There was a marshy land expanding all the way to the horizon right behind the old two storied building in Madarbari, Chittagong where Rafiq spent his childhood. In winter the marshy land becomes bald as the farmer finishes the harvest even before Rafiq finishes his final exam. Aslam, Ashraful and other kids from the neighborhood used to play from danguli – marble, flying kites to football, cricket in that bald dry paddy field. Rafiq didn’t have the permission to go beyond the boundary wall to play with Aslam, Ashraful and other kids in that bald dry paddy field as Rafiq’s parents were afraid that he will be spoiled (go to dog) if he mingle and play with those kids. So Rafiq had to spend the whole day watching Aslam, Ashraful playing from the roof of the two storied building. The Egrets roam around when the marshy land gets flooded in rainy season. Rafiq used to count those Egrets from his room. If no Egrets then Rafiq used to roam around in the building directionless. When nothing to do that time Rafiq used to read books from Sheba Prokashoni. Rafiq grew up in that old two stored building but never had the chance to make friendship with Aslam, Ashraful and other kids played in the bald dry paddy field nor did he had the chance to know the life of Aslam, Ashraful and their family. Rafiq never got to enjoy the beauty of danguli – marble, flying kites like Aslam and Ashraful. Rafiq was a student of Chittagong Collegiate School and the school had a big play ground and two ponds. The students used to play football and cricket in that playground but Rafiq never played with those students. Collegiate had a very strong cricket team and Rafiq went home when other students went to Chittagong stadium to cheer their school team in Nirman School Cricket tournament. Even at school Rafiq made only few friends and his world were book and the two storied building. From collegiate to Chittagong College, now Rafiq is a student of BUET studying Computer Engineering. Rafiq’s world is BUET’s class room, the 3rd floor corner room of Ahsanullah Hall and Munmun. Munmun known as meritorious girl secured the top position at SSC and HSC from Holy Cross and at medical Entrance exam. Rafiq met Munmun through a common friend and they fall in love. After graduation Rafiq and Munmun got married and they moved to Japan to do masters and PhD. Munmun gave birth a daughter in Japan and her name is Nabila. After finishing PhD Rafiq got a post-doc position at Colombia University whereas Munmun got a research position at Einstein hospital in New York. New York is like a dream city to Rafiq and he came to know about this city when he was at grade 9 back in collegiate school. Tareque the protagonist in Rafiq’s grade 9 English text book came to New York to join world youth conference at United Nation. Like Rafiq Tareque was a student of grade 9 and through Tareque Rafiq travel to New York and tasted food like Spaghetti and Pizza. Rafiq saw New York city through Tareque’s eyes from the top of the Empire State building. From Japan’s everything micro life to Aemrica’s mega life in dream city New York made Rafiq so excited that Facebook became his continuous tool to express his excitement such as getting drivers licence or posting picture of high volume speaker. The way Tareque walked Rafiq through New York the same way Rafiq didn’t feel that he should go to the top of Empire Estate and walk the future Rafiq by narrating this is SOHO, this is Ellis Island…. Etc. Rafiq was very active in blogging but with the explosion of social media specially facebook the sleeping patriotism in him woke up. So he started posting advisory status like a big brother for Aslam, Ashraful and those danguli – marble kids that he never played with. By the way, Aslam and Ashraful used to play at Rafiq’s backyard bald dry paddy field became the most famous football striker and cricket player in Bangladesh. One day Rafiq went to Nashville for a conference and he noticed American people walking around with guns in their waist. Rafiq thought American people are carrying guns for safety so right way he posted in facebook that like American if Bangladeshi people can carry guns then that will reduce crime in Bangladesh. For American thanks giving Rafiq’s family went to Washinton DC and Rafiq didn’t want to miss the opportunity of taking a family picture in front of the White House and posting it to facebook telling the whole world that the most powerful man of this planet lives in this house. But Rafiq missed the opportunity to take his little daughter Nabila just few blocks away from White House to American History Museum to show her the American flag which was raised by the U.S. soldiers at Baltimore’s Fort McHenry on September 14, 1814 and inspired Francis Scott Key to write a song that eventually became the United States national anthem. Nor did Rafiq took Nabila to Lincoln memorial to show her the bronze Statue of Freedom at the top of US Capitol and explaining why no man made structure can be higher than the Statue of Freedom in Washington DC. It is highly appreciable that Rafiq and Munmun want to do something for Bangladesh from New York. Ideas will be flowing back to Bangladesh from America through Rafiq and Munmun the way it flowed to Rafiq through Tareque in Rafiq’s grade 9 English Text book. But why Aslam, Ashraful and those kids from the dry paddy field will welcome Rafiq’s American ideas when Rafiq never played with them and don’t know anything about their life? Isn’t it blind isomorphic mimic when Rafiq express in Facebook that Bangladeshi people should use gun like American without knowing properly why fire arms are legal in USA? How does the idea of freedom will flow to Bangladesh through Rafiq’s family when Rafiq post on facebook family picture in front of White House which is a symbol of power not freedom? When Rafiq couldn’t take his own little daughter Nabila to American History Museum to show her what made America such a dream land that people around the world want to come its shore then how could he tell the children of Aslam and Ashraful what they have to do to make Bangladesh dream land like America? Once a journalist asked Deng Xiaoping when Chinese society will change. Deng replied only when thousands of overseas Chinese students will come back to China only that day Chinese society will change. Because overseas ideas will be flowing back to China through those overseas Chinese students. So what kind of ideas will be flowing back to Bangladesh through Rafiq, Munmun and thousands of overseas Bangladeshi and their facebook post if they keep posting pictures of White House, Universal Studio, Time Square, Big flat screen TV or status like use of fire arms by American?
Posted on: Sat, 27 Dec 2014 05:54:51 +0000
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