Tareqbhai (Tareq Masud) – You convinced both Plato and Aristotle with you cinema

I don’t have very long memory with Tareqbhai (Tareq Masud). It is of one and half years. I never thought – I shall write about it. I respected him on the day we meet. It was a day of 1999. And now this respect became eternal.

In his generation, second generation of divided Bangla, it is difficult to find a complete Bangali as like as Kazi Nazrul Islam coming out from a traditional Muslim family. But Tareqbhai was. He was a person who possessed the Bengali secular spirit overcoming the political and religious separation of last 50 – 100 years.

No one deny that he was loveably modest personality. I can remember the day when his friend Mousumi Bhomick for the first time performed in Bangladesh at British Council, Dhaka. Tareqbhai was very concerned and confident about the success of the program. Amiable Tareqbhai pleaded us to join him. We were a bit lazy to accompany him. He said, “Trust me, she sings very well. Your time will be worthy.” Tareqbhai, “It was.” We were very grateful to you on that day for providing an opportunity and encouraging us to spend time for a noble cause.

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Tareqbhai,

Your cinema is truth and greater truth together. It is not the imitation of life; it is the real reflection of life. It is the truth of Plato and greater truth of Aristotle. I saw you watching the life of a little girl who used to sell flowers at Kawaranbazar crossing. You wished that her life will become a script in next ten years. It was you who encouraged some youngs to make classics in celluloid. I believe – we will see the positive impact of it in years to come.

You are a freedom fighter of our time. When I was kid, I was afraid of freedom fighters. I saw them doing corruptions and all kind of act of terror. You were a second generation freedom fighter who started a sweeping mission towards making a new Bangladesh being inspired by glorious past and cultural identity.

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My lamentation for Tareq Masud will not stop. I love you, Tareqbhai.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Tareque_Masud 

Doing something

In my previous company, I used to edit newsletter. My collegues who used to help me knew how difficult it was to collect materials and then to publish it on time, within the deadline.

We usually used to get all information at the last moment and that made it difficult to create a flawless publication. Sometimes I used to become frustrated as I had to face all criticisms from those people who never extended their hands of cooperation rather then creating troubles.

I remember one of my colleagues encouragement, she says, "Never mind for the words coming out of the mouth of the person who does not do anything?"

Why am I writing this? I want to say that you can count very few people who did something great. But you will get countless people who are not prepared to spend a bit of his lifetime for doing great but spends all of their lifetime speaking ill of others's great works.

During my lifetime I saw some so-called illuminated personality who were not at all truthfull to their words and works. But I decided to remain silent as I found that they did at something which can be considered important for the country. I cannot count any of my great contribution. I keep on telling myself for doing something. 

Tribute to Prof. Mohammad Yunus

I do not know a lot about Grameen Bank, bank of penniless poors. But I know our maid servant who used to live our home, spent half of life in slavery for rich. 

I know - now she has house to live. We did not build it for her. She made it for herself. She had nothing, only a job at our home, job of a maid servant. She got a loan and then built her home, raised some hens, ducks, cattle. I never saw her husband. I don't when he left her. He never showed up. She raised her son, repaid her debt and made her free from the chain of slavery.

During my life I got credit from different banks, Standard Chartered, HSBC, NCC, Commonwealth, NAB. I don't know whether these banks will ever consider her (our maid servant) for disbursing laons. But Grameen Bank did and it does. So, it is different. Grameen Bank is doing such thing what other banks are not doing. Can Bangladesh Bank, (State Bank of Bangladesh) force these banks to give credit to these wretched poors of Bangladeshi? But they are real Bangladeshi. Most of Bangladeshi are penniless. So they do not have access to banks. I do not know when the so-called Bangladesh Bank will be able to play a role for real Bangladeshi people. I do not know whether Bangladesh Bank should treat Grameen Bank as the same way it is treating other commercial banks.

In 1975, father of nation Bangabondhu Sheilkhu Mujibur Rahman was brutally killed. He is no more in the world. But we teach our children to respect him. We hang his picture on the wall. Dr. Yunus is the father of the Grameen Bank. In his life time he made this organization stronger. He brought fund from abroad with an objective. On the contrary, corrupted politicians and business man, bureaucrat laundering millions of dollors to other countries.

I do not have courage to live in Bangladesh. I am afraid of returing there. Dr. Yunus is one of the few Bangladeshis, who dared to live in Bangladesh and tries to make some positive changes. He always tries to do something great. His mind is still young and fresh but his age turns it difficult to start in other country leaving Bangladesh behind. I believe - he never wanted to do so.

I wish - We should have some consideration and respect for this great Bangali, Bangladeshi, Prof Mohammad Yunus. 

Utilizing the senior and aging Population

Today we do not have quality teachers. People may opine differently. But at this moment brightest students of our country never think of being teachers, because remunerations are not enough to lead decent life.

