Our Great Gladiators in the Political Arena
Thrills and Spills in Bangladesh Politics
bengaliskan@hotmail.com
An Impressionistic Account
Bamsa
( An author was inspired by satirist writers Abul Mansur Ahmed: Dharma Rajya and Begum Rokeya: Boligorta)
An open letter to President Barak Obama
An Amiable and Humble Proposal
President Barak Hussein Obama
We have heard that you are facing problem in replacing the Guantanamo prisoners. Our most humble and amiable proposal to you is to try Bangladesh.
Golden Bengal welcomes the Britons in 1757 Bangladesh-India border in 2000
Britons took Bangladesh in 1757 during the global mission of their companies to civilize the savages:
"Rule Britannia, rule the waves!
Britons, Britons, civilize the slaves!"
Since 1937, the half-civilized and half-educatedsons of this land are enjoying "Self-Rule". The 2000 km border of the land is fenced by spiny iron-wire, like that of Guantanamo for the safety, guarded from outside to shoot at sight, at least one person a day. The Water-boarding and Tantalus-play is conducted by a river-controlled system from India. The warders here are experienced in "Blanket-cleaning" torture which leaves no trace for any inquiry. The judicial system of Bangladesh will remind you of England during 1530s, under King Henry VIII. The Rapid Action Battalion (RAB) paramilitary force of this land is worth its name.
If you do not dare to become a Life President of USA, implement One Party System, Special Power Act XIV, PO 50, and Cross-Fire Murder, then Limbo Bangladesh is the safest place in the world to remove the Guantanamo prisoners. You know that when an inter-agency team of the US government tried to get information about Rapid Action Battalion's human rights violation records in an effort to improve the elite force's practices regarding such rights, they were stonewalled by the Bangladesh home ministry (please look at the attachment which is revealed by WikiLeaks).
"USA is not an enemy of the Muslims!",- You are right! Recently MuslimLeaks has got the documents about KSA since Iran-Iraq war. It is KSA, the kingdom established by Saud-bin-Saitanir Rajim with the aid of British men and weapons, today succeeded by the sons of his seventy concubines, is the real enemy of the Muslims, which let them all together go to Jericho.
-"Rabbi Jedni legs legs legs" Young bin-Laden in Europe
History witnesses that Britons had promised Saud a reward of seventy thousand women whom no man ever touched and never touch after him, but in this world he got only seventy, plus seventy million pounds to build seventy Harems for them. A part of the money paid to contractor Laden for building the Harems came later in use of bin-Laden. The Saitan made some bull-heads suffering from hyperopia and dyslexia, to believe that USA was the enemy of the Muslims, reading U instead of K. Their goal was, -"the right path", but "they went astray and cursed!" You can see that secular Bangladesh is in fact on the right path where in every winter millions of Muslims come from all over the world to celebrate Annual Reunion. So, you may rehabilitate the Guantanamo prisoners in the camps there at the bank of Turag river.
At the breach of your pious promise about the fate of the Guantanamo prisoners, at the shame of strip-tease by your Secretary of State, at your reluctance to Kuwaiti proposal for an Arabian sword-dance in Gunatanamo, please consider our amiable proposal. In future, USA will have an influx of more such prisoners from Middle East, you know why. After WWII, UN decided to make Middle East a World Cultural Heritage of the Middle Age (UN resolution 13X) where the people of the modern world could practically see Homo sapiens with cognitive development, habits and clothing, culture and language, exactly as it was thousands of years ago.
Today you are invited as our Chief Guest to watch the thrilling five plays of Our Great Gladiators that will help you to find the ultimate solution of your problem with Guantanamo prisoners!
Yours very truly
BAMSA, a Human peer of the strongest Bear BAMSE who never hits anybody
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WECOME TO RONGODESH
Dear Visitors, you are now certainly tired in watching the "chulochuli" and hearing the "khisti-khamari" of our two corrupt Amazona: Alhajj Sheikh Hasina (beardless Sheikh) and Alhajj Khaleda Zia, for the last two decades (1991-2009) whom our Uncle Sam on the right and the Great Queen on our left, have recently failed to kick them out of the scene by the famous Minus Two programme, and left this disconsolate fen in care of RAW (Research & Analysis Wing) to prevent the it falling in the list of failed states and to entertain us with a Jumnping-Jacks Play.
We may now for a while travel to the past and watch the heroic strife of our great gladiators. You may beat your chest, overwhelmed in grief in doing "Matom" when your favourite gladiator hero becomes "Shaheed" (the 8 Gates of Heaven are opened and the beautiful Hoors, whom no Man or Jeen has ever touched, prepare to receive him in their tents), even if you are not one of his "aitya poot" eller "lauya poot" (wife's son from her previous marriage).
THE ARENA
The glorious five entertaining events took place in a period of a decade (1972-1981) when the reign of the great gladiators prevailed in Bangladesh.
Program
The rule of the game: KILL OR BE KILLED
Comic Match: Siraj Sikder vs Selim Shah Newaz (1973) Siraj Gazi, Selim Shaheed
First Match: Siraj Sikder vs Sheikh Mujib (1972-75) Mujib Gazi, Siraj Shaheed
Second Match: Sheikh Mujib vs Abu Taher (1973-75) Taher Gazi, Mujib Shaheed
Third Match: Khaled Mosharraf vs Abu Taher (1975) Taher Gazi, Khaled Shaheed
Fourth Match: Abu Taher vs Ziaur Rahman (1975-76) Zia Gazi, Taher Shaheed
Fifth Match: Ziaur Rahman vs Abul Manjur (1980-81) Zia Shaheed, Manjur Shaheed
(Ershad, the Great Machiavellian Prince, enters in the arena)
Entrance into the Arena
Rongobondhu Arena
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SOCIO-BIOLOGICAL BACKGROUND
Bengali Homosapiens of Wonderful Adoptabilty to Change of Environment
"Struggle for existence and survival of the fittest" is apparent in Bangladesh. Those who could adopt with the change of environment have flourished. The un-fits have vanished. Genetics appears to play decisive roll in the capability of adaptation. The bearer of the genes of Mir Jafar Ali Khan, who were not fool like his son-in-law Mir Quasim, became later revenue collector Nawabs and Chowdhurys, while the Khans survived by wearing soldiers uniform under the Queen. The new world order after WWII caused a changing of that environment for a decade. Then the Bengali Homo sapiens who were fit for the country, made their fortune by plundering those who were disgraced by the Queen, singing: "mai ho sachcha Pakistani….".
But after a decade the social climate of Bengal changed again. In early 1970s, those hardcore Pakistanis joined "Joy Bangla", to be appointed at high positions, and at the same time they started business without capital (which reminds Abul Mansur Ahmed's works), plundering the nationalised companies like the Jute Mills, Aurvedic enterprises, Hordo Glass Factory, and many others. Some other Pakistani reverts became devotee Mujibites overnight, and joined in business, for example exporting thousands of women to the brothels in Karachi after recruiting them for job of house-maids in Abu-Dhabi. None of them were punished although a lot of those facts came every day to the light in the Dailies. In 1980s, many of those people joined with the Great Machiavellian Prince General H M Ershad, and reached at the top of the society. In 1990s, as rich and influential persons of the society, they competed to be elected as MPs in Awami Leauge or BNP, which were two faces of the same coin.
The adoptability of these Homosapiens surprises all scientists how the word sapiens fits perfectly to these Bengali species. The scientists knew that only the least complex species like bacteria and virus can adopt in short time under sudden change of the environment. The more advanced kind of the species is, the less it can adjust in sudden change of environment. Now it is an interesting finding for the scientists to look at the genes of these Bengalis who have this astonishing quality of adjustment under a rapid change of the environment.
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A LOOK OUTSIDE
In 1916, Briton-Sheikh L.A. in Aqaba inspired the Arabs to fight for the Freedom they enjoying today
SOCIO-POLITICAL BACKGROUND
Bangladesh was conceived with revolution in late 1960s. In early 1970s emerged the following armed forces in Bangladesh 1. Para-Military Rakshi Bahini 2. East Bengal Revolutionary Army (EBRA)3. Bangladesh People's Army (BPA)
4. Bengali Disobedients from Pakistan Armed Force (BDPAF)5. Bengali Ex-Obedients from Pakistan Armed ForceThe Bengali disobedient soldiers of Pakistan Army (BDPAF) were the most beloved children of Bangladesh Revolution. Bangladesh People's Army (BPA) was largely recruited within (BDPAF) by the Cheist's who had failed to convert Sheikh Mujibur Rahman to a Fidel Castro. Their goal was same as that of Maoist East Bengal Revolutionary Army (EBRA) but they perceived that a Red Political Power cannot exist within Commonwealth. Prominent firure in BPA was Col. Abu Taher, and in EBRA Siraj Sikder was almighty one. Sheikh Mujib founded Rakshi Bahini for a dynasty after the last Sultan of Bengal Dawood Karrani, beheaded in 1576 by Emperor Akbar. The 4th group members BDPAF consisted of ambitious heroes who vanished within a decade. The first group Rakshi Bahini was assimilated within the 5th one who was the fittest to survive. The most of the BDPAFs got more severe punishment for their sins than they would have if were caught by Pakistan. In Bangladesh they played as gladiators of ancient Rome through killing each other. Otherwise, they were sent to firing squads or gallows. A few prominent gladiators were Ziaur Rahman, Khaled Musharraf, Abul Manjur, Farooq Rahman, and other freedom fighters. "Righting the grievous wrong" went to astray in a country where so many inherit the genes of Mir Jafar Ali Khan.
