Thought: Five hundred and ninety-nine
……………………………………………………
16September 2014
feeling skilled in consuming the unconsumed.
I ate,
I ate them all! (How did I eat? Yuck!)
If today’s exams had translation, we could teach the kids… Translate into English: Sushanta is an omnivorous creature
By eating, Sushanta proved that he…
18September 2014
Seoul, South Korea feeling WCO
expert!! at COEX Convention & Exhibition Center.
As a part of RILO AP tour, now at
the 2014 International Origin Conference focusing on ” FTA is now a MUST,
not a choice” illustrating the Rules of Origin organised by Korea Customs
Service attended by big shots from Customs Administration worldwide.
Funniest thing is, the talks on Free
Trade Agreement going around here passed through my ‘ creative’ mind long ago
while I was appearing at the BCS exam!
I create, they recreate!!
God bless my highly creative mind on
exam papers!!
Kidding apart, let me share a lesson
I learnt from my Korea tour:
We worship God, they worship work
…….and, that has made all the
difference
23September 2014
feeling safe & brave at
Shahjalal International Airport.
The Return of the Native
Your land always smells better.
25September 2014
……off to Ctg
25September 2014
feeling like Mahishasura himself.
Yesterday was Mahalaya. After my return from Korea, a girl wrote to me…
Your arrival alongside Goddess Durga, greetings and welcome.
Did she mean something by saying that?!
26September 2014
Damn motherfucker smugglers!! Because of these sons of bitches I’ve had to work at the airport from morning till now!! Haven’t slept properly for the past two nights.
Weekend night ruins!!!
26September 2014
feeling Haters! I wanna be left
alone!!
You never need all people around in
your life. You’ve to find people who are just jealous of you. People who are
always there for you only when they’ve anything bad to say about you are the
people you should decide not keep close to. Not always you’re just bad enough
to hear only the bad remarks about yourself. People who can never appreciate,
have no right to make you learn the things a schoolboy learns. Some people can
never appreciate. Never expect anything good to pass through yourself staying
close to them. Say them, ” Goodbye my friend. I don’t want to keep you
waiting until the next time you get tired looking for another chance to make
another bad remark about me.”
It’s never too late to start feeling
good about yourself.
27September 2014
feeling Puja is cool!!
It’s Puja eve! It’s shopping time!!
Shopping is an art, be it books or
any other stuffs, for not everyone can buy the best things money can buy. It’s
all about your taste. Yes, I’m a shopaholic. And so, I’m an artist. An artist
deserves respect. Respect me!!
PS, I love you, Puja!!
27September 2014
To respect a person blindly is never
a good idea as you will always find in the end, they do not deserve your blind
respect. Everyone has a price-tag. You gotta either know that price or pay much
more than it is for your blind respect. It’s of no use to blame a person for
the respect you showed. It’s completely foolish to define what a person
deserves only just according to your own beliefs. They must not be held
responsible for what you think them to be without their consent.
28September 2014
And, it reaches 4k+!!
Yes, now my library treasures 4003!!
Blessed is the man who can become
wealthy in his own way with the wealth he desires!
Happy is the man who has met
5girlfriends in his life: Books, Movies, Music, Facebook & His Girlfriend.
Happier is the man who is his
girlfriend’s only boyfriend or last boyfriend.
Happiest is the man who finds peace
in the treasures that come from within not from without.
29September 2014
I want to buy Russian fiction translated into Bengali by Raduga-Pragati.
I know soft copies are available online as PDFs. I want to buy a hard copy to keep in my collection. Please let me know if anyone has a lead.
I saw, I ordered, I bought.
30September 2014
I’ve stopped lending books to people. And taking them along too.
Why?
Not because people don’t want to return borrowed books. Because people lie. They say they’ll return the book. I want them to tell the truth. To say they won’t return the book. Then at least I won’t lend it! And even if I do, I won’t give something that would be hard to find again. Anyone who borrows a good book and actually returns it is either a fool or magnanimous. That’s why I stopped borrowing books once I grew up. Stopped means stopped—period! I don’t like to lie. Self-respect is worth more than a good book. When you grow up, shame and embarrassment develop. And after getting a book on loan, you often want to forget the pain of having grown up. The unauthorized claim over someone else’s book is quite a claim indeed! The moment the thought of returning a book like a good boy enters the mind, a kind of anguish arises. It feels like something’s missing, something’s missing! What a predicament!
I’ve outdone beggars many times over in asking for books back. Lending books has made me a pauper and you wealthy. Why keep yourself in such tension? The stress of getting a book back equals the stress of a sulking lover not answering calls. People get annoyed when asked to return books. People feel more ownership over borrowed books than their own books. To give up that claim… Why invite such trouble, friend?
Lending money or lending books strengthens friendship. Even if other friends slip from memory, those friends can’t be forgotten. You just want to keep calling them. Such affection becomes unbearable. I only want to lend things that won’t require repeatedly bothering that gentleman by asking for them back, and where I won’t have to stop thinking well of the gentleman. I like to think well of a gentleman till the end. Why put him in the tension of “when to call, when to call”? May all beings in the world be happy and find well-being. One friend is worth more than ten good books.
Truly absent-minded is one who lends money or books and forgets to ask for them back. I’m absent-minded, but only to the extent that doesn’t require the pain of remembering. So I don’t lend books to two types of people. One: those who lie. Two: those who don’t lie.
Lending money, hard drives, or books makes you feel like a thief.
30September 2014
An envy-inducing post. Envious ones, come close; worshippers of non-violence, stay away. As a human, I have the right to provoke envy.
