The First-Ever Debate in the 34th BCS

Just now, Walid bhai called me from Japan. He has secured first place in the Foreign Affairs cadre of the 34th BCS examination. I’m sharing some of his words.

# Fifty percent of the credit for my becoming a BCS cadre goes to you and Masfi bhai. I should openly confess this.

# I saw in the papers that all the coaching centers have claimed me as their student. Such absurd people!

# What has happened in my inbox over the past three days—I truly never could have imagined it. People really cannot accept anything easily. In this sector, at least in terms of preparation techniques, you are a complete living legend. I know they don’t spare you either, yet they also follow your techniques. There are certain vested groups who make such comments to gain popularity themselves. Cheap!!!

# I often wonder how you continue inspiring people even after all this! You have inspired me greatly, brother. ……….. 644! This very number brought me to today’s position. I would often keep your written exam marks in mind and very silently read all your posts with great attention. I would only tell myself: I must beat 644, no matter what!

# Brother, I was actually a failed candidate in the 33rd prelims. Later, I studied intensively for one week before the 34th BCS prelims. Before the written exam, I abandoned everything else and studied for 2-3 weeks—that’s how I got this job today.

# I generally don’t read books much—I lack patience. I can’t recall ever reading anyone’s writing with such attention in my life. But there are two people whose writing I’ve read tirelessly. During graduation, the writer whose work captivated me was Anisul Haq—a person Masfi bhai greatly dislikes. Hahahaha………. During post-graduation, the person whose writing I always read was you. The fluidity of your writing always enchants me. I would always try to replicate you. Whenever I wrote something, I would think—is this becoming like yours? I tried to follow your style. Let me tell you a truth, brother. No one will even believe it. During the 34th BCS written exam, the night before the Bangladesh Affairs and International Affairs papers, I sat reading your and Masfi bhai’s writings. I read them very attentively and thought—tomorrow in the exam, I’ll write exactly like this. I never told you these things before. If I had, you would have thought I was flattering you. Now there’s no barrier to saying it. So I’m thanking you to lighten my heart, brother. If I were in the country, I would have met you, and you would see tears in my eyes.

# The way you keep trying to help the young generation—everyone will remember this. What do you gain from standing for hours at various career sessions and speaking? Nothing. It pains me greatly, brother, when you write so much for these young people in the papers. Having had to write and speak through debates myself, I understand. Like that recent piece you wrote in Prothom Alo—”35th in 35 Points”—you cannot imagine how many people such a small piece will help get jobs. I’m confessing today, brother—you were my idol. My effort was always to do what you do, no matter the hardship. Mathematics, science—these things can be learned. But for subjects requiring extensive writing, what I simply did was try to follow your writing style. I never told anyone these things. Today, being able to tell you feels wonderful.

At one point while saying the above, Walid bhai said, “Brother, I have a tonsil operation the day after tomorrow. Please pray for me.” I said, “Brother, why are you talking so much with tonsil pain?” “Brother, you stay busy, so I don’t call. Today I got the opportunity. Let me speak.”

Being an emotional person anyway, after hearing his words I couldn’t hold back my tears. The vile things this man has had to endure over the past three days—it’s painful even to think about! Many have asked me too: Brother, what’s the real story? Who came first? It needs to be clear. ……… Ah! How much pointless time people have! It makes me envious just thinking about it!!

Let me say a few things. Don’t get angry. If you do, so be it! There’s nothing to be done about it.

One. That Walid bhai came first in the combined merit list might be hard for many to accept. We’ll have to wait a bit to know this fully. But this man came first in a top-tier cadre like Foreign Affairs, didn’t he? Those making nonsensical comments—could their entire families together pass the BCS exam and show they can come first in Foreign Affairs? Yes, brother, I’m throwing down an open challenge. If you can, then instead of shouting like street ruffians, prove it through action. Your actions talk much louder than your words!

Two. Those of you in second or third year who will take the BCS exam someday but have made absurd comments—I ask you: will you be able to pass the prelims after graduation? Do you have even the slightest idea what the BCS exam is? Do you understand what it means to come first in Foreign Affairs? If you understood even a little, your heart would tremble before speaking such words. And those who have decided they won’t join civil service at all—why are you making such a fuss about this? Are we making any nasty comments about what you’ve decided to do? What’s your problem?