GLADIATORS AND PATRIOTS
"A communist who is an internationalist, can be a patriot? It is not whether a communist should be, but must be!"- Mao-Tse-Dung.
Great Patriot Communist Mao lived in exile in his homeland during his old age, and his picture is used as an Icon in China today. It is doubtful if China would be different if Chiang-Kaisek had won the civil war.
Therefore, the burning question to Goddess Liberty is,-"Must a Patriot play as a Gladiator?"
A Report By Bamsa
Who was the architect of Bangladesh? I do not yet know. I guess only SIS (M16) knows it and perhaps RAW. And because of international cooperation, may be CIA and Mossad also know it. During the summer of 1971, while I was a student of DaccaUniversity detained in Dacca central jail, I read in a Daily about Britain's operation in Srilanka, assisted by Indian and Pakistan armed forces. An SIS man expressed, -"The teaching of Vietnam is not to keep any seed of them."
But I do not know yet and I guess SIS caught the Great Architect of Bangladesh in 1978, and annihilated him leaving no trace. Perhaps, it was General Zia and General Abdur Rahman who got the task. Nawab Siraj Doula was not killed by the order Robert Clive. We know he was killed by Mohammad Ali Beg whom Siraj Doula's father brought up, and at the order of Siraj Doula's maternal parallel cousin Miron who hated the British East India Company more than Siraj Doula did. If the killing of Siraj Doula was a farce, the Gladiator games in Bangladesh, 220 years later, were a tragedy.
Ziaur Rahman proclaimed the independence of Bangladesh on 27 Mars 1971, but a layman also knows that this Major was only a minor architect of Bangladesh. Sheikh Mujibur Rahman, was a sachcha Pakistani, not in dress only but in his heart too, whose entanglement in "Agartala Conspiracy Case" was itself a conspiracy and concoction. Some of Mujib's militant devotees were suspicious about him lest he would compromise over 6-points programme, accepting President Yahiya's proposal to be his Prime Minister, and some of them were planning what could be done beforehand in that case to foil it, and how to blame Pakistan for the heinous murder in order to flare up an armed independence struggle.
Siraj Sikder who was condemned by China, had pledged to defeat Pakistan, India, USA and Russia all together (Anwar Hoxa of Albania had pledged to defeat the Revisionists from North and Imperialists from South). Sirajul Alam Khan Kapalik is a mysterious person who prepared the speeches of Sheikh Mujib, but I do not think he was the main architect of the independence. I guess Colonel Abu Taher was one of the arms of the great architect of Bangladesh. Although the ingenious architect of Bangladesh is a mystery to me, I guess they were Cheists, some of them were perhaps from another continent.
I saw him with two rifles. He asked me, – How many rifles do you have?
I said, - Five.
He said, - "Fine! With these seven rifles we will win the war of Camaguoy!"
(Grandma 1968)
Cheists were mistaken to guess Srilanka and East Pakistan as two weakest points of Imperialism in Asia. In Srilanka they were successful to overthrow the government. In accordance with the condition of independence in 1948, it let Britain to invade Srilanka assisted by Pakistani and Indian armed forces. Although India and Pakistan were in conflict over Bangladesh in Mujib Nagar, they worked hand in hand in Srilanka. All Cheists were searched and destroyed who were mostly Tamils. Then racial feeling helped RAW to grow a secessionist arm-struggle of Tamil Tigers LTTE, the success of Bangladesh was a paradigm. After thirty years it was subdued in 2009, because of a new global situation arising from nine-eleven incidents which led SIS and CIA to change their strategy.
The Cheists in Bangladesh did not learn from the carnage in Indonesia in 1965, and from the annihilation the Cheists in Srilanka in 1971. Internationally, they had failed to realize that socialism in Soviet Union introduced by Lenin was a metamorphic state of Capitalism, and Russia was in its natural course of Sociodynamics. Russia's course was not out of a deviation from Marxism, and that was confirmed later by the Chinese course in 1978. The National Liberation Struggle of Bangladesh in 1971 won a virtual victory through the intervention of India. The Cheists measured the amount of milk in the pot while it was boiling. They forgot that what is lotted by objective condition, cannot be blotted by subjective condition only. Emergence of Bangladesh was a sine qua non for her bourgeoisie development. The Cheists were the unconscious instrument of the history to create a Muslim middle class in Bangladesh which was hampered by the British rule (Neheru: Discovery of India).
However, the success of the Cheists reminds us of Ikhtiar Uddin Baktiar Khilji who conquered West Bengal by only 17 cavalrymen, or of Robert Clive who conquered Bengal with only 700 British soldiers. The Cheists in Bangladesh were a few only who succeeded to use Sheikh Mujib, with covert support from RAW, to lead a nation to a successful secession which is unprecedented in our time (compare Katanga, Kashmir,...). Afterwards, the Cheists succeeded to overthrow Indian hegemony with tactical support of CIA. Then their historical duty was over. When the SIS anti-terrorist task force came in action in late 1970s, the Cheists were searched and destroyed, and fully eliminated after JAL hijack incident.
I was like a joker in politics and a sceptic. I was a stupid boy since my childhood. In 1955, I was a student of class IV, and attended a meeting of Maulana Bhashani in Laksham after a tornado which devastated the area. At that time, it was only I, the first boy in the class supported Muslim League, that brought Pakistan, and all others in the Nasharatpur Primary School supported the United Front. I was mobbed for my support for Muslim League. At that meeting Maulana Bhashani said that "Iskander Mirza is a descendant of Mir Jafar!" That made me so worried that I could not sleep many nights. Then it was the end of Pakistan for which so many people had sacrificed their lives. The country will be again under the British rule, if the descendents of Mir Jafar had usurpt the power. I wanted to be sure about it. Some of the Government employees subordinate to my father were close to me, whom I called "Chacha". When I asked them whether Iskander Mirza was a descendant of Mir Jafar Ali Khan, they found my question amusing, and every one of them smiled and said, "I am not sure, but what matters if he is a descendant of Mir Jafar!". I was surprised to see that none was worried about it. I was sure that none of them were patriots. When a descendant of Mir Jafar became the Governor General of Pakistan, none but only me was worried.
A year letter I became the School Captain as the first boy of Class-V of the Primary school. One day we watched the students of Laksham Atul High School marching in a procession towards the Railway station against the visiting Education Minister. They went on strike, - told one of my class-mate who was much older and experineced. One boy should ring the bell and all the pupils should run out and march in a procession. It was so exciting to all the pupils. As the Captain of the school I should take the lead, - my class-mates pleaded. I was afraid. I knew that I was a good student of whom the Head Master was expecting much. I would be the first pupil of the school to be awarded the primary scholarship in that year. So, I did not dare to lead the strike of which I had no experience. "Not ring the bell!", said I, "We are going on strike without breaking discipline."
Then very quickly I wrote an application, and we three went to our Head Master Abul Hossain. He warmly received our application:
To
The Honourable Head Master....
With due respect and humble submission we beg to state that we have seen the students of Atul High School going on strike agaisnt the visiting Education Minister. We also are eager to go on a strike! We hope you would kindly grant us permission to go on a strike for which we shall remain ever grateful to you.
Your most obedient students of Class-V.
But after reading the application, he became hard and very angry. When I became pale in fear, he laughed, and advised me not to write such an application in future. I could not understand why our Head Master was angry with us while I had written all correct. I understood it later in 1964 when Head Master Abul Hossain got an invitation to meet President Ayub Khan in West Pakistan as the best Primary School teacher of East Pakistan. That newly started poor primary school where the benches made out of beetle-nut plants, became a five star school within a few years, starting from the award of Primary Scholarship to me in the year 1956.
I was always curious like Pandora, and I was curious about Nature and Nebulae too. In 1968 I came to learn about the Cheists from one EPSU (Menon) leader whose family was a migrant from West Bengal, and whose family rented a one storied house owned by Minister Mofizuddin Ahmed in Segun Bagicha. The elder brother of my peer was a leftist journalist working for a Daily. He was told that the Cheists considered the Maoist method obsolete. According to Mao Tse Tung it was possible in China because China was never a colony, and the Imperialists were then divided. In the colonies the Imperialists had established compradors to serve them like the convict warders in jail. Then the Cheists planned to follow the same method as that M16 did in Iran (1953) and in Congo (1961), and already in 1968 they planned to have nationalist Sheikh Mujib like Fidel Castro against Batista. The Cheists successfully infiltrated within CIA of Bangladesh, but not within SIS, which was weaker than CIA but more notorious in inflicting internal strife based on religion, sect, colour or creed. M16 was keen in throwing the "Apple of Discord".
The Play of Great Gladiators of Bangladesh is like a Greek tragedy. When I came out after two years detention in jail, I witnessed how the demons of British and Pakistani colonial period had disappeared overnight after 17 December 1971. I witnessed how the old demons wearing a new mask taking upper hand in Bangladesh under the umbrella of Sheikh Mujib, instigating dust of dissentions among those who were not like them. The goondas of NSF were chanting "Joy Bangla" in a louder voice than that of Awami goondas and many of them were appointed as the Directors of the nationalised companies, while the ruthless butchers of Pakistani occupation were rewarded for persecuting the people from the standpoint, -"who is not with me is against me". People were fooled by Macbeth policies.