They say even if a husking pedal goes to heaven, it keeps husking rice. And I’ve only come as far as Singapore!
Books bought from Singapore’s Changi Airport.
1 October 2014
Birds of the same feather feel
jealous of one another.
2 October 2014
The most powerful weapon on earth to
kill a man inside: The resentment of a woman in love
Thought: Five hundred ninety
……………………………………………………
2 October 2014
Ah! The festival
Alas! The office!
The wages of honour is
responsibility.
You’ll go to the puja at night… what about during the day? (Yesterday I was looking for you at Ramakrishna Mission… last year on Navami I saw you in a black punjabi, you looked so handsome…)
Tanuja, I do look good in punjabis. I’m tall and handsome, after all!
Yesterday I returned home after finishing my duty at the airport after 10 PM.
Narcissist
Tell me something I didn’t know.
Ah! The festival!
Alas! The office!
2 October 2014
feeling Puja, I love you!
Fuchka, chatpati, puja,
me, girls in sarees and us.
3 October 2014
feeling back to the days of
innocence!
After a long 20 years 9
months 21 days 14 hours 42 seconds, I’m eating ring chips by putting five rings on my five fingers!
…….All fingers fit into the rings!
…… If you know how to slip them in, you can slip them in.
…… Could be a quarter second here or there. Sorry, friend.
3 October 2014
For the divine vision of the Mother at Ramakrishna Mission…….
Rain! Rain!! Everything around is weeping. Of course it will weep! Mother stayed one day less!
This time we had one day less of joy.
Happy Bijoya
3 October 2014
Met a friend at Sub-Zero a little while ago. After a long 5
years.
: Dude,
I’m now a BAL officer.
: Meaning?
: I’m being serious! Aren’t you a BC officer?
Footnote.
BAL:
Bank Asia Limited
BC:
Bangladesh Customs
Feeling……. why are these
guys so genius?!
4 October 2014
If I could dance even one-tenth of the wild revelry I’ve performed at the puja pandal these past two days every week, no beauty in the world would glance at my belly instead of my face. Damn this belly—how much longer can I keep hiding it!
In life, hard work and achievement are intimately connected, just as achievement and belly-growth go hand in hand.
Age is advancing—let it! But why is the belly growing along with it? Can any of you tell me? As it is, life has become a drag, caught in the vicious cycle of bachelorhood.
4 October 2014
At the Ramakrishna Mission for Dashami anjali. It’s only when I come here that I run into old friends and acquaintances. This is the real joy of Pujo!
After this, I’ll be at Batighore.
5 October 2014
Those on duty at the airport usually have ID cards hanging around their necks. I saw a man with a shifty, suspicious look wandering around here and there a while ago, so I called him over. (Such types are often involved in smuggling.)
: Who are you?
: Sir, salaam alaikum. I’m Giyas. Mohammad Giyasuddin. I know you. Aren’t you Sushanta Sir?
: Yes. You don’t seem to be from here.
: No sir. I’ve come here on special business.
(I figured he was from some other government department.)
: Are you from some department?
: (With a toothy grin) Yes sir. I’m from the Ministry of Labor and Employment.
: I see. Have you come here on official business?
: No sir. I’ve come to receive my younger brother.
: Oh, I see. What’s your designation?
: Sir, my designation is that I’m unemployed. I did honors in Physics from Dhaka University. I’ll take the BCS exam. Please pray for me, sir.
: Then why did you say you’re with the ministry?
: (Another toothy smile) Sir, I’m unemployed, so for now I’m with that ministry. Please pray that I can get to the Ministry of Public Administration like you.
(Should I be angry at his words? Rather, I was completely floored by the fellow’s sense of humor. I laughed heartily to myself. Here I am on duty at the airport even during this Eid holiday. When a beautiful girl accidentally steps on your foot with her pencil heel, we’re forced to say “It’s okay” with the same kind of pained, crumpled smile—that’s how I’m doing my duty. Now I feel that sometimes a job doesn’t send you home completely empty-handed.)
Are you spending Eid at the airport this time, brother?
Oh, you madman! … Last year I spent Ramadan Eid at the airport. Everyone on duty fed me semai. I remember eating at least a kilogram of semai, I think.
Rilke once said,
If you don’t find your life varied enough to write literature about,
then I’d say you lack imagination.
…… Salute, can? What’s this?!
Brother, at the airport customs
they measured my younger brother’s Samsung 21″ LED monitor and made it 22″, then what happened I didn’t say. I only know that the officials here are the country’s top intellectuals. I’m hoping for some words from you….
When and where did this incident happen?
Why did your brother agree? Are you certain something like this occurred?
Please call this ******* number
right now. I’ll take action.
……… But you didn’t call. I was waiting. You wrote,
“I only know that the officials here are the country’s top intellectuals.”
What else do you know—
you could have at least made a phone call to let me know that, brother. Regrettably, I remained just an official,
never quite managed to become intellectual. If only I could have learned something, heard something from you, maybe something could have been achieved……….. I had such hopes, brother……..
Brother, we find great pleasure in hurling abuse, don’t we? Does it ease your burning anguish a little?
If that’s the case,
then carry on, brother. But this will only increase problems, not reduce them, brother.
Take care.
….. You better keep silent when
you know almost nothing about anyone’s job nature.
This is the fact. No problem, dear.
We’re accustomed to serving when others are enjoying. Civil servants are the
safest people to be entitled to your popular irresponsible title ‘faakibaaj’.
5 October 2014
Everyone just gives Eid greetings, no one extends invitations. I say,
what am I supposed to do, drink water after washing down all these good wishes? Someone could at least give some Eid money. What’s my age anyway?
