We are 60 but not thinking about retirement

April 26 is a remarkable day in the history of Bangladesh, if not for the whole nation, at least for its progressive part. The Language movement of 1952 ultimately gave birth to our beloved Bangladesh, but one of the earliest product of that movement was the appearance of Bangladesh Student Union (I believe, that time it was not known as BSU), a non-communal, anti-imperialistic and progressive student organization in the political landscape of East Pakistan. In pre-liberation period as well as post-liberation Bangladesh BSU has played a key role in student politics and given the fact that the BSU activists from a large part of leadership of whole spectrum of Bangladeshi politics, the influence of BSU much deeper rooted than one can imagine. This year BSU is going to celebrate its 60 years Jubilee.  In Russia, where I am living for last 30 years, 60 year is a prominent day for an individual. Men become pensioner. In this day there usually take place celebration. Colleagues congratulate the jubilant. He also gets some monetary help, and a letter of privilege. So it is not a farewell, it is an occasion to recall ones services towards society. So celebrating 60 years anniversary of BSU is just to remember its past merits and look for the future. Unlike many other man made things, an organization does not need an expiration date.   If buying a man made device we ask for warranty we never ask that for a kid or other living beings. Even a thousand year warranty didn’t work, as in this case the quest for immortality becomes meaningless. Acknowledging that the end may come anytime, we plan our future, hope for better morrows, we let our life go, go and prolong it as long as possible up to infinity. And like a living organism, people gather under the banner of some organization. BSU is one of many, but for many of us a unique one. After the fall of Soviet Union a lot of physicists and mathematicians switched to many other fields, and almost everywhere they became successful, be it economics or management or something else. May be due to my physics and mathematics oriented biography, I think BSU cadres are doing the same.  Look at the left (ok, it is their homeland), look at the right (ok, you may call it enemy land) or look at the center, for sure you will find someone once walking hand in hand with you. For many of them you feel proud, for other you are ashamed, but you realize that it is the BSU years that made them what they are, you feel proud for BSU that happens to be leader making machine in Bangladeshi politics. For myself, I am really proud of being a BSU worker. It taught me a lot in life and thanks to BSU today I am what I am. Beside those qualities it gifted me a few comrades who meet the definition of a friend given by Judhisthira (a central character of the Mahabharata), “A friend is the one who is with you in birth and death, in the palace and street, in sorrow and happiness …” Now on the eve of 60 th anniversary I would like to congratulate all our comrades, wish them all the best and ask them to do what you do best, as only a successful and honest citizen can serve the cause of his country. The more honest people BSU can produce, the better it will serve Bangladesh. I know there are many who would love to say good bye to BSU at 60, but much more who want BSU to stand up, take the challenge of time and show the way forward. 40 years is too much for Bangladesh stay at the same place. By this time we have everything, martial law, democracy and so on so on. Neither our people believe in two main parties, nor do they. Otherwise people would vote any party for at least two consecutive terms and parties would check themselves from misuse of power, and they do it only because they don’t believe in their slogan, their honesty, hence try to take maximum profit from the term they are in power. And here BSU can produce genuine leaders for future Bangladesh.
We shall overcome someday and we believe that someday is not far away. LONG LIVE BSU

যদি তর ডাক শুনে কেউ না আসে তবে একলা চলরে

Dubna April 26, 2012