On the other hand, who fought for the country, for example: Selim Shah Newaz, Siraj Sikder, Sheikh Mujib, Abu Taher, Khaled Musharraf, Ziaur Rahman, Abul Manjur, Syed Farooq Rahman and others, -all patriots were martyred by themselves like that of the ancient Gladiators of Rome. Often I recall the poem I committed to memory in my HSC in Notre DameCollege:
It was roses, roses, all the way,
With myrtle mixed in my path like mad:
The house-roofs seemed to heave and sway,
The church-spires flamed, such flags they had,
A year ago on this very day.
The air broke into a mist with bells,
The old walls rocked with the crowd and cries.
Had I said, ``Good folk, mere noise repels-
But give me your sun from yonder skies!''
They had answered, ``And afterward, what else?''
Alack, it was I who leaped at the sun
To give it my loving friends to keep!
Nought man could do, have I left undone:
And you see my harvest, what I reap
This very day, now a year is run.
There's nobody on the house-tops now-
Just a palsied few at the windows set;
For the best of the sight is, all allow,
At the Shambles' Gate- or, better yet,
By the very scaffold's foot, I trow.
I go in the rain, and, more than needs,
A rope cuts both my wrists behind;
And I think, by the feel, my forehead bleeds,
For they fling, whoever has a mind,
Stones at me for my year's misdeeds.
Thus I entered, and thus I go!
In triumphs, people have dropped down dead.
``Paid by the world, what dost thou owe Me?''
- God might question; now instead,
'Tis God shall repay: I am safer so.
Robert Browning The Patriot
Martyred for Righting the Grievous Wrong
The gladiator game of Bangladesh reminds me suicide goal in football. As a goal keeper, I was seldom prepared for a shot towards me from a player of my own team.
"Sukher lagiya e ghar bandhinu, onole puriya gelo.
Lachhami chahiya o chand sebinu, sakoli gorol bhelo.
Sokhi, sokal-i kormafalo!"
All of them had the intention of doing well for the land of their birth but later to sing:
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Just before start of the Gladiator plays we may listen to a true story .
During the British rule of India, Comilla was under the Maharaja of of Tripura. There were many large water ponds and tanks (dighi) dug by the Maharajas. Once a German tourist was there who noticed that everyday a native was sitting at the side of a large pond all day long.
One day the German asked him, -"What are you doing here?"
"I am guarding the pond,"- the man replied.
"Guarding a pond!", - the German wondered. "Who are after to steal a pond?"
"No", - replied the guard. "The pond is made for the people. But they make it dirty."
-"Why do they make the pond dirty it is made for them?"
-"Still many people do it, that's why I am in duty here."
-"How can you alone fight with them if they are many."
The guard laughed and said, -"Yes, they are many but they never come together. They come one by one, and then I use my stick to drive them away!"
The German also laughed and said, -"Now I understand why only by one hundred thousand Britons can rule three hundred thirty million Indians!"
(Translated from a memoir Halkhata by M A Malik, 1913-96)
! Patent warning
The words rongodesh and rongobondhu are patented under patent number GEC5442038742.
To use these two words one has to pay royalty of 1 EURO per frequency of use, to the account IBAN: FDSET 46510870786
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Programme
First Part
Gladiator Games: Revolution Eats Up Her Own Children
Second Part
Time Machine Travel to Kingdom of Sheikh Bangla (KSB)
Third Part
Jumping-Jack Dance of Sheikh Hasina and Khaleda Zia
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PART I
Gladiator Games: Revolution Eats Up Her Own Children
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THE PLAY
Oracle: Revolution eats up her own children
Background scene
A painting of 1762 A.D.
Mir Jafar Ali Khan's Reception of Robert Clive in Murshidabad
after the Battle of Palassey 1757 A.D.
THE GREAT GLADIATORS OF RONGODESH
The glorious five entertaining events took place in a period of a decade (1972-1981) under the reign of the Great Gladiators.
The rule of the game: KILL OR BE KILLED
Initial Match: Siraj Sikder vs Selim Shah Newaz (1973) Siraj Gazi, Selim Shaheed
First Match: Siraj Sikder vs Sheikh Mujib (1972-75) Mujib Gazi, Siraj Shaheed
Second Match: Sheikh Mujib vs Abu Taher (1973-75) Taher Gazi, Mujib Shaheed
Third Match: Khaled Mosharraf vs Abu Taher (1975) Taher Gazi, Khaled Shaheed
Fourth Match: Abu Taher vs Ziaur Rahman (1975-76) Zia Gazi, Taher Shaheed
Fifth Match: Ziaur Rahman vs Abul Manjur (1980-81) Zia Shaheed, Manjur Shaheed
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START 0 POINT
Holy message from Gabriel:
/Slave for slave, release for release, woman for woman/
Sheikh Mujib: No more Shaheed! Now we have to become Gazi!
CHORUS
Ganimat! Ganimat!! Ganimat!!!
Ganimat! Ganimat!! Ganimat!!!
Ganimat! Ganimat!! Ganimat!!!
A New Chowdhury (monologue): Alas, I miss my ganimat this time! I seized my ganimat after winning Pakistan, during three riots against the Hindus. Now the Awamis seize the belongings and women of the Biharees as their due ganimat. Now I must take care of myself. I can recall the whole Islamic history. Abu Sufian, his wife Henda, and all inhabitants of Mecca became Muslim when Muhammad (sm) entered in Mecca as a victor. Henda's son Muawiya became later the fifth Caliph who established the Umaiyya dynasty. I have to save my fortune by hook or cook. I am of higher breed, a son of Khan's (in Urdu or Hindi Khan ki ). After getting Bangladesh, Fakirnir Pootera (sons of beggar-women) find their buttocks lifted up to the sky.
New Chowdhury to Rakshi Bahini: I beg your help! I am a patriotic Bengali. Now, Fakrinir Pootera (sons of beggar-women) have occupied my landed property and constructed a slum there. They say they are homeless paupers from famine-struck villages. They have no respect for law and order which our father Bongobondhu Sheikh Mujibur Rahman wants. You know, I can give everything for Bongobondhu, as Hazrat Abu-Bakr gave to Prophet Muhammad (sm). I am ready to become a Shaheed for him. My foes accuse me for collaboration with Pakistani Army. God knows that in my heart I was always with Bongobondhu.
New Chowdhury (when got back the possession of his landed property): You are Rakshi Bahini. I wish to call you Laksmi Bahini. May Allah bless and protect you all!
A counrty skirmish song (in Bengali)
"Haam hoom baa~je baa~shi, baa~jite laagilo
O tui baa~jlo bherii baa~j!
O tui lorhai karibi jodi ekbar ektu saaj!
Ashii laksha dhola baa~je, nobboi laksha ka~rha!
O tui baa~jlo bherii baa~j!
O tui lorhai karibi jodi ekbar ektu saaj!...."
O tui lorhai karibi jodi ekbar ektu saaj!...."
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Comic Match
Siraj Sikder vs Selim Shah Newaz (1973)
Siraj Gazi, Selim Shaheed
Siraj Sikder : (monologue) My control over my party is in danger. The chief of my anti-aspionage bureau has reported that Selim Shah Newaz, Commander of Barisal Khulna division and the 7th of the Central Committee is getting married with very close relative of D.U. Lecturer Humayun Kabir, the 16th and the last member of the Central Committee. Some other CC members are also vacillating. It is a challenge to my Stalinist leadership. I must take serious action against such a constellation!)
Siraj Sikder meets Selim Shah Newaz
Siraj: You never can marry that girl! She is not a party member!
Selim: Comrade Rahela was neither a party member when you took her!
Siraj: But that girl you love is a petty-bourgeoisie!
Selim: But every week you are to send a party cadre to Chittagong New-market to buy foreign cosmetics for Comrade Rahela! Is she a proletariat!
Siraj: Shut up. Mind of whom you are speaking! It is a slander. Ho-Chi-Minh smokes only American cigarettes!
Selim: Don't compare your Madam to Ho-Chi-Minh rather to Comrade Chiagf Ching!
Siraj: Shut up! You are to pay for insulting her!
Selim: I have decided to marry the girl I love against your will. She is a revolutionary girl. You know that it was she who let us break in her Muslim league leader father's house in fake robbery! I do not care what you say!
Siraj: You get capital punishment if you dishonour the party leader.
Selim: You have let the party into personal grudge of NSI Director by seducing his wife Jahan Ara, the mother of his two youg sons!
Siraj: Shut up! You are defaming me! You dishonour Sarbohara Party rule! Where is Khasru, my dagger I stole from Kazi clique! I want blood of Selim Shah Newaz to entertain my new Madam Rahela!
Selim (stabbed) groans singing his favourite song for the last time:
"Bangla maar durnibar amra tarun dal
shrantiheen klantiheen sankate otal
Khudiram Bagha Jateen Pritilata di
tomader atmatyag ajo bhulini....".