I’m still a naive little child! I haven’t even managed to get married yet. Doesn’t anyone feel any pity? If someone gave me a little money I could buy myself a punjabi
(with pajama included),
take selfies. No one gives anything. Just heartfelt sandy love and soul-draining prayers. The world is so cruel, oh merciful one. I can’t take it anymore. Take me unto yourself. Or at least throw me a rope.
Come to the house the day after tomorrow evening for Lakshmi Puja. No prayers and blessings! I’ll feed you a plateful of vegetable pulao.
When I come to Chittagong, people in Dhaka extend invitations. When I’m in Dhaka, even if I cry and plead, they won’t tell me to come home. Why are they so cruel??
Those who wish to feed me outside of Chittagong, please kindly send transportation fare or a car, and this servant would be obliged.
It is suggested that Ripa Apu be sent a ticket to Korea.
Thought: Five hundred ninety-one
……………………………………………………
5 October 2014
Just a little while ago I became Facebook friends with Imtiaz. I’m sharing some of his words with friends, with his permission. (The text below is not exactly his words, but somewhat paraphrased.)
Hello brother,
I’m Imtiaz. About a year ago today, after completing my graduation in Textile Engineering from a low-profile private university (later I found out it was Daffodil University), I was contemplating the decline of my life and had almost given up on everything. Then one day I read this line on your profile: “It took me almost 2 decades to decide what I really want. When I’d decided finally, it took me only 1 year to get what I really want…. In short, this is the story of my life till date.” I was quite inspired by these words and messaged you on Facebook. You replied as well. Speaking with you, I learned that you had worked very hard for 3-4 months to touch your dreams. Later I thought, if someone can become first in the BCS exam through 3-4 months of dedication, then why should I give up?
After talking with you, I took heart again with the dream of rebuilding my life anew and got admission to IBA, Dhaka University. If I’m not mistaken, I probably saw you at the IBA hostel a few days ago. I wanted to talk to you, but somehow I couldn’t muster the courage. By the way, brother, now my dreams have grown even bigger. Please pray that I can fulfill them. And next time I see you at the IBA hostel, I hope I won’t miss the opportunity to meet you. Stay well, brother.
One more thing. Even if I can’t fulfill the remaining dreams of my life, that statement of yours will remain a source of inspiration for me. “There is no suffering like remaining nameless and unknown.” Maybe you said this in Prothom Alo or somewhere. I feel this too. Please pray that I can do something good in life.
For friends, here are a couple of things he had written to me before:
I completed Textile Engineering six months ago. I quit the job I was doing because I didn’t like it. But I can’t understand what I actually want either. Day after day, I feel like I’m losing even the strength to achieve something within myself. After reading your favorite quotes on your profile, I felt a bit inspired.
I read your notes again. Reading them, I felt like many of your words were like my own thoughts. My problem is, although I’ve almost decided on my dream, I’m still confused whether my dream is compatible with my abilities and my educational background.
About myself. Many people ask me, brother, what do you gain by giving so much free advice to people? What’s the point of this thankless work? Many people think badly of you, you know that?
I say,
if even a single word of mine leaves the slightest mark on someone’s life, if my smallest help turns their life around completely, then I would consider myself the happiest person on earth. From my own life, I know very well
how precious a simple word of sympathy can be when you’re suffering!
Yes, friend,
I know,
I work without reward like a ghost’s unpaid laborer. I have no complaint or regret about this within myself. My father says, in life if you cannot help someone, never harm anyone. Helping people isn’t within everyone’s capacity. It’s a kind of good fortune that God grants. You are merely an instrument here. If God ever grants you this good fortune,
don’t remove yourself from it. God doesn’t give this to everyone,
father.
I can say with conviction, whatever state you may be in, rest assured,
you are by no means the unhappiest person on earth. Many have gone through far worse conditions than yours and have managed to reach the position you’re trying to reach. You are not unique in your weaknesses in any way. You are unique only in your capabilities. Good luck!
6 October 2014
feeling alone, alone, all alone in
an island at Shah Amanat International Airport.
On Eid day
with Humayun
at the airport office
reading aimlessly……
the flight will land,
waiting
taking selfies playfully
Eid Mubarak
8 October 2014
Going to Batighore,
to the gathering of Facebook’s ‘Book Readers’ group.
If there were a group called ‘Book Collectors,’ I could have gone to that gathering with a little less discomfort. My books constantly make me feel guilty. A book’s gaze is the sharpest!
If any of my friends are in that area, come to Batighore. Let’s have a cup of coffee this evening, or let coffee become a mouthful of conversation!
10October 2014
Sagar is my younger brother;
my second uncle’s son. He
once studied at CUET. He
now teaches at CUET. In Electrical Engineering. I’m fond of him not because no one at CUET has achieved a higher CGPA than him so far;
rather because this impossibly good result has made him even more humble. For this quality alone, he
will go much further. Best wishes for them.
10October 2014
Marriage, death, and the toilet—no power on earth can stop these three things. If you hold back the first and the last, all your life’s accumulated prestige can turn to instant falooda. Therefore,
no one can do these things according to sequence.
Going to my younger brother’s engagement. Seeking everyone’s prayers.
Many, many good wishes for Sagar. May your coming days be happy,
peaceful.
He gives thanks to Allah that the third one still shows auspicious signs.
The day someone will mercifully agree to marry me.
If you don’t believe it, go eat puffed rice.
Are you sure mine isn’t right?
Why do you start burning up the moment you hear about the toilet?
What kind of picture should I upload?