Three. Will arguing about who came first and who came second get you the job? Where do you find so much time to argue? Can’t you study during that time? Why does your heart burn so much seeing beautiful wives in other people’s homes? Give up this obsession with others’ wives and get in line.

Four. Many have gotten entangled in private university versus public university debates. Strange! Our government has kept provisions for private university graduates to take the BCS exam. Who are you to comment on this? Do only donkeys study in private universities? Do you dream of joining civil service with such antiquated thinking? Please, don’t come here. It would be better for the country if people with such narrow thinking didn’t join civil service. Candidates from National University have managed to achieve somewhat fewer top positions in this merit list. We’ve had to read some ugly comments about this too. Perhaps you don’t know that in other BCS exams, National University graduates have come first and second in various top cadres. If you don’t know, find out. Don’t prove yourself a fool by making such nonsensical comments. If you always judge someone’s merit by their educational institution, your assessment will often be wrong—I say this from personal experience. You study at a big university—very good, I’m happy to hear it. Now graduate, do something good to show, then come give big lectures.

Five. What’s the point of repeatedly saying Dhaka University is the best? I don’t think there are any donkeys who would disagree with this. Walid bhai did his Masters from this university. I myself did my Masters here. There were other universities too, weren’t there? In the two subjects we did our Masters in, if we hadn’t gotten the opportunity to be admitted to these two departments at the country’s best university, we might have tried elsewhere. Not just in civil service, but in the corporate sector too, Dhaka University dominates. I admit there’s definitely reason for much celebration about this, because Dhaka University’s results in the 34th BCS are truly very glorious. My university—I’m proud of it, and so is Walid bhai. But if you belittle any other educational institution or make nasty comments, it hurts the students there too—just as much as it would hurt me if someone said something bad about Dhaka University. That my mother is good doesn’t mean everyone else’s mother is bad.

I still see some people debating whether Sachin Tendulkar is greater or Brian Lara, even after all these years. Yet see, neither of those great cricketers had any headache about this. Where did they have such time? They were busy surpassing themselves. Critics’ only reward—self-satisfaction. Since they have no ability to become great themselves, they’re always in the losers’ camp, or at best the mediocre camp. See, we’re making all this noise, yet Mausumi apu and Walid bhai aren’t making much fuss. Why not? I’m answering with an old Facebook status of mine………..

Those who understand more, I understand less. I don’t even try to understand them. No time. “He who can, does; he who cannot, teaches.” I remember a TV ad I loved. A chocolate ad. Different people are making different comments about a chocolate. Some say the chocolate is good, some say it’s bad, some are confused. One person says nothing. Mouth closed. Everyone asks, “What’s wrong, brother, why aren’t you saying anything?” He barely opens his mouth to reply, “Brother, how can I speak? I’m eating!” . . . . . . This is one of the best ads I’ve seen. You either eat the apple or keep your mouth open. You cannot enjoy the apple’s taste with your mouth open. Those who shout are one group; those who progress are another. The intelligent debate, the talented move forward. This is always true. Look at Bill Gates, look at Zuckerberg, look at Steve Jobs. How many more there are! We engage in so much discourse about them, while they have no time to think about us—they’re terribly busy with work! All the world’s awards are given for work, not for criticism. One group works silently, another group criticizes loudly. Both groups actually pass time. Those who can write, keep writing. Those who can’t write, keep talking. Both groups essentially pass time. Whatever we do, we actually spend our allotted time on earth—according to our preferences, according to our opportunities, according to our capabilities, according to our achievements. How someone spends their time reveals how far they can go! Writers become honored, recognized, respected—critics do not. For critics, the consolation prize is only quiet self-satisfaction. May God grant them good sense.

What do you understand? Hard to accept? Accept it, accept it, because this is reality. The prerequisite for success: learning to tolerate success. Why would God give you something you cannot even tolerate? You’d get indigestion! To become great in life, you need a habitual ‘selfish’ weakness for greatness. Try to replicate the qualities of those who are successful in their respective fields. Whatever goal you want to reach, maintain tremendous respect for that goal. You haven’t achieved success? So what? Try again. If necessary, learn silently and humbly from those who have succeeded, how to walk that path. I cannot shift the responsibility for my failure onto someone else’s success, can I?