Siraj Gazi Selim Shaheed
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Mamdo-Bhoot Selim Shah Newaz waiting for a revenge
//////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////// The First Match
Siraj Sikder vs Sheikh Mujib (1972-75)
Mujib Gazi, Siraj Shaheed
Mujib: (Monolog: I guess the leftists are my enemies for the future, not the rightists.)Mujib: Release all collaborators of the Pakistan Army who are arrested under PO 50, they are my Bengali brothers. Arrest the leftists instead under non-bailable PO 50 as collaborators. Who is not with me, he is against me!Mujaffar: I am a leftist who is always with you, and I am directed from Moscow not to speak any thing about our Shaheed Deputy Speaker Shahed Ali.Mujib: Lay down your party banner! Say- 'I believe in One God, One Party and One Leader represents Him'-, embrace now Deen-i-Elahi!Siraj: I will never. Your Bangladesh is not sovereign independent. Sheikh Mujib, you are merely a puppet of six mountains.
Mujib: (Pekfinger dress of Rakshi Bahini) - Shoot the Naxalite at sight! (dekha matra guli).
Siraj: Peoples are my angles to remove these six mountains!
(Maulana Bhasani wondering: Does a Naxalite write that word on his back!) (Music and Shooting I
Siraj (dying) sings:
"jago jago jago Sarbohara
onashan babdi kritadas!...".
Shaheed Siraj Sikder Gazi Mujib
Mamdo-Bhoot Selim Shah Newaz: Siraj Sikder, you were once the Prince Paris of Troy
Gazi Sheikh Mujib: Kothay aj sei Siraj Sikder!
Mamdo-Bhoot Siraj Sikder waiting for a revenge
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The Second Match
Sheikh Mujib vs Abu Taher (1973-75)
Taher Gazi, Mujib Shaheed
Sheikh Mujib: Do you know I play with three big powers with my three fingers!
(showing pekfinger: Russia, middle finger: America, ring finger: India).
Abu Taher: The three are playing with you!
Mujib: Do not try to make me a Fidel Castro! You see how much I have earned from begging! 20 billion Dollars!
Taher: But you do say, -"I beg over the whole world but choshar dal chetepute khay! kake bishwas kori. Sobai chor! "
Mujib: What can I do! They cry for me and call me the Father of the Nation!
Taher: You have become their God Father!
Mujib: I am a patriot uniting all Al-Badr, Pal-Badr, Lal-Badr, and Kal-Badr into one: Shal-Badr for a dynasty like the Paal Dynasty during the seventh century. You know Sonar Bangla abar asibe fire hajar bochhor pore under Sheikh Dynasty in twentieth century.
Taher: As the lawless Slave-Dynasty of Bengal during the fourteenth century, if not like that of Sheikh Abdullah's in Kashmir in twentieth century!
Mujib: lalghorha dabre debo! (I will drive away the Red Horses)! Abu Taher: bojha tomar bhari hole dubbe torikhana!Mujib: amar lokera tule hunkar- "Mujibur Mujibur (rahmanir rahim)!"
Taher: astagferullah! Mustaqo! Davido!
(Music and Shooting II)
Mujib (dying) screams:
"adim himgsra manobikatar jodi mora keho hoi
svajan harano smashane ekdin chita toder tulboi"
Gazi Taher Shaheed Sheikh MujibMamdo-Bhoot Siraj: (Ha Ha Ha!) kothay aj sei Sheikh Mujib!
Mustaq: I will protect ech and every inch of the land from the aggression of hyaenas!
-------------------------
Mamdo-Bhoot Sheikh Mujib waiting for a revenge
////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////
The Third Match
Khaled Mosharraf vs Abu Taher (1975)
Taher Gazi, Khaled Shaheed
Khaled: Sonar Bangla is Tilottoma to us for whom we are fighting like asura siblings Sunda and Upsunda. After Mujib's death, she is mine! I am her bonafide senior Debor. I know what I want, and I want it now!
Khaled Musararaf (sings):
"Noma Noma Noma!
Sunduri Moma!
Noma Noma Noma!.."
Taher: Khaled is but a Centaur! Where is David Boaster!(monologue: I use him. ...h..om, is he using me!)(Music and Shooting III)
Shaheed Khaled Musarraf --------------------------------
Mamdo-Bhoot Khaled Musarraf waiting for a revenge
////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////
The Fourth Match
Abu Taher vs Ziaur Rahman (1975-76)
Zia Gazi, Taher Shaheed
Zia: (monologue): I declared for independence while the soul of arrested Sheikh Mujib whispered in me. Now his ghost is whispering in me to finish all the Red Horses! If my saviour, the war-crippled Abu Taher in Bangladesh, nobody cares me! Although I was one of the Bengali Disobedients from Pakistan Armed Force, I know it is a genetic disorder to become a rebel. I know the story of a jackal who dressed himself as a lion and became the king of the animals. He kept himself always away from other jackals in fear of being disclosed. I must be careful and not respond to their call by any mistake! I like the Bengali Ex-Obedients from Pakistan Armed Force like Ershad and Abdur Rahman who are obedient.)
Zia: O SIS, you are here! You know, RAW, the second left arm of Mossad, does not trust me at all, although I am Indira's messenger to convince Pakistan and others to join in SAARC, and Israel recognised Bangladesh at once at my call for independence from Pakistan on 27 March 1971. I am now at a stake. King-maker Col. Taher is making trouble inside the country and Samrat Kader Siddqui is raiding from India at the border as the Borgis did. O SIS, I must ged rid of my peers Abu Taher, Manjur and Shawkat! I could surprise President Khondker Mustaq by sending him in jail for 5 years for stealing a thermoflask from the Governor's House although he argued that it was a mistake of a servant who had packed his personal belongings, and I have dropped Mustaq's picture from the picture gallery of the Presidents inside the Governor's House! But what to do now with the others!
(Enlightened Zia smiles)
Zia: Taher, you are one of my comrade-in-arms in fighting for Bangladesh. It is pity that you lost a leg in that liberation war. Otherwise, you have got two chances to take the power. Now I give you an alternative. An Ambassador is not so bad post as you think. My bosses also have become Ambassadors. The army officers are demanding your blood. But I am indebted to you for saving my life in November. So, I give you a chance, otherwise history will mark me as an ingratitude like Mohammad Ali Beg. You know, fortune seldom knocks twice.
Taher: I promised my soldiers a rankless army! I prefer Do or die for my cause!
Zia: At your Rebirth!
Zia: (monologue) I must hang a disobedient rival like Taher to please my blood thirsty Army Officers! Now I am no more guilty to my consciousness.
Zia: General Abdur Rahman!
General Abdur Rahman: Zi Sir! Now I am an Abdu of President Zi Rahman, although I never served in your Z-force, but President Yahiya's Y-Force! Yo know well why I had divorced Dr. Dr. Matin Chowdhury's only daughter! You are our Zi Sir! You can trust me as Yahiya trusted me.
Zia: Fake a concoction of treason against Abu Taher, and comply your task!
Taher (upon gallows) utters:
"chini tomay chini go, jani tomay jani go
shada hatir kalo mahut tumi na!
panchash lakho pran dichhi
maa boneder maan dichhi
kalo bazar alo koro tumi na!...
"(Music and Shooting IV)
Gazi Zia: Tilottoma Sonar Bangla is like Cleopetra, "jokhani jahar tokhoni tahar, ei ki romoni tumi!" Now she is mine! Sings: "Jibon Bangladesh Amar!......". ----------------------------
Mamdo-Bhoot Abu Taher waiting for a revenge
////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////
The Fifth Match
Ziaur Rahman vs Abul Manjur (1980-81)
Zia Shaheed, Manjur Shaheed
Abul Manjur: (Monolog: Zia has betrayed us! He banishes me in Chttagong as Rama was banished in Dandakranya, and rewarded collaborator Ersahd. The students could not help me for a Change! I can start from Zia's radio-station at Kalurghat to observe its 10th anniversary).
Abul Manjur: (sings) dia thuiya khayna jara eka eka khay
tader kopal emni kaira chhai haiya jay!...
(Music and Shooting V)Shaheed Zia: (under fire): moron Bangladesh amar! moron Bangladesh...)Mamdo-Bhoot Taher: Zia, I discovered you were once Mohammad Ali Beg in your previous life!
Shaheed Zia Shaheed ManjurManjur (groans): "surjodaye tumi, surjaste tumi
o amar Bangladesh, priya matribhumi".
Music
"Chhele Ghumalo Parha jurhalo Borgi elo deshe"
Mamdo-Bhoot Khaled: We all are together in peace! Om Shanti! Om Shanti!
Tilotomma Sonar Bangla, You can hurt us no more! No more! General H. M. Ershad
The Great Machiavellian Prince enters in the arena
General H M Ershad is in tears and he salutes six Mamdo-Bhoots
mb siraj mb mujib mb khaled mb taher mb zia mb manjur
Ershad is very sad. He offers Pindas and praises them:
"jug jug dhori nondita kori mondrita toba bheri..."
---------------------
Music: Nepoy mare doi
http://ww.smashits.com/music/bengali/play/songs/28493/aasbo-aabaraddaya/197145/Nepoy-Mare-Doi.html
Before this Gladiator Game session is closed, after the 5th Match, twelve army officers from Chittagong are to be hanged hurriedly, accused for the crime of mourning Manjur's shahadat.
A picture at the background shows Emperor Balban hanging one hundred thousand men, women and children upon mango trees around the capital of Bengal for the crime of mourning for beheaded Governor Mugisuddin Tugril who had proclaimed Bengal independent.