A selfie of myself sitting in a corner gnawing on chicken bones?
11October 2014
I don’t know if I love you or
not……….I never had experience with love before
All I know is that I have never felt
anything for anyone else………the way I feel for you
I’ve had plenty of crushes in my life!
But the way you affect me…….is
weird…….coz I’ve never been so influenced by anyone else’s words or behavior before. You’re a terrible kind of addiction. I want to be free from this. Is this love? I can’t even understand that. I feel completely stupid. How do people handle all this love-shove business?
Ufff! I’m getting annoyed with myself!!
(it’s a message from my inbox, maybe
sent to or maybe sent from )
It must be
sent from! And if it happens to be
sent to,
then we must understand that doomsday isn’t far off!
Disclaimer: If u have decided to
decide what to decide from a writing apparently, u have to decide first not to
decide to hold the writer responsible for what u are likely to be deceived by
what u are likely to decide from it, for sometimes writers are liars.
Or layers??
what a defence!
carry on plz…….I want to enjoy this!
………… Why can’t people take
me abstractly even not a great writer like u?
It’s not a bliss that I’m not like
my writings, rather it’s a bliss that my writings are not like me.
Thought: Five hundred ninety-two
……………………………………………………
11October 2014
Someday you, my epic first love,
will become just someone I used to know……Writing of you
as my just someone brings
so many tears, but alas! This is reality. And I know you’re not to blame for this;
yet I feel like saying,
you are to blame.
………… You will never be able to forget me,
you’ll see!….……I am
not cursing you,
nor is it like you’ll have feelings for me…………just that I
will always be there somewhere at the back of your mind………Yes, I’ll be! You might ask, why?……………
As conflicted as you were about your un-love (I don’t think
hatred is love’s opposite.) (or who knows,
you still are!)
I was that certain about my love. Was, am,
will be. ……… I can bet you can never say in this way! But I still
wonder how people who play with vulnerable hearts talk about true love, and
with SUCH depth. It’s funny, na?! ……… You yourself
don’t know what a great favor you’re doing me!
That shock was exactly what my life needed. I was raised with too much affection,
never heard a ‘no’. I lived in a fairy tale. Did you think I would hate you?
No. At that time I was so engaged with my pain that I didn’t even have
time to hate you. You can’t even imagine
how much greater the power of being unable to hate is! Now I am strong enough to face
ANYTHING. I can take a rejection and slap it back on the ‘rejector’s’ face………Didn’t you tell me to listen to Kelly Clarkson’s What Doesn’t Kill You?
Now I think,
why did you tell me that?
There’s tremendous power hidden in that song. How that girl managed to say those words, who knows! Is that song really your favorite?
I’ve listened to it at least a thousand times. And wondered whether you played me with some masterplan—only Allah knows!
Disclaimer: If you have decided to
decide what to decide or not to decide from a writing apparently, you have to
decide first not to decide to hold the writer responsible for whatever you are
likely to be deceived by what you are likely to derive from it, for sometimes
writers are liars even only for the sake of bagging some silly Facebook likes.
13October 2014
: You crazy girl! What will you become when you grow up?
: A housewife.
: So!
Why do you study so much then?
: The more qualified I become, the more qualified my groom will be too. Proportional. That’s why!
14October 2014
The salary will increase this time, I hear……….
Now no one can stop it…………
You can call off the match now………
Tell mother you won’t marry………
……….. I suspect Nandini’s mother still hasn’t married either.
18October 2014
The distance between Facebook
profile picture and the real he/ she is proportional to the distance between
your expectation and disappointment.
21October 2014
Due to limited number of seats, many
BCS aspirants won’t be able to attend the free seminar on the next Friday. I’ve
received hundreds of mails from the candidates who may not be among those
200participants but eagerly need my help for BCS preliminary, written and viva
exam preparation.
For them, 2 other free seminars will
be held on the following day (Saturday) where at least 1200 candidates can
participate. Those 2seminars will be open for all. No registration, no hassles.
I’ll share the venue and schedule later after getting the confirmation from the
sponsor. Stay connected to be informed.
Wait………maybe in the following
weekend
You’re a national asset, that’s why I didn’t say anything, but if something happens to you, the BCS candidates will devour me.
…….Why does everyone devour you?
Are you chocolate? Or ice cream?
You scoundrel!
This is a public status!
………..So what?
Does the public devour you too? Good, keep it up………
Tsk, shameless,
tsk!
………. Like cop, like
citizen……..
22October 2014
feeling completely stunned by Ma’s sense of humor!!
All this time I’ve been hearing, “Son,
all your friends are getting married. When will you?”
This morning Ma delivered an epoch-making line.
“Son, all the beautiful girls are getting married. When will you?”
22October 2014
This story was told by President Abraham Lincoln.
The officer-in-charge of the Springfield, Illinois weather office would give weather forecasts that never came true. Especially on days when he’d say it would rain, not even a trace of cloud could be seen in the sky, and on days when he’d say it wouldn’t rain, it would pour torrentially. One day a local washerman’s boy said he could predict exactly when it would rain and when it wouldn’t. After testing him for a couple of days, they found the boy’s forecasts were accurate. So the authorities wanted to make that boy the officer-in-charge of the meteorological department. But the boy refused to take on this responsibility. He said, “What do you take me for? My pet donkey can predict rain infallibly. Before rain comes, it keeps braying continuously.”
Therefore, the city mayor gave the weather office job to the donkey itself. And that was the greatest mistake. Because ever since then, apparently only donkeys have been applying for government jobs, and getting them too.
