aged 14 (approximately) was in the guava tree.

No sooner reaching in the home and seeing cousin in the tree grandmother shouted “how dare! You are eating my wealth in absence of mine” and Ok I’ll teach a good lesson. Then she started to throw piece of bricks targeting him. And one piece of brick hurt beside his eye. Then my cousin Sumon started to shout. Hearing shouting my elder uncle came and every one of us became disappointed to see her activities.

My uncle said “No sooner reaching in the home, you have started what you like”. Grandmother also told why you did not look after my wealth while your son was wasting my wealth. Then my father told “OK, it’s enough, please be calm and quiet. Now we need to take him (Sumon) to the physician”. My father was the youngest child of my grandparents and that’s why grandmother used to love him. Grandmother became silent and we everyone went to grandmother’s home. In the meantime one Germany woman came to us and showed honor touching feet of grandmother.

Grandmother became surprised and asked “who are you?”
Elder uncle said “ I have taken her from the German getting married ands now she is your new son’s wife”
In the meantime elder aunt came and submitted objection to my grandmother what her son did.

Grandmother told “He has done well what he has done and you can stay with us or you can go away. Male person can get married several times and that’s a great wrong”.

My mother could not get any language to consolation our elder aunt. Aunt also did not take any food at night. Aunt cried and passed whole night at veranda.

In the morning aunt was going to her father’s house with her younger daughter Minu who was 3 years old. Seeing this grandmother come fast and said “Hey daughter of beggar, where are you going with Minu? You can die alone.”

Minu told “Grandmother, mother is going leaving us!!”
Grandmother tried to make understand and told to Minu “that is your black mother but your father has taken a beautiful foreign mother for you.”

Minu said “No grandmother, I have no need a beautiful mother. My mother is the best to me.” Grandmother said “let us go to bath as you your head is hot” Grandmother took her to the pond for bathing. Few minutes later grandmother returned from the pond alone.

My mother asked grandmother “you alone returned but where is Minu. Have you not taken Minu for bathing?” Grandmother replied with angry“Beggar’s daughter is as like as beggar. She told me that she would take more baths in the pond. I kept her there.”

Mother said “what you have done! She is much younger.” Mother did not complete her speech; she started to run to the pond. Seeing running of my mother we also ran to the pond. We did not see Minu at edge of the pond. Seeing blue clothe of Minu in the pond Sumon jumped in the pond. He started to cry touching Minu’s dead body and he had no strength to carry her dead body.” Everyone shouting to take her to the up but Sumon lost power of speaking. Taking Minu’s dead body to the dry place he started to cry loudly and said “This grandmother killed my sister.” Sumon was very shocked because her left them and losing her younger sister.

This is first time I saw grandmother silently in standing. Middle uncle said “Sumon please be calm and don’t talk roughly.”

Minu was buried under Kodom tree where Minu used to play with her dolls. After that day Sumon was not found. Few days later elder uncle went to German with his new wife. We passed long daysin the village. Now it is time to go to Dhaka. Grandmother did not want to come to Dhaka with us. Father gave her some money and said “I’ll send money to you every month as your expenditure.” Grandmother did not tell anything. After that incident grandmother became very sad and weak. Now grandmother did not scold anybody and talked with anybody loudly. Everyone said that grandmother was the main guilty of Minus’s death.

Then we returned to Dhaka. After two month later we were informed that grandmother died. Hearing the news of her death we became very shock and we went to village. We were also informed that our middle aunt did not give money that my father used to send for my grandmother. Even grandmother also was not given proper food.

After being sick grandmother wanted food and medicine but uncle or none gave her food or medicine.

Anyhow grandmother collected some medicine (10/8 pieces paracitamol tablet) and took at a time. Grandmother was groaning from serious fever. Seeing this grandmother wanted to wash her by coldwater for reducing fever.

Grandmother said “No thanks, if you wash me by water I’ll die but you can give me stale food.” Uncle said “Don’t talk more, let me watering you.” Grandmother died while uncle was watering.”