[The End of Thrilling Gladiator Games in Bangladesh]
///////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////
The play is dedicated to all
BOLIR PA~THA OF RONGODESH
performed each and every day for
Maha Kali
MahaKali, the Bengali National Deity is fond of Naramedha and Mamdo-Bhoot
A BREAK OF THE SESSION
The session is closed sine die
The visitors are requested to come back while the indemnity for the murder of a hundred thousand Bengalis by Rakshi Bahini and RAB is waved aside by Rongodesh or by ICC. LONG LIVE GUNDATANTRA, SPECIAL POWER ACT XIV, PO 50, CROSS_FIRE MURDER
We congratulate also those who are keen to practice Sukanta Bhattacharya mantra
###############################
Dear Honourable Visitors, thank you for a nice time here!
You may congratulate two Ex-House-Wives Hasina and Khaleda
Who became lucky ladies from the outcome of the gladiator games,
will show you their jumping-jack dance directed by RAW at the third part.
CURTAIN
----------------------------------------------
*******************
PART II
Time Machine Travel to Kingdom of Sheikh Bangla (KSB)
Time Machine is set to travel back to New Year Day1975. In that fantasy we will make a tour for half a century in a different track where Sheikh Mujib did not fall in 1975.
TIME MACHINE IS ON (Please About Turn!)
TEN….. NINE.…. EIGHT….. SEVEN…….SIX……..FIVE……….FOUR…..
THREE…….TWO………ONE……..
BHOOOOOOOOOOOM……………….
In the night of 31 December 1974, Sheikh Mujib dreamt a dream which he had never dreamt in his life. In his dream he saw the Gladiator Game to be played. He screamed in his sleep out of the nightmare.
On the following morning he decided to make the things different. Siraj Sikder was sent to jail, not killed. So, all possibility of the occurrence Gladiator Games was circumvented. Sheikh Mujib did not fall, but following Europe and Arabia, established a Constitutional Monarchy, KSB or the Kingdom of Sheikh Bangla.
He foresaw the root of all evils was Bangladesh Army, which was dissolved and following Kingdom Saudi Arabia (KSA), soldiers were to be recruited from abroad. The impotent Rakshi Bahini which only beat non-Mujibites to death but trembled before guns was sent to Bay of Bengal to fish instead. Sheikh Hasina stayed in Europe with her husband Dr. Wazed Mia and worked as a Home Language Teacher. Ziaur Rahman sent to Canada settled there, and Khaleda Zia had opened "Indian Restaurant Zi-Ra", running well. These two working house-wives you would meet later in the West after three decades, and in this show.
During the morning of 15 August 1975, we find President Sheikh Mujibur Rahman at TSC of Dhaka University, garlanded, sitting beside Vice-Chancellor Dr. (Chicago), Dr. (Dacca) Abdul Matin Chowdhury. Surprisingly, Siraj Sikder is alive and sitting behind Sheikh Mujibur Rahman. A shining golden crown was put upon a table in front of them. At the background you would see a large picture of Napoleon, the great revolutionary leader of Europe who waged relentless heroic war for spreading the message of "Liberty, Equality and Fraternity" all over the world, crowning himself as an Emperor.
At the inaugural speech, Dr. Dr. Matin Chowdhury informs the audience to be prepared to hear something revolutionary. The "Goon-Prajatantrik Bangaldesh" would become a Nationalist Democratic Socialist and Secular Monarchy spreading Mujibism based on four cardinal principles: Nationalism, Democracy, Socialailm, and secularism.
After the coronation, Badshah Sheikh Mujibur Rahman, along with the members of his court, would tour around the renovated Dacca University Campus.
But unlike Napoleon who had put the crown by himself, Sheikh Mujibur Rahman is crowned by Dr. Dr. Abdul Matin Chowdhury under applauds of the audience which lasted for an hour. Surprising all, Sheikh Mujibur Rahman introduced Siraj Sikder, a brave fighter for independence, appointed as the Head of the Royal Guards, bearing a sword in his hand. Badshah Sheikh Mujibur Rahman declared that the Bangladesh Army was dissolved. Soldiers to guard the country were to be recruited from Somalia. As Siraj Sikder was the Head of Royal Gurads, the Rakshi Bahini was no more needed to hunt and beat to death all suspected Sabohararas and their sympathisers; instead all members of Rakshi Bahini would to move to Bay of Bengal in hunting fish. The country would become peaceful and progressive as that of the good neighbours Kingdom of Nepal, Kingdom of Bhutan or Kingdom of Thailand, but having good ties with KSA and Emirates via Julfikar Bhutto of Pakistan.
The new cabinet would be formed with zealous persons because of inexperience, as follows appointed by His Majesty:
Prime Minster: Sheikh Fazlul Huq Moni
Foreign Minister: Crown Prince Sheikh Kamal
Finance Minister: Begum Motiya Chowdhury
Industry Minister: Comrade Forhad
Defence Minister: Sheikh Zamal
Home Minister: Fazilutunnessa
Commerce Minister: Monsur Ali
Agriculture Minister: Gazi Golam Mustafa
Education Minister: Abdur Rob Seniabat
..
Great Student leader Mahbubullah of pro-Chinese Students Union, breaking with cliquey Kazi Zafar on the support of Naxalites, and former the Head of the Red Guards Movement in Bangladesh, congratulated Badshah Sheikh Mujibur Rahman, and repeated his attribution, "Banglar Badshah Sheikh Mujibur Rahman is the Prince Singhanuk of Bengal". After that, the new Sultan of Bengal leaves the stage along with the members of the court.
The scene of Bangladesh was then eternal. No Change! No Barak Obama! No disturbances until the emergence of the era of Al-Qaeda, and Blair's implantation of the doctrine "New Liberal Imperialism" to revert those countries like the protectorate Kingdoms and Emirates. The Golden Bengal returned after a thousand years! There was no conflict, and therefore, no news. Like folklore, the Prince and Princess are united and having happy life until Death separates them. There is nothing more to narrate. Only the speeches of the fahter of the new nation was heard from each and every house, ending in a song praising him:
"Janganmana odhinayaka he Banga bhagya bidhata
Joy, joy, joy, he Banga bhagya bidhata...."
(CURTAIN)
***********************
(New scene with snowing background of Europe)
Sheikh Hasina had settled in Europe as a working house-wife, a home language teacher. Her struggle in life was a saga, would not end before she comes to live in an old-people's house. The same was for Khaleda Zia, settled in Canada, the owner of "Indian Restaurant Zi-Ra".
A typical conversation of the couple Dr. Wazed Mia and Ms. Hasina Wazed:
Hasina: Will you sit behind the computer at home also. There was a wonderful drama in Bengali TV.
Wazed: I have seen so many Bengali plays.
Hasina: But it is so touching, my heart broke. I am still weeping!
Wazed: When you going to work tomorrow!
Hasina: Don't mention it! I have to go out of home in the dark!
Wazed: You like your job, do you not?
Hasina: I have difficult to explain things to my pupils. Yesterday I recited a poem narrating of Bangladesh the Queen of all countries. No where in the world you will see such beautiful country. Then a girl asked me then why we are living in this rotten country!
Wazed: What did you say?
Hasina: It is due to Pakistan that devastated the Golden Bengal! But soon Golden Bengal will come back in the Kingdom of Sheikh Bangla. Just we have to work hard. Then a boy said that he saw in TV how Bengali women work hard in garments industries. A worker gets a Euro per day. Then I said that if ten million women work, it becomes ten million Euros. Then they said - Waoo, so much money! A girl asked whether men in Bangladesh live on women's income as in Europe! I said, - No, twenty million men from Bangladesh work abroad and send a hundred billion Euros. Am I not right?
Wazed: But Ruppur Atomic Energy Plant would be at work long ago if there was not the war.
Hasina: You spoiled your life after that. You could start business as other Bangladeshis. I have talked to Khaleda in Canada yesterday. They are planning to open a beauty parlour. Their "Indian Restaurant Zi-Ra" is running well.
Wazed: Then they are not like us, cats and dogs!
Hasina: That is not sure. Khaleda and Zia quarrel every day in sending money to Bangladesh.
Wazed: Why so, if they have good economy, not like us living hand to mouth.
Hasina: When Khaleda says her relatives are needy, Zia says they are as large as a small nation in number and all of them are greedy. Some Bengalis have advised Khaleda to bring all her relatives to West through fake relationship.
Wazed: That's good way to get rid of the burden. Why do not they do that?
Hasina: Zia is not agreed to a "fake divorce" and fake re-marriage to bring the relatives as the other immigrants do!
Wazed: But not we.
Hasina: Because there are people like Abdullah Al-Harun who would write about us just in the next issue of Parikrama. The interpreters are to keep the talks secret, but they make it public within a day.
Wazed: But the Bengalis living here are more religious than they were in Bangladesh. They attend the mosque regularly.
Hasina: As far as I know they go to mosque regularly to avoid cleaning, cooking and minding children at home. After the prayer in the mosque, they get together to have information from each other how to bring their relatives to the West. Who succeeded best and how it was. They learn about new channels of earning without doing manual work.
Wazed: Then it is not much different from that of the Jews learning of business from insiders assembled for prayer in the Synagogues on Saturdays.
(to continue)
--------------------------------
TIME MACHINE IS ON AGAIN
TEN….. NINE.…. EIGHT….. SEVEN…….SIX……..FIVE……….FOUR…..
THREE…….TWO………ONE……..
BHOOOOOOOOOOOM……………….
RETURN
to Present World
(Please About Turn!)