That means,
are bureaucrats donkeys? Yes,
donkeys indeed. Otherwise, what lunatic would write these things on Facebook? Let me share the experience of another distinguished donkey. He is Ataur Rahman,
former Director General of Bangladesh Postal Department.
His acquaintance, Mr. Aslam, retired from government service several years ago. Each month when withdrawing his pension,
he had to obtain a certificate from a First Class Gazetted Officer stating ‘that he is alive,’ so he would visit Ataur Rahman. Once in September he came and said,
“I collected my August pension,
but July’s hasn’t been taken. I’ve come to get the July certificate.”
Ataur Rahman was astonished and said,
“Since you collected August’s pension,
it’s obvious you were alive in July too. Then why would you need July’s certificate again?”
The gentleman laughed and replied, “Yes,
it’s needed, needed. This is the rule. I worked in the same place. I wouldn’t give anyone a pension without a certificate either.”
I read the above story in Ataur Rahman’s book. After reading it, I thought
that gentleman could have done one thing to avoid unnecessary hassle. He could have photocopied the August certificate and attached it with the July application. Today’s government officers possess this much common sense. From my own experience I’ve seen that those newly joining government service,
though they remain Lincoln’s same donkeys, practice their donkeyness quite smartly. Modern donkeys are largely free from these ridiculous British-created follies. Modern donkeys work with one thing in mind—not to lose the donkey label. Cursing one’s job is fun only
as long as the job remains. So,
even donkeys must proceed wisely. And I tell you, if you need help from donkeys, it’s best to seek it from first-class or second-class donkeys. I say with certainty
this will make your work easier. Today’s donkeys have a much greater service mentality than donkeys of earlier times,
whether from shame or sense of duty. Not knowing which donkey does what work and going to the wrong donkey expecting the right service is also major donkeyness. Let me give a small example. Understand,
what a mess!…………..
You’ll call a donkey a donkey!
Natural! Do so! But please think first—
aren’t you being a donkey by expecting the right service from the wrong donkey? Many people call me for one particular help. That is, to reduce extra baggage charges when traveling abroad. Yet
customs has not the slightest connection with this;
it’s handled by the respective airlines. And after I explain why I can’t help, why I can’t,
people still think Sushanta’s price has gone up,
he’s deliberately not helping. (I myself paid $600 extra baggage charge when coming from Korea.) I also get calls about immigration-related troubles. Yet
this work is handled by Immigration Police. In such cases I usually call them and say, please help him with such-and-such matter. Many misunderstand this and think
I deliberately sent him to the police to avoid helping myself?
Thought: Five hundred ninety-three
……………………………………………………
24October 2014
I express my heartiest thanks to
Dhaka University Career Club, Hospitality and Tourism Management Department,
Faculty of Business Studies and Media Partners for arranging today’s successful
program.
The best gifts I’ve received from
today’s seminar are LOVE & GRATITUDE!
Today’s session was more
motivational than informative. All I’ve shared today is all I’ve experienced. I
hardly face problem to meet people having failure stories to make them
comfortably listen to mine and make them feel comfortable about their failures.
I always feel tempted to talk about how successfully I failed, failed and failed.
It really feels great when the
universities invite the worst university CGPA (2.74) holder to help their
students achieve higher goals! It’s not my worth, it’s my luck! I missed the
opportunity to make myself motivated enough for good grades, but I never miss
the opportunity to make others motivated enough for life as having a life is
better than having good grades.
Looking forward to meeting many
other friends tomorrow!!
28October 2014
In response to various questions in my inbox, a few words about the career gathering at Chittagong Muslim Hall on Saturday, November 1st at 3:00 PM:
# The career gathering will be 2.5 to 3 hours long.
# What the gathering will include: Motivational talks. BCS prelim + written + viva preparation strategies. Dhaka University IBA MBA written + viva preparation techniques.
# To attend the career gathering, you just need to show up at that time; no prior registration is required. (From my previous experience, I’d say it’s better to come a little early. At least you’ll find a comfortable place to stand.)
# The career gathering is open to all. Students from any university or college (public + private), candidates for BCS or IBA admission tests whether currently employed or not, and students from any coaching center can participate completely free.
# You don’t have to be from Chittagong to participate. (When entering the seminar hall, you won’t be tested on whether you can speak in Chittagong dialect. Even candidates arriving from Mars can attend………I’ve received this type of question via email too!)
# Whatever good or terrible questions you have about IBA or BCS, note them down and bring them. I’ll try to answer them during the Q&A session of the seminar. (However, it’s worth mentioning that I have my own limitations regarding matters other than BCS exam preparation strategies. My job came through sheer luck before I could properly understand BCS myself.)
Chittagong is my own city. I had promised to speak with friends in Chittagong. The conversation will happen; I remain in anticipation. The amusing thing is, this gathering is taking place on the exact day before my BCS exam results were announced. The next day, November 2nd, was both my birthday and the day the 30th BCS exam results were released. On November 2nd, 2011, I was as if born again. Many of you might know that coincidental story. (I have a note about it too.)
Saturday’s gathering is sponsored by Confidence Coaching Center, Chittagong branch. The next gathering will be on November 21st at the Chittagong Press Club auditorium. It’s being organized by the Rotary Club, Chittagong, Khulshi. In that gathering, both Badal Syed sir, Additional Commissioner of the Income Tax Department, and I will speak. Sir ranked second on the merit list in the BCS Taxation Cadre in his batch. Sir was the first to take initiative in organizing this gathering. From a sense of social responsibility, sir regularly undertakes such various activities. I extend my gratitude to sir.
