Sixteen
Before Manzur Ahmed got up from bed, Humayun Kabir and Marufa appeared at his house.
They had come so early, apprehending that Manzur Ahmed might go out. If they couldn’t meet him on that day the whole day would be wasted. One day was equal to one year to them. Therefore, they did not miss the day. When they reached Manzur’s house he was in deep sleep. They woke him up. Seeing them Manzur was a little bit surprised. In a tone of surprise he said, ‘Brother you are so early in the morning. Is there anything special … I mean any news of Akmal?’
Humayun said, ‘Manzur, I have done a splendid job. When I tell you about it, you’ll be surprised. The job was your responsibility. Since you could not do the job I had to do it.’
‘What have you done, brother?’ Manzur wanted to know.
‘I have gathered all the information regarding the arrest of Akmal.’
‘What do you say? How you do this such a thing?’ Manzur wanted to know.
‘A Razakar was behind all this. He is my life long foe.’ replied Humayun.
‘Who is that guy? Is it Shariful Azam?’ Manzur asked.
‘Manzur Bhai, how could you know the name? Do you know him?’ Marufa Rahman wanted to know.
‘The foe of my brother, I must know him. Isn’t it true; Humayun Bhai?’ Manzur said.
‘Yes’ Humayun said, ‘Shariful’s daughter committed suicide because of her failure of her love. He turned that act of suicide into a murder and implicated Akmal.’
‘What do you say? Manzur uttered in surprise.’
‘This is what exactly the case is. It is a pre-planned conspiracy. To make such a case Shariful Azam did what was required.’ Humayun answered.
‘Such as?’ Manzur wanted to know.
‘He changed that before committing suicide his younger daughter wrote a note wherein she said.’ Akmal Kabir is responsible for my suicide. Infact she did not write the note.
‘What are you saying! Everything seems very puzzling’. Manzur Ahmed said.
‘Yes, I am telling only the truth.’ said Humayun Kabir.
‘Do you have any proof that the letter was written by the younger sister?’ Manzur Ahmed wanted to know.
Shariful Azam told me this verbally’ replied Humayun.
‘What do you mean?’ asked Manzur.
He said this himself. I have proof to support my statement.’ said Humayun.
‘Where is your proof?’ Manzur wanted to know.
Humayun Kabir brought the audio cassette from his pocket and handed over to Manzur Ahmed and said, ‘Here is the proof. Do you have a tape-recorder in your house?
‘Of course I have! Please wait. I am bringing the tape recorder.’ said Manzur Ahmed. Manzur went and returned immediately with the mini tape-recorder. Then they began to listen to the record. Hearing the voice of Shariful Azam Manzur Ahmed was surprised. He kept saying ‘Excellent, Splendid, Strange, Bother Humayun, I shall not slight you by giving thanks.‘I am going to the IGP just now with the cassette. However powerful Shariful Azam may be I shall get him arrested. I want to know how long his hand has become.’
Humayun said, ‘That’s what we want. Do something to restore people’s confidence in the rule of law. Give hope to those people who have already become frustrated.’
‘People have become fed up as they are not getting any justice. Marufa commented.
‘Sister, rest assured. Shariful Azam must pay for his misdeeds. But please have some breakfast with Me.’ Requested Manzur Ahmed.
‘No, we shall have our breakfast at home.’ said Humayun kabir.
‘Is there any problem if you have taken it here?’ Manzur wanted to know ‘Please do come.’
Then the three of them took their breakfast together. After the breakfast over, Manzur Ahmed and Humayun Kabir stepping to the Police headquarters and Humayun and Marufa went to the house of Mansur Ahmed.
From the balcony Mansur Ahmed saw Humayun Kabir and Marufa. He did not advance. Standing there he said, ‘Humayun please come. Just now I was thinking of both of you. If you didn’t come today I myself would have gone to your house.’
‘Then our coming here is well justified’ said Humayun Kabir.
No, No, No, your coming here does not stop me from going to your house.’ said Mansur Ahmed.
‘Would you have time to come our house?’ asked Humayun.
‘Of course! I shall always have time to visit your resident’ said Mansur Ahmed.’ I am not so busy that I can’t go to your house. Then he shouted, Nilufar come and see who is here’ Again he looked at Humayun Kabir and Marufa. ‘You have come in right time. It was difficult for us to spend the time. Everything seems to have come to a standstill for us for the family.’
Mansur Ahmed suggested, ‘let us sit in the drawing room.’
Three of them moved towards the drawing room. Mansur Ahmed said, ‘we are passing a rough and hard time as we don’t really know when evening comes and when night ends. There is always tension in my mind. I can’t look at the face of Nilufar. I can’t tolerate the crisis of Shila. Shipra’s departure has upset everything. Many days passed, I couldn’t collect any news of Akmal.’
Humayun Kabir sighed and said, ‘Mansur Bhai’ I’ve collected detailed information about Akmal. He is a victim of political revenge!’
‘Is it? What shot of Information have you gathered? Please, tell me. Wait, let me call Nilufar.’
