All characters in this piece are factual and resemblance to any setting or story is purely incidental.
It was a typical Friday afternoon. Muslims filing out in numbers after the prayers, hawkers handing out the colorful fliers, beggars crying for alms, cars and rickshaws cramming up the roads in front are just a few examples of how the scenario pans out right after the Jumma prayers in front of the mosques. And just like any other devotees, Akash (pseudonym) also completed his prayers and headed out for his home. He ambled by the crammed cars, the strewn fliers on the streets, the alms-seeking beggars and went about going to his home. Nothing unusual so far.
He crossed a bridge and just when he was about to take the lake-side entrance, a commotion on the streets a bit ahead caught his eye. He pondered if he should go and check out what was happening. But then again, what benefit would it be of, he debated. After a brief period of debacle and indecisiveness, curiosity got the better off him and led Akash towards the commotion. He had an option of avoiding it, but in the end he decided against it. A path not taken and why was still not very clear. It was time to observe.
Once Akash reached the place, he immediately found out the reason of the gathering. There was a rickshaw puller sitting almost senselessly amid a pool of blood; a guy clad in white panjabi, all bloodied now, sitting atop a motorbike and talking on a cellphone; a lot of curious passersby making noise and some “middle men” trying to resolve the issue (whatever that was). Long story short, a fight broke out between the rickshaw puller and that guy on bike over some heated oral confrontation and it ended up with the rickshaw puller succumbing to a badly bruised head injury. Seeing this, other people from the streets took on the guy and in the process, he was probably manhandled by a youth of a nearby apartment. Now, although, Akash hates to admit that it is nothing new in the society, what struck him the most was the nonchalant attitude towards the semi-dying person on the street, cuddled up in a bloody bath. Only one person was dabbing some leaves on to his wound. The rest were busy “observing” what the motor-biker was upto. Apparently, he was quite influential in the area and was calling up “musclemen” to “size up” the young man from the nearby apartment who had slapped him after he created the chaos.
What a pity! In what society are people living in? While a man was slowly withering away in a pool of blood, others were heedless of his malignant condition and keeping busy with another’s petty, egotistical issues? Pathetic! So much for the observations. Interpretations were very clear and Akash knew how he could intervene in the system to exercise leadership.
Quickly, he hailed a rickshaw, got on it and rushed to his home. On the run, he picked up necessary first aid kits and a cold bottle of water, jumped back to the waiting rickshaw and headed towards the incident. Before the rickshaw could even properly halt, he leaped down and immediately started tending to the hapless richshaw puller, who was now left totally alone. Ignoring others’ looks (whether condescending or appreciative), he went about doing his job: improving a human condition. He rinsed the wound with antiseptic, added a fresh band over the bruise, cleaned bits of scarred blood from his face, and made him drink water. At least the poor guy was slowly, but eventually, up on his feet. Some people later came to aid Akash and he was grateful for it.
He wished he could take him to the hospital as well; unfortunately due to the complex and crude mindset of the society, Akash did not dare to venture that move. There would be issues of compensations, legal ramifications etc. for carrying out such an act. However, he was momentarily glad to find some people taking initiative to take the injured to the hospital; but the gladness did not last very long. Apparently, people in support of the guilty guy, came over not to care about the rickshaw puller, but to teach the youngster from the apartment a lesson for beating their man. While all the swearing and cursing and such frivolous actions were going on, the poor rickshaw puller stood by all alone in a corner, deprived and neglected.
Akash turned back from the scene, drooped his head, and started walking back towards his home. The system was now failing for him to intervene anymore. There was not much he could anymore. Although he held a strong grudge in his heart for the whole incident, he did have a lurking smile on his face because he could finally exercise some leadership. Maybe by seeing his magnanimous attitude, some other people from the mob would be motivated enough to lead such changes in future. Maybe not tomorrow, but surely some day. And by catalyzing such positive changes, Akash felt that one day he could foresee a harmonious country, where the definition of leadership would not be restrained to a position or authority, but an activity that would help improve the human condition. He recalled someone saying that at the heart of leadership was compassion and that was exactly what the society needed to nurture to materialize a better Bangladesh.
Ivdad Ahmed Khan Mojlish
Make sure E.A reads this. He’s doubting BBLT and its effectiveness; *gasp* so this (specially the closing) should shed some positive light on the matter.
But I’m disappointed, Bhaiya. Why would it take for someone to blog in order for you to do it too? Good to have you back, though. =)
I have a feeling he already did.
And no, it wasn’t a case like that. Call it a coincidence.
this is a GREAT piece bhaiya! The whole idea of leadership has been summed up in this story! It’s sad, but events like this one are commonplace in BD. Hopefully someday, things will be better:)
InshAllah.