I love to peddle dreams. To touch dreams requires only courage and passion. I wish that no one should be lost. We have not been sent to this world to become lost. I know how terribly painful that feeling is—of being lost! That’s why I hope to regularly conduct such completely non-commercial, free career discussions across different corners of Bangladesh from now on. You organize and let me know. I promise, I will come.
I request everyone to share this post and let others know.
28October 2014
This coming Friday, I’m going to Mymensingh with Prashanto for younger brother Nafiz’s reception program. The train will leave Dhaka at 7:20 AM. I’ll return to Dhaka on the 5:00 PM train.
The train should arrive by 11:00. I could chat with friends from Mymensingh at the Agricultural University until 2:00 PM. Couldn’t one tour the Agricultural University in 2-3 hours?
29October 2014
Due to the mischievous resentment of the Shibir uncles, the night bus from Chittagong to Dhaka isn’t running yesterday. So the trip to Mymensingh isn’t happening.
It’s actually for the better. In the 2-3 hours I would have had, it wouldn’t have been possible to properly see this ancient city anyway. I am a wandering soul. Very soon I’ll go for two days to see Shashi Lodge, Gouripur Lodge, Alexandra Castle, Shilpacharya Zainul Abedin Collection, Independence Monument, the riverside park along the Brahmaputra, Mymensingh Museum, Botanical Garden, Bangladesh Agricultural University, Nazrul Memorial Center, Maharaj Suryakanta’s house, martyr Sakhina’s shrine, Ramgopal Zamindar house, Fulbaria Orchid Garden, Fulbaria Aladdin’s Eco Park, the Chinese clay hills, Abdul Jabbar Memorial Museum, Bipin Park, Saheb Park (near the Shilpacharya Zainul Abedin Gallery), Muktagacha Rajbari, and whatever else exists. (Lifted straight from Wikipedia, dada!)
At that time, I humbly request that some kind soul or kind lady help this poor wanderer explore the city. In return, I’ll offer heartfelt prayers (if a kind soul) or a heart full of love (if a kind lady).
Dear younger brother Nafiz,
Would you kindly either marry once more, or arrange a feast of shiramal treats for this gluttonous elder brother? If necessary, you may seek patronage from our mischievous uncles.
30October 2014
Marriages are made in Heaven, broken
in Facebook!
30October 2014
Our airport Customs Intelligence
team just seized 82 pieces goldbars at Chittagong airport weighing 9.564
kilograms worth around 4 crore!
My Assistant Revenue Officer Bidhan
first detected the passenger from Dubai.
Smugglers propose, customs officers
dispose!!!!
31October 2014
Friends! So the gathering is tomorrow,
at 3 in the afternoon,
at Muslim Hall in Chittagong.
We’ve organized gatherings in Chittagong before, at my beloved CUET campus. That one was on a much smaller scale. Tomorrow’s shouldn’t be like that. From my previous experience, I’d say come a little early. If you can’t manage a seat, at least you’ll be able to stand properly.
(Standing for 3 hours straight is really tough,
even tougher if you can’t stand comfortably.) At the gathering I’ll tell the story of my life; along with that there’ll be preparation strategies for BCS preliminary+written+viva and Dhaka University’s IBA MBA written+viva exams. Whatever questions you have about BCS or IBA admission exams,
bring them written down.
Those who can’t make it to tomorrow’s career session, you can come on Saturday, November 22nd at 4 PM to the Theatre Institute in Chittagong. Like tomorrow’s gathering, this one too won’t require any registration, no entry fee. Open to all. Just come.
The November 22nd program is being organized by the Chittagong Rotary Club. For this program I especially thank Income Tax Department Additional Commissioner Badal Syed sir.
Please share this post to let everyone know.
Reflection: Five hundred ninety-one
……………………………………………………
2 November 2014
November 2, 1984………. I was born.
November 2, 2011……….. I came to life.
A person who was completely lost, someone whose meaning of being alive at one time was simply not dying, the day he suddenly begins to live with tremendous intensity,
that day can indeed be called his day of birth. Whatever anyone may say,
this much is certain:
in this world, only nothingness is allotted to nobodies.
We had all been waiting with restless anticipation for quite some time for the results of the 30th BCS examination. Finally, the results were announced. The date was November 2, 2011. That day was my birthday. How strange, isn’t it?
Tears of joy came to my eyes. For the first time in my life, I received such a tremendous birthday gift from Allah. You may call it simply a miracle or coincidence, whatever you wish, but I personally believe: Miracles happen when you believe. Yes, miracles do happen!
Thus I was born again on November 2nd. Today means everything to me.
On my birthday, I give thanks…
First. To God. He has given me the opportunity to witness this birthday as well. How many people never get the fortune to see their ‘next birthday.’ I have. However long I live, each day is a bonus. I am not someone so essential that God had to keep me alive. I am grateful to Him for my survival.
Second. To my mother. She brought me into this world. That one can love so deeply—this I learned from her. How love can be sustained unchanged for thirty years without any apparent reason, this mystery remains beyond my comprehension, like all other children in the world.
Third. To my father. Watching him, I learned how one can live life so simply yet have all accounts balance in the arithmetic of existence. How to smile with such pure heart at others’ happiness. How to spread tranquility like a great tree giving shade. I too say like my father: O God! Do not give me a life I must carry as a burden. If necessary, give me the life of a little sparrow—that too would be good.
Fourth. To my younger brother Prashanta. I still cannot imagine how I would manage without him by my side. He tolerates me, accepts my mistakes, and even if the whole world turns away from me, he remains! Brother, reduce your anger a little. I fear your anger more than I fear you.