He shouted, ‘Nilufar, Nilufar!’
Nilufar rushed into the room. She felt a little embarrassed when she saw Humayun and Marufa. ‘Humayun Bhai when did you come? I didn’t see coming.
Mansur Ahmed said to Nilufar, ‘I called you so many times, where have you been?
‘I’m very sorry, I didn’t know you were here. I was in the kitchen. Said Nilufar.
Humayun Kabir said, ‘There is nothing for you to be sorry about but please be seated. I’ve got some important information about Akmal. My lifelong foe Shariful Azam, the Razakar, filed a false suit against Akmal. He arrested him by influencing the police.
‘Is it true? Can it really happen? Nilufar Jahan said in astonishment.
‘I myself have collected all the proofs. He himself admitted everything to me.’
Mansur Ahmed was astonished and said, ‘Did you say he confessed to you? What do you mean by that?’
‘I I took a disguise, a new get up. In disguise I introduced myself as his boyhood friend. This adventure paid me boom. In a tricky way I recorded every thing what he said.’
‘What do you say!’ It’s a great adventure!’ commented Mansur Ahmed.
‘Yes. This morning we went to Manzur Ahmed with all the information and cassette. He has gone to the Inspector General of Police to handover the proof.’ replied Humayun.
‘Humayun. Really you have done very splendid job.’ Mansur said.
‘Shariful Azam’s party is in power now. Will the police take any action against him?’ Nilufar wanted to know.
Mansur Ahmed replied, ‘yes, the police will take action. Here the question of the image of the police Department is involved.’
Nilufar Jahan said, Oh! ‘Job is more their important than the image of the department. Will they try to keep their jobs first, and then they go for the image?’
Marufa agreed with her and said, ‘Yes, Bhabi (1) you’ve taken up an excellent point. The pressure from the ruling party has it has made it very difficult for the police personnel to perform their duty smoothly. Have they any time to think about their image?’
Dissenting with them Humayun Kabir said, ‘Even after all this, I feel the police department will take action against Shariful Azam. A false case can’t survive in the court. He further said, ‘If the police want to go ahead with their present stand will be in trouble. They will not willingly take this responsibility on there shoulder.’
Marufa said, ‘Drop your assumption. I have seen many irregularities in the country. If necessary the government will reshuffle the top order of the police department.’
Humayun Kabir replied, ‘Yes, the government can do that, but we have the proof. And this can put that Razakar in trouble in one time.
Nilufar said, ‘It will be really fantastic if he is put in trouble. But have you got any news of Akmal? Where he is, how is he?’
Marufa commented, ‘this responsibility lies with the police. He is under their custody.’ She further said, ‘If anything happen to him the police will have to account for it.
Nilufar Jahan said in an aggrieved tone, ‘Is there any accountability now -a- days?’
Mansur Ahmed replied, ‘Yes, you are saying this out of frustration. They will have to account to the people of this country?’
Supporting Nilufar Humayun said, ‘Bhabi, you are right, I fully agree with you. The public of this country has easily forgotten the past. The autocratic Ershad brought the country to ruin, yet people voted for him and elected him to the parliament. They also said, what the use of digging the past is.’
Humayun Kabir continued, ‘The fact is, The past is your foundation. Without taking account of the past how can move foreword? If that basis is weak the future will also become weak. The future will slip away from our hands. Our public must realize this.
Mnsur Ahmed interrupted, ‘What are you saying is true, but if time and opportunity come together the public will rise to the occasion.’
Marufa said, ‘Your expectations are quite rosy, Monzur bhai. It’s a good sign. The politicians should be optimist about the country. Otherwise the whole country will be drowning in frustration. The politicians should be optimists`.
With a sigh of satisfaction Mansur Ahmed said, ‘Thanks Marufa. Even while I am frustrated I don’t lose hope. Mansur Ahmed continued, ‘However deep the darkness may be the sun will shine. You will be surprised to know that I frequently signing a song…
‘Tobu asha bedhe aakhi
Tobu dip jele rakhi.’
(Yet I keep hope awake and keep the lamp burning.)
Humayun said, ‘Mansur Bhai, your lecture has impressed me. You can raise hope among mankind. Thank you ‘Well let us get up now’ Humayun said.
‘No, no. It can’t be. Please stay and have lunch with us.’ Nilufar requested Humayun and marufa. ‘Humayun you can’t say no. Marufa please do stay. Have lunch here. As long as you stay we can spend the time talking. We can pass our time without thinking of our tragedy’ said Mansur Ahmed.
Humayun said, ‘Yes, we’d stay. We’ve been together after a long time. I don’t know when again will be together. Have we ever sat together in this manner? The last time we came to see Shipra. We stayed here for a few hours. Then Shipra left us forever’.
‘Don’t remind us of her. That girl left us only for our neglect. In fact, we did not try to understand her’ Nilufar said.
Mansur Ahmed sighed and said, ‘Yes, the fault was mine.’
‘It was no one’s fault. It was our destiny’ said Nilufar.’ Please carry on the conversation. I am going to the kitchen.’