[Soon the Third Part Starts]
---------------------------------------------
PART III
Jumping-Jack
Jumping-Jack
Jumping-Jack
Jumping-Jack
Dance of Sheikh Hasina and Khaleda Zia
Music
- suhaachchaan badoni dhani, naachoto dekhi
-baala naachoto dekhi -baala naachoto dekhi.
-nachon bhalo sundori je bandhen bhalo chul
helia dulia pahre, nachbe sharir phul.
-baala nachoto dekhi-
-baala naachoto dekhi
jhumur jhumur nupur banje
dhumuk dhumuk tale
nayane nayan milya gele
sharom lage kane.
-baala nachoto dekhi-
-baala naachoto dekhi
-jemni nachen nagor Kanai
temni nachen Rai
nachia bholao desh, dekhibe sobai.
-baala nachoto deskhi-
- suhaachchaan badoni dhani, nachoto dekhi
-baala nachoto deskhi-
-baala nachoto deskhi
- suhaachchaan...
(Directed by RAW
Produced by M16)
[applauds]
--------------------------
THE END OF PROGRAMME
Honourable Guests, before leaving the Arena and coming out through Rongobondhu Gate, let all of us stand up and sing Anthem of Rongodesh:
Laal Salam Comrade Shaheedan!
Naajati jihade tobo atma-bolidan
Rongodeshe aajo likhe tobo nam:
Rongobondhu Rahimur Rahman!
Laal Salam Comrade Shaheedan!
Laal Salam! Laal Salam!
Laal Salam!
................
Exit through Rongobondhu Gate
THE END
.............................................................................................................................
Attachments
Boligarto
Begum Rokeya
Translated from Bengali by Tapati Gupta
The college was closed for the summer. I was sitting in the veranda. Suddenly I noticed Kamala Didi coming up the stairs, panting, and accompanied by a Muslim woman called Jaheda Bibi. Kamala Devi -- dedicated Congress worker whose mission was to propagate khadi and the spinning wheel. She pulled up a chair at once and siting down, she said, "I have won over a lot of territory… Now let us go to Boligarto."
"And where can that be?" I asked.
"My maternal uncle's home is there. He is no more, so it's the bastion of my cousins," said Jaheda.
"O fine! Then it'll be easy to spread the message of the spinning wheel," I said.
"O no! It's not as easy as you think. The village is quite out of bounds. Moreover Jaheda is banned from entering it."
"Why? What has she done?"
"Because she goes about with me and has some education, wears khadi and takes vegetarian food."
"Then why go to Boligarto? Since it's the home of Jaheda's cousins, and she herself is banned entry?"
"How can that be? I am Kamala for whom all doors are open. Besides because entry is forbidden, all the more I must enter there. And you have to go with us."
"No dear, you go."
"Look here, it won't be any fun without you. If they are able to operate the spinning wheel then I shall give you the first khadi cloth that is made from the thread that the Khatkatés spin. Mr Jaherdar Farfaré, who is the Diwan of the zamindar of BoligartoKhan Bahadur Kashai-ud-din Khatkhate, is now in Kolkata. Come, let's go to him and make all arrangements. Bina, get up, please! Come, quick."
There was no way, and I had to go to Mr Farfaré's with them. Two of his brothers were also there and we were welcomed with extreme warmth and hospitality. I wondered why in spite of such loving care and attention Jaheda Bibi said that she was banned from entering the home of her cousin. O I forgot to point out that this Diwan Mr Jaherdar Farfaré was the zamindar's brother, and the other two gentlemen were his step brothers. None of them got any share in the zamindar's estate. They only got a monthly allowance.
No sooner had Jaheda expressed the desire to go to Boligarto than Mr Farfaré said quite spontaneously, "O yes bubu, you must come. It's your own uncle's home, your mamarbari, why should you wait for a formal invitation? Whenever you want to go I myself will come and fetch you, and if I cannot come, then (pointing to his brothers) I will send one of them. Say, when will you go? Whenever you send the word, one of them will come and take you there."
Jaheda : ---"Brother, I shan't be alone; Kamala Didi and Binapani Devi will also go with me. Our needs on the way…."
Mr Farfaré : "Don't worry about that bubu! And don't feel hesitant or embarrassed. Come , all of you, it will be our pleasure. Bhaisaheb will be extremely happy to see you."
After this we all started making preparations for the journey. In the meantime Mr Farfaré had returned home. He lived in a town in the district of Guptapur. Boligarto was about forty or fifty miles from Guptapur. Mr Khatkhaté of Boligarto had not yet been informed about our visit. Jaheda was so far only corresponding with Mr Farfaré . When Jaheda fixed up a date and wrote to Mr Farfaré to send one of his brothers, he wrote back to say that both his brothers had already left for Boligarto and would not return before the festival of Bakr-Eid. Also at this time there was the fear of communal trouble. So the Khan Bahadur Khatkhaté will not let anyone leave home. If only Jaheda would go to Guptapur with someone else then he could easily send them on to Boligarto from there. Their visit would no doubt make Khatkhaté Bhaisaheb extremely happy….
Jaheda wrote back that they could go only if they were given some money for the journey. Where would a poor man like him get so much money? --- came the reply.
Of course the Khan Bahadur Khatkhaté could easily send five hundred rupees if he wanted to. In spite of all this Jaheda was sure that once they reached Boligarto there will be no lack of funds.
We set out on the appointed day. On the way to Guptapur , we halted for seven days in a friend's house at a place called Bishnuganj. It was about eight to ten miles from Bishnuganj to Guptapur. People usually did this distance twice or thrice a day. While in Bishnuganj we came to know that Mr Fargaré was feeling himself jeopardized and he was even hatching plans to frustrate our visit to Boligarto. This made Jaheda Bibi shrink in embarrassment. But Kamala said. "We will not give up. We will certainly go to Boligarto; first let us reach Guptapur. Mr Farfaré was so full of praise for his brother… We must take a look at this righteous sage, and such a great man!
So we went to Guptapur. But Jaheda Bibi did not let us go to Mr Farfaré's house. She made us put up elsewhere. After about two or three days out of sheer politeness Mr Farfaré sent a special invitation to spend two days in his house. And there Mr Farfaré and his wife Dalimkara gave us the following account of Boligarto.
They said there was no proper road to Boligarto –the way was full of ditches, ponds, slush. Since the water bodies were not deep enough, boats could not go. Since the way was neither dry nor flat, palquins and motor cars could not go either. Some parts of the road were as high as hills! People have tried ascending the Mount Gourishankar but no one has as yet dared the descent to Boligarto. There was great hardship---after a lot of hazards small fishing boats or other such modes of transport could bring to the town the letters from Boligarto. We would not be able to withstand the extreme hardship and hassles of the journey. And even if we did manage to arrive where would we stay?
For the Khan Bahadur Khatkhaté's huge palace was the abode of goats, cows, sheep, hens and other such creatures. Snakes and scorpions slithered along the courtyard in broad daylight. Evening brought on hordes of some deadly flying insects and oof ! how they would make our bodies swell with their sting! …we would ache and itch like mad. Things were so bad that the Khan Bahadur had to have his meals sitting inside the mosquito net. His living quarters were in the first floor where there were not enough rooms to put us up in. His three wives occupied three suites. They were all confined upstairs or nearly imprisoned one may say . Mr Khakhaté did not let his feet down on to the floor for fear of getting bitten by snakes. His servants carried him about in a chair. In a chair he was conveyed to the outer wings of his mansion.
Mr Khatkhaté was definitely religious minded. He spent his time with the Koran, Hadees, Tafseer, and Tasbih. Although he did not shirk his duties as a landlord, he spent minimum time in worldly affairs, only as much as was unavoidable. In Islam, both giving and taking of interest were considered sins. So the poor peasants instead of taking loans from other people borrowed from him He charged exorbitantly high interests because the scriptures prohibited interest against loans. Since he was forfeiting his religion by helping the poor they had to pay a good price. Religion after all could not be so cheaply bartered away. Everyone in his household even the maids and servants were devoutly religious. They believed in even the most unintelligible legends of the Hadees and moulded their habits accordingly. Some kafer in times long past was said to have cleaned his tongue with a tongue-scrubber, so they never used that implement.
In order to obtain the rewards of jihad, the Khan would tyrannically beat his maids and his tenants. The reader would be surprised to know that even during this British rule in some places there were maids who were slaves; not bought in the open market though, but captured by might or wile from the homes of the poor tenants. Thus the mistresses of his household and the master himself got the opportunity to obtain the religious benefit of jehad by beating slaves and tenants. If once in a while it so happened that some slave girl somehow managed to escape through the gutter in the loo then the Khan Bahadur would be lucky to obtain the rewards of granting azad, or liberty.
The God fearing Khan Bahadur was staunchly opposed to the custom of confinement. Once he had to go to Guptapur with his family for medical treatment. His widowed young sister and a niece coaxed him into letting them go round by car to see the city of Guptapur. He readily agreed and ingeniously had the entire vehicle draped in a thick cloth through which the poor damsels saw only a vague shadowy impression of the place and a minor hint of the shining sun. Even so Mr Khatkhaté said to them, "Look here, by going out by car you beheld the faces of innumerable men and so you have to perform taoba (penitence) before me and promise never to indulge the desire to go our by any motor car."