Fifth. To my lack of courage. Without it, I wouldn’t even be alive. Rather than committing suicide, it’s much better to simply live as an ordinary person, even if not brilliant like others, and see what happens! God never keeps anyone dishonored forever.
Sixth. To the friends and well-wishers around me. They love me and call me good, which makes me want to live, even if by some small deceptions and compromises. I know that love is perhaps only this much—like the sunlight that can play between two fingers! Still, can one live without even this small portion of love?
To all those who came to Batighore’s small gathering today and brought me joy, honored me—I am grateful to them. Seeing your happiness that I lived another year longer, I kept thinking: human love is such a terribly awkward thing! Alas! The sin of being unable to love even an atom of it in return makes me guilty; every single moment. One desperately wishes to rival even the misfortune of someone whom no one loves.
To all those who wished me well, I extend my gratitude. Nothing much would have been lost had you not offered these wishes. Yet you did. I couldn’t reply to everyone either. This is not from any lack of sincerity on my part — this is my failure. For your love, I seek your forgiveness.
I thank Dipankar da of Batighore for giving me the opportunity to spend time in my favorite place with my beloved people. The warmth of all the Batighore staff will remain in my memory. To all those whose labor made today’s party truly a celebration, I express my deepest gratitude.
2 November 2014
Batighore in Chittagong is a place very dear to me. I have spent many beautiful moments of my life here. I’ve decided to cut my birthday cake here this time.
I cordially invite all my friends in Chittagong to come to Batighore today at 7 PM to share my birthday cake. If I can cut my 30th birthday cake with all of you, I will consider myself extremely fortunate. Please come — I will be immensely happy.
Postscript.
1. Batighore is Bangladesh’s largest bookstore. Address: Chittagong Press Club, Jamal Khan Road.
2. A humble request: please, no one bring any gifts. I only ask for your love and the blessing that I may remain well. I can manage the arrangements for staying happy myself.
……… Hey, you brigade! You all handle the arrangements. I’ll just come to enjoy the feast in the evening. Those I forgot to tag, take it upon yourselves to do so!!
3 November 2014
The advantages of coming to office on a strike day:
One. Less traffic on the roads. Though the office car doesn’t run, one can reach the office in less time. This helps forget, at least somewhat, the infinite agony of dust and grime while riding in a CNG. (Lately, even Chittagong feels like Dhaka — a city of income and life-erosion. Alas! What a cruel defeat of life at the hands of livelihood! Every single moment.)
Two. Patriotic songs play at every street corner. A certain kind of joy works within the chest. Tears come to the eyes. One keeps feeling — my country, my country. The urge comes to go to the village for a while. To go near the soil and the people, to speak with them, to listen to their words and write those words down. I understand what intoxication drove them to war. For those who sang songs of liberation, a tremendous sense of reverence stirs. Since this morning, these lines have been ringing in my head…….
This Padma,
this Meghna,
this Yamuna-Surma riverbank…..
Salute to the members of the police force.
3 November 2014
Try to help people, because maybe
you’ll get 100 opportunities to do harm to people in a day, but you’ll hardly
get 1 opportunity to help people once in a year, if you’re lucky enough! People
will misunderstand, misinterpret and even miscommunicate, still help people.
Just forget & forgive. Why? As not always you do the right things, you seek
forgiveness from Allah if you’re a believer, or you expect people to forgive
you if you’re a non-believer. You can never claim forgiveness if you don’t
forgive. What goes around comes around. Every man is paid back in his own coin.
4 November 2014
Since I joined Facebook, would someone kindly go to my timeline and copy-paste all my old and new writings into a couple of Word files to gather them together? (All my writings are public.)
I don’t have a collection of my own writings. If someone did this for me, I would be grateful for life.
If you want to say anything, please kindly inbox me.
Big brother, I want to do this work for you!
Are you thinking it through,
brother?
Yes big brother,
but it will take me some time!
………. Not just some, it will take a lot of time,
I know. If you can manage it, please do it.
Big brother, should I do all your posts,
or just the educational ones!
…… All of them. My most beloved writings are the ones that aren’t educational.
Whenever you feel like it. Take your time. My statuses, and if possible, some of the very old comments too.
It would be good if I could deliver them in person. To tell you the truth,
I can’t control my desire to meet you,
brother.
Hahahaha……….. You want to meet??
Tell me, when will you do it?
No problem at all. You won’t need to go through the trouble of collecting writings for this, brother. I’m a very small person.
Thought: Five hundred ninety-five
……………………………………………………
5 November 2014
Can’t understand this feeling.
A certain lady said:
Your words are sexier than you.
Is this a compliment? Or
an insult?
5 November 2014
I fall at your feet, Sarat Babu, please write a story,
About a perfectly ordinary girl—
Who, poor thing, has to compete from afar
With at least five or seven extraordinary women—
In other words, the mother of the Seven Sisters constellation.
I’ve understood that my luck has run out,
I have been defeated.
But the one you write about
let her triumph on my behalf,
so that reading her, the heart swells with pride.
Let flowers and sandalwood fall upon your pen.
Call her Maloti.
That name is mine.
There’s no fear of being discovered.
There are so many Malotis in Bangladesh,
they are all ordinary girls.
They don’t know French or German,
they know how to weep.