In past days we used to see the brightest students as teachers. Now they are going to be involved in private sector where payments are really competitive. Moreover, as appointment in Universities became politicalized, moralists and brilliants are becoming reluctant to comply with that mal practice. If we want to build up a great nation, there is no other alternative to have good teachers who can uphold ethics and values and can play role as role models for students.

In advanced countries, volunteering is very common. I know lot of retired teachers who are still capable to contribute a lot in education sector. What’s about retired professionals in other sector? They can contribute in education sector. I was amazed to see that in Australia, guardians’ are welcome to work as volunteer in schools. In our countries, lots of guardians wait outside the school gate whole day but they are not ever allowed to contribute; no matter whether they are qualified or not. Moreover, the way our half educated school teachers behave with the educated guardian that is really shocking. One of major criteria of getting admitted in Scholastica School, Dhaka is parents’ bank statement. Many so called renowned schools follow the same path.

It would not be wise to expect changes from education shops. Service Business is different from commodity business. Teachers are service providers, not sales men. So, we can expect from those who took teaching as their passion and working among mass people with a duty of care. It is time to utilize our retired wise and learned senior citizens and education system can be the prime sector to welcome their contribution as volunteer. I believe – lot of retired senior citizen will contribute with pleasure if they are valued and honored.

We need volunteers to build our nation. Our government is not wealthy one. We need volunteers in every sector. Our culture of volunteering should be encouraged and valued. Solid volunteering experience can be a criterion in job selection after completion of education.

Contribution of seniors and planed future for young can lead Bangladesh in making the best days for us. 

Quality not quantity

We are constantly leaving our best days behind and it is not pleasant for a nation. Quantity of our people is increasing enormously without any plan. One of my senior friends made a statement that made me thinking in a different way. He said, “Proportionate rate of quality people is decreasing”. He opined that educated people of the country is taking less children. But those who have nothing and no means to bring up their kids, giving birth of children without any plan that is resulting into a traceless, unskilled manpower.

Our number of population crushed our ecological balance long before. Now we should think about our survival and identity. One of our greatest engineers, Sir Fuzlur Rahman, built the tallest building on earth, the empire state building. One of our poets got Nobel Prize in literature and an economist and organization got in peace. These identities became pale against our identity as densely populated nation, nation of flood, hunger and corruption.

It is time to plan for the best days in future. We should focus on Quality nation and take courageous steps.

Confession after a year in South Australia

I finished exactly a year in Adelaide, South Australia. If I want to analyse my position, I want to give me 5 out of 100.

It is not that I changed my plan. It is my plan and question of survival that forced me to change four jobs with in a year. I wish to be teacher here. But I was a corporate executive. I am getting jobs in companies, which doesn't go with me, but I have to do those for my survival.

Here one needs Bachelor of Education to be a teacher or Australian Ph.D. For those, I need time. It cannot be done within a year. But fortunately I got an entry in their education system as a volunteer. I work as a community mentor. I work as a mentor with school students to unleash their potential and to keep their dream for future alive and to provide them a career planning. I work on behalf of Department of education, South Australia. Good thing is that I received two free trainings and next week going to have another one, which are requirements to enter in Teaching/Mentor-ship.

Here earning money, making house, buying BMW are not impossible tasks. But to do a meaningful thing is tough, especially, coming from 3rd world country. They cannot judge our standards. As a nation we have a very bad image in outside world; poor and corrupt nation. It is really tough for them to believe - our institutions provide quality education. After one year, I just can say one thing, I managed to make some of them believe that I have a very good academic background and I got my degree recognized against Australian Standard. That's my only notable achievement in one year. Moreover, where I worked during this period, I made my colleagues and supervisors believe that Bangladeshis are sincere, well-disciplined and honest people. I tried to project a positive Bangladesh through my deeds and I shall keep on doing that throughout my life.

World is very beautiful and resourceful. Everyday I learn new things and I dream to implement those in my Bangladesh.

Demanding transportation of religiously racist people

I am not raciest and I don’t wish to be. During my early days in Adelaide I was walking with a person who had come earlier. I asked him about Australian people. He said, “They are wonderful, but Dada, we are lucky that they do not have ‘Kalma’. So they don't have right for heaven.” I was surprised. Recently I found another Bangladeshi Muslim who uttered similar statement. I am shocked. Who asked these people to come this land with this type of mentality with an aim to pollute this foreign soil? If human being of world demand transportation of these people to Saudi Arabia or Pakistan, is there anything wrong with that?

I came to know some Bangladeshi Hindu who tried with 'Indian Bengali Hindu' identity and later, they were kicked out from that association. Now they are trying to make another religious group with an aim to take social benefit from govt. in the name of social organization. If we make a list of these people and denied their access in Bangladesh in future and demand their transportation to India or Nepal, is there anything wrong with that?