Edward Kennedy never to be consigned to oblivion
Sunday, 30 August 2009
Maswood Alam Khan
On my way to or from Dhaka New Market in Nilkhet, whenever I pass by the Dhaka University campus I can't help but have a glance on the banyan tree in front of the main building of the Arts Faculty.
The sight of the growing banyan tree rewinds many of us back to the tumultuous days prior to our liberation war and the jubilant days just after we had won our independence.
US Senator Edward Kennedy, who on August 25 last died of brain cancer at his age of 77, had planted the sapling of this banyan tree on February 14, 1972 at the same spot where there was an old banyan tree that was chopped off by Pakistani occupation forces during the liberation war.
Pak army felled the banyan tree as a mark of their vengeance upon the tree because that seasoned plant with its dense and sprawling branches offered shaded platform for many years to many rebellious student leaders to voice their protests against injustices perpetuated by Pakistanis.
The historical spot that was and still is known as "Bot-tala" is deemed a sacred place where the university students under the cool shade of the banyan tree still today draw their inspiration to fight against any injustice at home or abroad.
There is a unique similarity I find between the banyan tree of the Dhaka University and the personality of Edward Kennedy; both offered shelter to the rebellious who voiced against injustice.
Death of Edward Kennedy has tugged at heartstrings of tens of millions of people around the world and many countries are now locked in emotional tugs of war over which country is more beloved or more indebted to Edward Kennedy.
People in Ireland are now claiming that Edward Kennedy was an American politician but an Irish hero. Some Irishmen are even claiming that he was an Irishman in the corridors of Washington. Edward is remembered fondly in Ireland not only because his distant ancestors once lived in Ireland but also because he through his relentless diplomatic efforts greatly helped bring prosperity to the Southern Ireland and peace to the divided Northern Ireland. While describing about the troubles in Northern Ireland Edward Kennedy once said: "Ulster is becoming Britain's Vietnam".
His special dedication to the peace process in Ireland was simply unrivalled. He was instrumental in bridging the great chasm between the Catholic and the Protestant in Northern Ireland. Edward Kennedy was in love with Ireland----its people, its music, its culture.
But, if someone asked me how Edward Kennedy is esteemed in Bangladesh as compared to in Ireland I would perhaps reply: "His feelings for Irish people was like that of a friend, but his feelings for Bangladeshi people was like that of a guardian".
Edward Kennedy was the only American who literally cried for Bangladeshis and perhaps the only American who phrased the killing of Bangladeshis by Pakistani occupation forces as genocide. Edward termed the plight of more than 10 million Bangladeshi refugees stranded in India during our liberation war as one of the most appalling tides of human misery in modern times. He was perhaps the only American senator who locked horns with the then American President Richard Nixon to stop American military and economic supports to Pakistani regime who unleashed a reign of terror in Bangladesh, which was then East Pakistan.
Iraqi people are also shocked at the death of Edward Kennedy. It was Edward Kennedy among a few American politicians who opposed and denounced American invasion in Iraq.
South African people too must be bereaved at the departure of their great friend Edward Kennedy. Kennedy was an American leader in the push for economic sanctions against apartheid regime of South Africa.
The very name 'Kennedy' touches a chord with people anywhere in the world. Three brothers---President John F. Kennedy, Senator Robert F. Kennedy, and Senator Edward M. Kennedy---whose father was Congressman Patrick J. Kennedy are like three unforgettable characters the world people had watched, as if, in a real-time soup opera. There can be found very few people in the world who did not hear about the Kennedy family or who did not mourn the deaths of these three Kennedy brothers. Kennedy is a household name in every living family in the world.
Some rare people are born on this Earth with a mission, very much ingrained in their genes, to serve the whole planet; Edward was one of them. Edward's vision transgressed the narrow geographical boundaries of countries. Wherever on this world he had found a scene of bloodshed and whenever he did hear a wail of anguish he could not contain himself; his body and soul would have rushed to the spot. A major part of his life was spent in trotting the globe and in whispering to statesmen to alleviate the human sufferings or to make peace between the warring factions.
Body of Edward Kennedy will be buried at Arlington National Cemetery near the graves of his two brothers. But he will never be buried into oblivion. We Bangladeshis will continue revering him as long as the history of our liberation war will remain vivid in our memory. We will also not allow the banyan tree in the Dhaka University campus to die even after hundreds of years. Once the present banyan tree that Kennedy had planted in 1972 gets too old to stand we will make a clone extracted out of the same tree to be planted again on the same spot "Bot-tala", which will be served for years and centuries to come as a fountainhead for our crying for justice.