Since Mr Jaherdar Farfaré was the brother of the Khan Bahadur Khatkhaté he too was extremely dedicated to religion. He observed the most trivial customs of the Shariat. He believed it was a great sin to take photographs of human beings. By becoming the secretary of an orphanage in Guptapur he was earning a lot of grace ( the lowly called it money) We came to learn that once he had invited the Governor of Bengal to come and visit his orphanage. After His Highness had left, one of Jaherdar's friends regretted not having got the opportunity of having a group photo taken with the dignitary. Upon this Mr Farfaré made the following remark, "Yes indeed dear brother, why didn't you remind me about it earlier? So much was arranged yet this most important detail was overlooked. I can't make you understand how I regret it." Hearing this, a witty person from among those assembled there stood up and said, addressing the entire assemblage, We had so far known that our friend Mr Farfaré was of the opinion that it was an unpardonable offence to take photographs of human beings. But now our same friend seems to think that there was no sin in photographing the Governor. On the contrary, in this action there appears to be the hope of obtaining the grace of God. (general laughter).
Before he left the place the Governor even expressed his satisfaction by writing two complimentary sentences praising Mr Farfaré's work. Not only did this make the latter plump with pride but he even expanded upon the theme of these two lines and had an 8-10 pages monograph printed. In order to distribute these books among his acquaintances he even absented himself from office for a couple of days. He kept on telling everybody, "Magistrate?… he is after all a petty officer! Commissioner? He is only an insignificant servant. I don't care about them. They on the other hand should honour me, for nowadays I am on letter-writing terms with the Lat Bahadur himself, "… and so he would go on….
Mr Farfaré deemed it necessary for men to have four wives; all other customs of Hindustan he held in contempt. Yet when it came to considering the re-marriage of his thirteen years old widowed niece he dissented, saying, "Since we are living in a Hindu country we should respect their customs and regulations. No widow of an aristocratic family is re-married," and so he went on…
The Khan Bahadur himself had taken up the duties of looking after three wives; the fourth place had been reserved for the extremely beautiful daughter of a certain zamindar. Unfortunately it so happened that one day he ran about on the streets of Guptapur, intoxicated and with the bottle in hand. Some malicious persons went and related the incident to the wife of the said zamindar with the result that his marriage plans fell through. So the post of his fourth wife lay vacant up till then. Since he was now ridden with ill health and not even able to move on his own, not a single bloke was willing to give him his daughter in marriage.
The Khan Bahadur Khatkhaté was a man of multiple virtues the principal among which was his capacity to manage things. Because commodities became scarce during the monsoons he would make advance procurements of huge quantities of rice, pulses, and other provisions. He would horde so much rice that ultimately paddy would grow out of the old rice and by and by his entire granary would become a paddy field. All the rooms along the corridor would become jam-packed with onion plants and coconut trees. The potato creepers would creep and climb up to the first floor of his house.
Our sister Dalimkara's (Mrs Farfara) description of the W.C.(toilet) of Boligarto was too offensive to refined taste and therefore not worth wasting ink and paper on.
Mr Khatkhaté was under the treatment of a certain hakim called Ajrail. The hakim saheb got paid a fee of rupees two hundred. Due to this it was said that the Khan Bahadur was fast moving upwards to the Mokam Mahmuda (the highest region of Heaven). After expressing our heartfelt wishes for his speedy recovery we took our leave of Mrs Farfara.
While getting into the car Kamala Didi said, "Listen dada, wait a bit. If there is no way on earth to reach Boligarto, then we shall soon travel by air and land on the roof of Mr Kashai-ud-din Khatkhaté's palace.
Published (in Parabaas) July 20, 2002
Notes and Glossary
Bhaisaheb : Respectful and affectionate address for brother (Urdu)
Boligarto : a compound of `boli'= ritual sacrifice, and 'garto'= hole; the name suggests a sacrificial pit.
Bubu : Colloquial urdu term for elder sister.
Dada, Dadababu : literally elder brother; often used as a reverential form of address to denote one of superior station.
Didi : elder sister.
Diwan : Land Revenue officer.
Hakim : a physician with deep knowledge and wisdom.
Mamarbari : maternal gradparent's home; literally, maternal uncle's home.
This story is excerpted from Harvest Volume II (2002), which covers a wide range of Bengali short stories by women writers (from both Bangladesh and India) from 19th century till date. The earliest champion of women's liberation, Begum Rokeya, whose story is excerpted here, is also the earliest author represented in this volume. Harvest is guest edited by Tapati Gupta.
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WikiLeaks reveals Rab's image abroad
* Bangladesh home ministry stonewalled US govt about Rab's HR violation in 2008-09
* US refused to train Rab for HR violation records, but UK did it despite being concerned
* US, UK, India considered Rab as a potential counter-terrorism ally
Emran Hossain
When an inter-agency team of the US government tried to get information about Rapid Action Battalion's human rights violation records in an effort to improve the elite force's practices regarding such rights, they were stonewalled by the Bangladesh home ministry.
Officials of Rab, and some senior government officials however recognised the necessity of addressing the issue.
The revelation was made by Wikileaks, through publication of a series of classified cables originating from the US embassy in Dhaka.
The cables were sent by US Ambassador in Dhaka James F Moriarty in August 2008 and in January and May of 2009. The information in the cables were supposed to be classified till 2018 and 2019.
The leak revealed that the US, UK and India share almost common counter-terrorism goals in Bangladesh, all of whom consider Rab a potential counter-terrorism ally.
The January 2009 cable, referring to Moriarty, said, "The ambassador stressed that the US government had started human rights training for the Rab. He added that the Rab was the enforcement organisation best positioned to one day become a Bangladeshi version of the US Federal Bureau of Investigation."
The US, UK, and India are much convinced about Rab's ability to carry out counter terrorism activities in Bangladesh, according to the cables.
Moriarty, and the erstwhile Indian high commissioner in Dhaka Pinak Ranjan Chakravarty also agreed in a meeting that Hasina government should not disband Rab, said one of the cables.
But in 2008 the US had to pull back from its engagement with Rab due to the latter's record of human rights violations.
"Our ability to offer training or assistance is currently constrained by the Rab's alleged human rights violations, which have rendered the organisation ineligible to receive training and assistance according to Leahy legislation," said the 2008 cable.
UK, however, has been training Rab in areas such as investigative interviewing techniques and rules of engagement despite sharing the same concerns with the US.
An inter-agency team of the US government, comprising members of the department of state, defence, and justice, visited Bangladesh in July 2008 for assessing "both the Rab's current operating procedures regarding human rights violations as well as possibilities for engagement".
"The Rab seeks a broad engagement with the US government including human rights and counter terrorism training and recognises the need to address allegations of past abuses," the cable goes on, "A possible stumbling block moving forward is inertia within some levels of the government bureaucracy, primarily within Bangladesh's home ministry."
The US team held meetings with Rab, government officials, NGOs, human rights organisations and journalists, facing the only obstacle from the bureaucrats.
"Members of Rab, possibly on instruction from senior government officials, have unlawfully used lethal force to eliminate their targets," said the cable regarding the views of NGOs, the media, and civil society members.
A 2009 cable also carried a note mentioning that Rab emerged as the country's premier counter-terrorism force, and some ruling Awami League leaders are suspicious about the force as it was established by a government run by their arch rival BNP.
The 2008 cable said, "The team's final meetings with representatives of the foreign ministry and home ministry indicated that some levels of the government bureaucracy may still be reluctant to share information about past alleged human rights abuses," adding, "In 2007, an inter-agency embassy team met with GOB counterparts to develop a mechanism for investigating allegations of human rights violations by the security forces, including Rab. This responsibility was given to a deputy secretary at the Ministry of Home Affairs, but despite some positive initial meetings there has been little tangible outcome from these sessions."
"During the assessment team's meeting with the acting home secretary, he displayed little enthusiasm for taking the steps needed to move ahead with an engagement program," the cable went on.
The cables also state that there is widespread belief within the civil society that Rab succeeded in reducing crime and terrorist activities, against the backdrop of an over burdened judiciary and corrupt police force.
"The Rab and many civil society representatives seem prepared to accept that some notorious individuals will die in encounters with the Rab, and they seem to prefer that outcome as opposed to the chance of the currently ineffective and backlogged court system acquitting the guilty," the 2008 cable read adding, "What this highlights is that our desire to improve respect for human rights will require not only engagement with the Rab, but efforts to help improve other elements of the Bangladeshi judicial systems and police."
The cable concluded, "We may need to ensure that a few unenthusiastic bureaucrats do not foil plans for further cooperation that are strongly supported by the Rab and at least some senior government officials."
After knowing about the leaks, Rab Director General Mukhlesur Rahman, told The Daily Star over the phone, "No organisation can do anything bypassing the government. Everything depends on the wish of the government."
"We don't think Rab is violating human rights. Rab is carrying out its duties. Rab wants to protect human rights and maintain law and order."
About the allegations of human rights violations, he said, the elite force has no explanation. "Only government can give an explanation in this regard," he added.
Rab's Head of Training Mejbahuddin said UK provides training relating to investigation, capacity building, management, and fast response, upon request. He expressed his ignorance about the UK providing any training related to human rights in the last six months since he had joined the office.
Additional Home Secretary of Bangladesh Iqbal Khan Chowdhury however declined to comment on the issue saying that he knows nothing about Rab activities, nor does he know anything about Wikileaks.
