15 August

In our school days we used to take private coaching. That was not an exectional day and I was coming back home after taking English tutorial with Makhan Master Moshai. On my way home I have to go through the village market. And when passing it, I saw people eagerly listening to the radio and I heard the news of Banggabandhu Seikh Muzivar Rahman's assassination. There was disbilief - yes, it was hard to swallow. I remember the days when he passed our village. The Kaliganga bridge was not ready yet and everytime he went home or north or south bengal (except Chittonong) he has to wait here, talk with people. The whole village went to see him. But I was never a fan of doing such thing (first time I went to see a leader was Ronald Reagan when he visited Moscow) - love to read or be busy with other things. And I felt sorrow for not taking the chance to see a real leader. Today, remembering him people take oath, say of a Bangladesh Bangabandhu would love to dream about, just to forget about it all in the next morning. Country does not need sweet words, she just needs everyone to do his job in place. And if we do that, we can help Bangladesh to become Shonar Bangla. And it will be the true tribute to the memory of a great man Bengal has ever produced.

Dubna, August 16, 2011