Prove me wrong
Sunday, 9 September 2007
Rubya T. Molla
OUR freedom fighters and the martyrs made very great sacrifices to give us a safe Bangladesh. Bangladesh has been achieved, there is no doubt about it, but without becoming a "safe land". Even a few years back when I was in school I used to badly argue with my pals when I heard them planning to stay abroad after completion of study over there. I used to scream at them and named them the most unpatriotic who only think of their own interest. But now I think that I have changed my mind and I have my story to describe my feelings.
Each and every country has got its own problems and difficulties. But that is not the question, the question is how we deal with these problems and how much we are concerned about our own citizens' rights. One of the main differences between our country and some other foreign countries is we even extremely find it back breaking and get intimidated to file a FIR . The list of my demands from my country is not that extreme. It only consists of safety, well education and freedom. Once these things are assured, nothing can keep me away from my own Bangladesh. I am not on that school of fishes who fail to achieve their goal in their own country and proved themselves 'worthy' abroad and flex their chest and show disdain for their own country. Who will not get frustrated when you have to get stuck in the long queue of the session jam of National University? The course that we were supposed to complete by 4 years, now it seems to take more than 6 to 7 years .
Let me cite another example of clear discrimination even in the education field. In the recent curfew days when the government declared all the education institutions closed until the next declaration, we felt another round of disgust . But now that's not my concern. When all the public universities are declared to be closed, why not the private universities? Why is this discrimination? When this question was asked on behalf of a programme of BBC to the local authority, their saying was: "Well, there is a flow and a kind of consistency in the education system of private universities and they can get the students out with the degrees in the due time. So the private universities are even open without any interruption even in this emergency." And my saying is, well, good enough. All the private universities are open not to interrupt their well-established structure and what about us, the students of National University? Is it our only fault that we are not the students of the private universities? My concern is not why all the private universities are open but why we, the students of National University, are among the sufferers? Why this discrimination?
It was not long before that hartal days used to be the most freely enjoyable days for us when we used to play football or cricket on the roads. We used to move to and fro in bicycles. There was a time Pohela Boishakh meant a safe trip to Ramna and a huge crowd of enjoyment and recreation. Those were the days when we, friends used to flock together putting emphasis only on the excuses but not on the reasons. I doubt those days are gone! I can't expect my 6 years old niece to go out form the home on the broad day-light of normal days, let alone hartal days. I can't even imagine her traveling in a public bus where she may get badly abused and teased by the manhandled . She should not expect justice, which is rare and invisible stuff in my country.
Do I sound unpatriotic? Or am I running away form my own responsibilities? Or am I a bad Bangladeshi? No, I am not. I am a good citizen. I am concerned about my own country and I can do anything for her. But for that I have to get ready. I want to contribute to my country's welfare but for that I need to be well educated. I do believe that "patriotism" is not only word, it's a feeling that we have to earn. And my decision to leave for abroad doesn't prove me to be unpatriotic.
But I want to be proven wrong. I want to be assured by someone that I can move in the broad day light (that would be sufficient) and do my own work. I want to feel relaxed thinking that I don't have to fill the pocket of simple staff of a government hospital to hire a bed. I want to be assured that I can sue the doctor without any fear who gave wrong treatment to my mom.
Prove my decision wrong. You are all welcome.
[email protected]
OUR freedom fighters and the martyrs made very great sacrifices to give us a safe Bangladesh. Bangladesh has been achieved, there is no doubt about it, but without becoming a "safe land". Even a few years back when I was in school I used to badly argue with my pals when I heard them planning to stay abroad after completion of study over there. I used to scream at them and named them the most unpatriotic who only think of their own interest. But now I think that I have changed my mind and I have my story to describe my feelings.
Each and every country has got its own problems and difficulties. But that is not the question, the question is how we deal with these problems and how much we are concerned about our own citizens' rights. One of the main differences between our country and some other foreign countries is we even extremely find it back breaking and get intimidated to file a FIR . The list of my demands from my country is not that extreme. It only consists of safety, well education and freedom. Once these things are assured, nothing can keep me away from my own Bangladesh. I am not on that school of fishes who fail to achieve their goal in their own country and proved themselves 'worthy' abroad and flex their chest and show disdain for their own country. Who will not get frustrated when you have to get stuck in the long queue of the session jam of National University? The course that we were supposed to complete by 4 years, now it seems to take more than 6 to 7 years .
Let me cite another example of clear discrimination even in the education field. In the recent curfew days when the government declared all the education institutions closed until the next declaration, we felt another round of disgust . But now that's not my concern. When all the public universities are declared to be closed, why not the private universities? Why is this discrimination? When this question was asked on behalf of a programme of BBC to the local authority, their saying was: "Well, there is a flow and a kind of consistency in the education system of private universities and they can get the students out with the degrees in the due time. So the private universities are even open without any interruption even in this emergency." And my saying is, well, good enough. All the private universities are open not to interrupt their well-established structure and what about us, the students of National University? Is it our only fault that we are not the students of the private universities? My concern is not why all the private universities are open but why we, the students of National University, are among the sufferers? Why this discrimination?
It was not long before that hartal days used to be the most freely enjoyable days for us when we used to play football or cricket on the roads. We used to move to and fro in bicycles. There was a time Pohela Boishakh meant a safe trip to Ramna and a huge crowd of enjoyment and recreation. Those were the days when we, friends used to flock together putting emphasis only on the excuses but not on the reasons. I doubt those days are gone! I can't expect my 6 years old niece to go out form the home on the broad day-light of normal days, let alone hartal days. I can't even imagine her traveling in a public bus where she may get badly abused and teased by the manhandled . She should not expect justice, which is rare and invisible stuff in my country.
Do I sound unpatriotic? Or am I running away form my own responsibilities? Or am I a bad Bangladeshi? No, I am not. I am a good citizen. I am concerned about my own country and I can do anything for her. But for that I have to get ready. I want to contribute to my country's welfare but for that I need to be well educated. I do believe that "patriotism" is not only word, it's a feeling that we have to earn. And my decision to leave for abroad doesn't prove me to be unpatriotic.
But I want to be proven wrong. I want to be assured by someone that I can move in the broad day light (that would be sufficient) and do my own work. I want to feel relaxed thinking that I don't have to fill the pocket of simple staff of a government hospital to hire a bed. I want to be assured that I can sue the doctor without any fear who gave wrong treatment to my mom.
Prove my decision wrong. You are all welcome.
[email protected]