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PS
Review of some Political Great Galdiators
Bangladesh (Presently known as Bango Bondhu Desh) was called Bongodesh and only a dot under the Bengali letter for B is proper today to call her Rongodesh
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Glimpses of History
Europe
Julius Caesar, Brutus and Antinio, Hamlet, Macbeth..... (by William Shakespeare).
Macbeth has killed a sleep and he can sleep no more.
Arabia
Caliph Ali killed by an ultrademocrat khariji: Both were martyrs of the "Right Path"
Caliph Osman killed by Muhammad-bin-Abu Bakr: Both martyrs to Sunni Muslims
Caliph Omar killed by a worker for injustice: Both martyrs for justice
The 8 gates of Heaven were opened for them.
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Preparation for the next session
RONGO IN RONGODESH Daily Star Bangladesh, 23 March 2010
Photography exhibition on extra-judicial killings
Police yesterday closed a photography exhibition on extra-judicial killings around an hour before it was scheduled to start at Drik Gallery in the city's Dhanmondi.
A contingent of police went to the Drik Gallery building around 3:00pm and barred the invited guests and visitors from entering the building.
The police also did not allow anybody to come out of the building, said a Drik Gallery source.
Though two exhibitions are going on on the first and the second floors of the building, the police only wanted to know whether the organisers have permission for the exhibition on "crossfire" from the authorities concerned.
However, in the face of police interference, the exhibition was inaugurated by Indian rights activist Mahasweta Devi on the road in front of Drik Gallery at the scheduled time at 4:00pm.
Officer-in-Charge of Dhanmondi Police Station Shah Alam said they have closed the exhibition first, as the organisers did not have any permission for the exhibition and secondly, as such an exhibition may cause fear in public and deteriorate the law and order.
Shahidul Alam who set up the exhibition said," Police asked me whether I have permission for the exhibition. Crossfire for which police do not need permission, then why should I have permission for the exhibition?"
He also said, they have organised thousands of exhibitions since 1993 and they never required any permission. Some of those exhibitions were even inaugurated by the present and former prime ministers.
"We organised the exhibition to raise awareness and draw the government and the court's attention to the extra judicial killings through art, Shahidul told The Daily Star.
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Daily Star Bangladesh, March 26, 2010
Sacrifice a man to brick kiln
Police raided the brick field at around 4:30pm following an order of Thakurgaon Judicial Magistrate's Court where four workers of the brick field, arrested on March 16 on charge of killing co-worker Mozammel Haque, 28, gave their confessional statements. The arrestees are MNB brick field workers Yunus, Jalil, Alauddin and Kafil Uddin
The four narrated the horrific tale of the murder before the court. They said as the bricks were not getting proper colour, they and the owners of the MNB brick field, Khalil and Tofayel, made a plan to sacrifice a man to brick kiln following an advice of a foreteller.
As per the plan, the four took Mozammel to Chadni Cinema at Dangi near Baliadanga upazila headquarters in the evening of March 13. After watching a film at the cinema, they started for Lahiri village to have meal at the house of one of their friends.
When they reached Shahabazpur, Yunus, Jalil, Alauddin and Kafil tied up Mozammel's hands and legs and beheaded him. They then took the head to the brick field and threw it into a kiln.
After recording their statements, Judicial Magistrate Masud Pervez asked police to put out the fire of the brick field on March 20. According to the court order, police brought fire fighters from the district headquarters who put out the blaze on March 21.
Mozammel's beheaded body was found on a crop field on March 14. Being informed, police recovered the body and sent it to Thakurgaon Sadar Hospital for autopsy.
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Selim Shah Newaz
In 1970, unfortunately, Selim Shah Newaz was transferred to Barisal Jail from Dacca Central Jail. He came out in jail-break there in April 1971. If he was in jail until the war ended, perhaps he would not be a leader of the region, and would not have been killed untimely in the gladiators game of Bangladesh political thrills and spills. Still, in January 1972, SelimShah Newaz was with the political line of Sarbohara, defining India as the principal enemy.
Selim Shah Newaz got resistance from Siraj Sikder in his love-affairs with a close relative of Humayun Kabir. The central committe of Sarbohara, of which Selim Shah Newaz was the 7th in rank, and Humayun Kabir the 16th and the last one, could not accept the marriage on the ground that the girl was not a party-member. That was fuelled the scandal of Sikder and Jahan Ara. The appeal of Selim Shah Newaz and Humayun Kabir was rejected. Siraj Sikder was angry, but did not dare to kill Selim Shah Newaz. He had to wait.
Selim Shah Newaz had problem with his party cadres, a half of them were Hindus. They came in the party against Pakistan, but were reluctant to fight against "Indian Expansionism". Sarboharas accused the Hindus about the historical tyranny of Zaminders. Therefore, Selim Shah Newaz had to cut the feet to fit the shoes". To keep the cadres he had to change the party line to Naxalite one. Then Selim Shah Newaz came in collision with Khasru of Gouranadi, Barisal.
Khasru of Gauranadi belonged to Kazi Zafar Group in Khulna. In september 1968, in the council-session of EPSU (Menon), four councillors were stabbed in fear that Mahbubullah's group which would win in vote. Khasru hided his blood strained knife under a pillow in Tajmahal Hotel of Khulna.
During the independence war, Khasru joined with his former foes. He proved himslef more revolutionary than Selim Shah Newaz by publicly drinking warm blood of Pakistani collaborators. He became a great freedom fighter who contested on the leadership of Barisal Khulna Zone. When Siraj Sikder had rift with Selim Shah Newaz, Khasru sided with Siraj Sikder. He planned to kill Selim Shah Newaz and his comrade-in-arms Shahjahan, Shaheen and some others. One evening he invited them on polemic on National vs Class-struggle where he and his accomplices stabbed them to death and trew-away their bodies in Bishkhali river.
Shahjahan of B M College Barisal who was in DC jail during the war was the bravest boy of Bangladesh whom the Mullhas fatally injured by Ramda and unconscious for a month in 1969 during 11-point movement. Shaheen was a tall fair-complexioned boy, son of Circle Inspector of Police in Pirojpur region. The other boy was the only son of a widow who wrote a letter in the daily newspaper, complaining against the transfer of her son to Bogra jail in later 1970.
Siraj Sikder was relieved to learn that Selim Shah Newaz had been killed. In the next meeting of the central committee two months later the murder was ratified by the members in objection of Humayun Kabir. Then the standing committee of Sarbohara decided to kill Humayun Kabir too (as told by ex- political commissar Mahbul Alam Bulbul).
Khasru did not live long. According to a major of Raksmi Bahini working at Gauranadi in 1974 disclosed that one night he had led a procession in civil dress, chanting "Sharbohara Zidabad, Siraj Sikder Zindabad" and "attacked" a police station and looted arms. On the next morning they took their uniform and arrested all the "suspects" in the area for that incident. All of them were brutally beaten to death, and Khasru was one of them.
Why did our countrymen played as gladiators? Army officer Selim, one of the twelve officers under General Manjur, was hurriedly hanged in DC jail in 1982, where his father was IG of prisons.
Alas! All from Selim, Siraj Sikder, Farooq Raman, Taher, Manjur and many others were only tools in the cruel joke of Eternal Time. Was not it to transform two house-wives Hasina and Khaleda into two Lucky Ladies?
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Daily Reports from Bangladesh
Sacrificing of Garment Women Worekrs by Fire
Garments owners of Bangladesh fear Lord Bentinck's forbid of human sacrifice imposed in 1830s. Women workers who are contaminated by Fair Trade infection, are selected for the offer, and they are locked at their work on the plea of security reasons. The port is kept locked untill their death in "accidental" fire was confirmed. This kind of ritual is performed countrywide every year by many Garment owners.
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Footnote: The author recites a Swedish poem which revived his old sore to write this satire
ELSINORE
(PRINSEN PÅ DEN FÖRDÖMDAS SLOTT)
I ett tornrum av sten, bakom galler av järn
och en tillsluten port av solidaste trä
med en smärta som gror som en svulst i hans bröst
står han och sneglar mot Sveriges kust
i dyster bergrundan av sin ömkliga lott
att försmäkta på Elsinore slott
En gång var han lycklig och fri och dansant
en damernas gunstling så skönt och galant
en prins utan högmod, en välkommen vän
såväl i palats som de enklaste hem
den siste man trott skulle få tyna bort
i tornet på Elsinore slott
Han red ut i världen i ungdomens dar
och såg med bestörtning hur orätt det var
av folket gick under sjukdom och svält
för att härskarnas girighet saknade gräns
Men den insikten borde han nog inte fått
för den förde till Elsinore slott
Han sålde sin boskap, sin mark och sitt slott
och allt det han tjänade skänkte han bort
men den som får gåvor vill ofta ha mer
och när hjälpen tar slut blir den nödställde vred
så han skördade ont av det goda han sått
därför bor han på Elsinore slott
En prins utan pengar bemöts av förakt
av alla de andra som tillhör hans klass
an ädling som vågar ta folkets parti
blir hälsad med kyla och ögon av is
för där ondskan får råda är godhet ett brott
så han sändes till Elsinore slott
Så nu lever han i livslång exil
förskjuten av fattig, föraktad av rik
vågorna glittrar i rött och i guld
när skymningen sänker sig vid Öresund
han sneglar mot Sverige, han ser inget hopp
Ingen friges från Elsinore slott.
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