I tried to write Rabindranath’s story of that ordinary girl. Even just surviving can mean a great deal. My story’s heroine simply scraped by, barely existing. Her survival meant nothing more than not dying. Nothing else. She lived just like that. Living completely without expectations or desires. Though she did receive one thing: everyone’s kindness in giving her food and clothing. Perhaps sometimes people do survive on just food and clothing. She fought with life, paying no heed to death’s constant beckoning. Despite all this anguish and suffering, she took the civil service exam, became a cadre through sheer merit. When intentions remain pure and sincere effort accompanies them, the Almighty never sends anyone away empty-handed. She now teaches physics at a government college. We can assume the story is just that—a story, or if it is a story, then a true one. This story doesn’t belong to her alone; it belongs to ten other ordinary girls who didn’t disappear, who simply persisted in this world and now dream fiercely of truly living.
7 November 2014
Introduce your woman to a man.
Next time, he will introduce her to
you.
Never trust another man with your
woman. Men will not change. Men will be men, ALWAYS.
I, too, refuse to agree with this.
Let me share a true incident. One of our friends requested another friend to convey his feelings of love to a girl. He couldn’t tell her himself, out of shyness or fear.
Latest update: That girl is now the proud mother of our second friend’s child.
……….. Why should you be sorry
for telling from Islam?
Your logic is itself illogical! If you introduce your girlfriend to me and later she gets together with me, why should I alone be to blame? If your girlfriend leaves you for me, is this girl not at fault? And this would also reveal your own inadequacy because you’re unable to hold onto your girlfriend!!!
A distinguished real man.
………. Two words:
One. How do you know whether I’m capable or incapable?
(Get lost. Does your family know about all this?)
Two. My girlfriend ran away—
who told you that?
(Hey fool,
to run away, she’d first have to exist!)
Brother, is this your own saying????? Whoever it belongs to, the statement is true for 95 percent of the world’s people, but the remaining 5 percent isn’t exactly a small number on this planet either.
………….. Hmm. If it weren’t my own, I would have cited the source.
Maybe the second guy has everything
the first guy lacks, including a heart with true feelings
If you ever like two guys, always go
for the second.
Because if you really liked the
first guy,
You would have never started liking
the second
………….. If you have something good to write, then don’t ever come to my wall.
………… Again calling uncle “deep”? Whaaaaaaaaaaaaat…………????!!!!!!!!!!!! Say something yourself!!!!
Called uncle “deep”?! Silence. He is cool, man. What would I say myself? This is exactly what I was thinking—he said it for me.
To those who ask this humble soul whether this springs from my experience, I humbly request them to read Bibhuti’s ‘Debjan,’ which is about death, and which Bibhuti completed before his own demise!!
……….. When you’re caught, you don’t have to cry like this, mother.
yeah but women have the most
critical, selfish & realist mind in the earth which men haven’t., you
believe it or not, vaia.
………………. Women can never
be that bad without men’s consent.
that means you wanna say
50-50partnership in this matter vaia!
Not that
will you brief shortly the consents
of men regarding this, vaia?
Ask men.
………… Listen, fool, your wife is my wife, my wife is your sister-in-law. A sister-in-law is like a mother.
7 November 2014
feeling whatever!!
People write to me in inbox: Brother, kindly don’t post these words of mine.
This guy studies EEE at CUET, third year. He asks me in inbox, Brother, how can I get a job without lobbying? Give me advice. I can’t afford to wait after graduation. I told him, you rascal, who told you that CUET students get jobs through lobbying? I’ll give you a proper beating. Just study quietly.
Tell me honestly,
doesn’t your temper flare?
BUET boys get jobs anyway. Why does this boy understand so much careeeeeeeeeer………????????
………….. Brother,
I beg you by your hair
(read: feet),
please don’t turn my status comment threads into a kindergarten classroom for golden children. Big brother, I’m begging you,
please leave!
What else can one do, tell me?
You’ve completely ruined everyone’s privacy. People pour their hearts out with such emotion, trusting you with their tender declarations of love, and you publicly post these heartfelt messages, putting them in embarrassing situations before everyone. You may not mention their names, true enough. But when you share their emotional messages as status updates, many people make fun of them,
leaving comments that may mean nothing to you,
but are genuinely painful for those people. Trolling human emotions is really not right.
…………. It’s wrong to think
that whatever I write
is correct.
I have no problem even if my words get leaked. I’m not exchanging emotional messages with you anyway. But those who are doing so are acting out of love. By creating opportunities to troll people’s love, you’re unknowingly causing pain to those very people.
………… Why would you exchange emotional messages anyway??
Haven’t you reformed yet??? And are you sure I only write about things that actually happen???
I’ve never claimed to be a saint. I was a rascal,
still am,
and will remain so in the future. Roguishness is my trademark. Life is so short. In this brief existence, there’s no time to display so much righteousness. I’ll spend this life with laughter, jokes, and mischief.
But lately I see the boys from our batch are becoming excessively serious types. Especially those who’ve gotten married—they’ve all turned into domesticated animals.
……….. You haven’t married again after the first time. So why are you acting like a tamed bull???
What good did not marrying again do you???
When did I marry the first time?!!
Don’t run propaganda like this to ruin my market value, man.
You’re a celebrity. If you lie, womankind will take that as pure truth and immediately turn around and flee.
The market is already bad. Whoever I like,
I see they’re friends with you on Facebook. Because of your mischief, I see I won’t be able to safely fall in love with anyone in Bengal. I’m thinking of going to Honolulu. I hope I won’t have to endure your antics in Honolulu.
………. Does your family know you go around saying such things everywhere?
There’s a certain pleasure in commenting on celebrities’ status updates. Say I drop a comment on one of your posts. Within an hour, I see that comment has garnered twenty to twenty-five likes. Meanwhile, when I post my own status updates, they don’t even get that many likes, let alone comments. So what’s wrong with leveraging a friend’s stardom to bask in a little limelight (or should I say, dim-light)?