The writer is a banker. He may be reached at e-mail:
maswood@hotmail.com
On my way to or from Dhaka New Market in Nilkhet, whenever I pass by the Dhaka University campus I can't help but have a glance on the banyan tree in front of the main building of the Arts Faculty.
The sight of the growing banyan tree rewinds many of us back to the tumultuous days prior to our liberation war and the jubilant days just after we had won our independence.
US Senator Edward Kennedy, who on August 25 last died of brain cancer at his age of 77, had planted the sapling of this banyan tree on February 14, 1972 at the same spot where there was an old banyan tree that was chopped off by Pakistani occupation forces during the liberation war.
Pak army felled the banyan tree as a mark of their vengeance upon the tree because that seasoned plant with its dense and sprawling branches offered shaded platform for many years to many rebellious student leaders to voice their protests against injustices perpetuated by Pakistanis.
The historical spot that was and still is known as "Bot-tala" is deemed a sacred place where the university students under the cool shade of the banyan tree still today draw their inspiration to fight against any injustice at home or abroad.
There is a unique similarity I find between the banyan tree of the Dhaka University and the personality of Edward Kennedy; both offered shelter to the rebellious who voiced against injustice.
Death of Edward Kennedy has tugged at heartstrings of tens of millions of people around the world and many countries are now locked in emotional tugs of war over which country is more beloved or more indebted to Edward Kennedy.
People in Ireland are now claiming that Edward Kennedy was an American politician but an Irish hero. Some Irishmen are even claiming that he was an Irishman in the corridors of Washington. Edward is remembered fondly in Ireland not only because his distant ancestors once lived in Ireland but also because he through his relentless diplomatic efforts greatly helped bring prosperity to the Southern Ireland and peace to the divided Northern Ireland. While describing about the troubles in Northern Ireland Edward Kennedy once said: "Ulster is becoming Britain's Vietnam".
His special dedication to the peace process in Ireland was simply unrivalled. He was instrumental in bridging the great chasm between the Catholic and the Protestant in Northern Ireland. Edward Kennedy was in love with Ireland----its people, its music, its culture.
But, if someone asked me how Edward Kennedy is esteemed in Bangladesh as compared to in Ireland I would perhaps reply: "His feelings for Irish people was like that of a friend, but his feelings for Bangladeshi people was like that of a guardian".
Edward Kennedy was the only American who literally cried for Bangladeshis and perhaps the only American who phrased the killing of Bangladeshis by Pakistani occupation forces as genocide. Edward termed the plight of more than 10 million Bangladeshi refugees stranded in India during our liberation war as one of the most appalling tides of human misery in modern times. He was perhaps the only American senator who locked horns with the then American President Richard Nixon to stop American military and economic supports to Pakistani regime who unleashed a reign of terror in Bangladesh, which was then East Pakistan.
Iraqi people are also shocked at the death of Edward Kennedy. It was Edward Kennedy among a few American politicians who opposed and denounced American invasion in Iraq.
South African people too must be bereaved at the departure of their great friend Edward Kennedy. Kennedy was an American leader in the push for economic sanctions against apartheid regime of South Africa.
The very name 'Kennedy' touches a chord with people anywhere in the world. Three brothers---President John F. Kennedy, Senator Robert F. Kennedy, and Senator Edward M. Kennedy---whose father was Congressman Patrick J. Kennedy are like three unforgettable characters the world people had watched, as if, in a real-time soup opera. There can be found very few people in the world who did not hear about the Kennedy family or who did not mourn the deaths of these three Kennedy brothers. Kennedy is a household name in every living family in the world.
Some rare people are born on this Earth with a mission, very much ingrained in their genes, to serve the whole planet; Edward was one of them. Edward's vision transgressed the narrow geographical boundaries of countries. Wherever on this world he had found a scene of bloodshed and whenever he did hear a wail of anguish he could not contain himself; his body and soul would have rushed to the spot. A major part of his life was spent in trotting the globe and in whispering to statesmen to alleviate the human sufferings or to make peace between the warring factions.
Body of Edward Kennedy will be buried at Arlington National Cemetery near the graves of his two brothers. But he will never be buried into oblivion. We Bangladeshis will continue revering him as long as the history of our liberation war will remain vivid in our memory. We will also not allow the banyan tree in the Dhaka University campus to die even after hundreds of years. Once the present banyan tree that Kennedy had planted in 1972 gets too old to stand we will make a clone extracted out of the same tree to be planted again on the same spot "Bot-tala", which will be served for years and centuries to come as a fountainhead for our crying for justice.
The writer is a banker. He may be reached at e-mail:
maswood@hotmail.com