Thirteen
Manzur Ahmed was brooding over his job and he felt that he was of no importance in his department. No one paid any heed to him. He could not give orders to anyone. He had to move from one police station to another in the capital, to get some information about Akmal. He had to run to intelligent agencies. All his efforts went in vain. No one gave him any co-operation. Even his batch mates were very much non co-operative with him. In a situation like this, it was quite difficult to go on with job.
He thought it was a credit to continue in the job for so many years. Could he continue for eight more years? During these eight years many changes may take place. A new government might come to power. There might be positive changes in his career. Though all government a want to appoint ‘yes men’ at top posts, the criterion of earning confidence of the government lay all to the government. That’s why officers with professionalism were facing hardship.
He felt that it would be unwise to stick to his job after what had happened to Akmal. He had lost all dignity in the job. He thought he had been working maintaining his personality throughout his career. He could not accept that he had to work in a place where there is not an iota of honour. He decided to resign his post. He didn’t consult with anyone abut it. However before taking final decision he thought over the issue for several days. He thought that it would be of no use to consult anyone in this regard. He further thought if he consulted with anyone, he would be discouraged. It would then be difficult to take a decision. He could not keep his patience any more. He found no alternative to resignation.
Manzur Ahmed came to his drawing with a pen and several sheets of paper had written a resignation letter. He was thinking on what ground he would tender resignation. He thought if he should write ‘personal ground’ or ‘administrative ground.’
He asked himself, ‘Why should I write personal problems. He was not getting any co-operation from the administration. The administration was behaving in a step motherly way. I was being cornered therefore personal ground should not be the causes of my resignation.’ Then he began to write his resignation letter, on the ground of non-cooperation from the administration. As soon as he began to write many hurdles started coming his way. Ten to twelve telephone calls came. Attending the telephones calls was time consuming. He could not pay due attention to writing his resignation letter. When he had finished half of his letter, his pen ran out of. He was irritated. He threw away his pen. He decided to write a fresh letter. Every time he was being obstructed. He could not understand why such things happened. He went to his bed and lay on the bed.
He had come to his position after many ups and downs. He had acquired many bitter and sweet experiences during his career.
His career was not an unmixed joy. Either his boss was not good or he was posted in a bad place. During his long career he had to face many unwanted problems. Many time he decided to resign.
But latter on, he changed his decision. He could realize that crisis would follow him. He had to face problems during his career. He would have to stay in his job, by taking in all this problems. But the problem he has facing was different from other problems. Resignation seemed the best answer to his present problems. He was trying to calm down his restless mind. He again took up a piece of paper to write his resignation letter. He sat before the computer to prepare his resignation letter. As he was used writing on the computer, he didn’t have to write anything by hand. But his handwriting was so nice that it made others envious.
Several times he changed his draft. He did not like the resignation letter he prepared. There was overwriting also. He felt that the ground of his resignation was not being correct or presented. He wrote the letter straightway. He again sat before the computer. The old problem again began to haunt him. Whatever he wrote overwriting invariably followed. He was fed up with writing his resignation letter every time. Another problem cropped up, the line became jig jag. Such a thing had never happened earlier. He put a sheet of rolled paper under the white paper and again started to write. This time he finish the letter, when he was reading the letter he found still there was some mistakes. A letter full of mistakes should not be submitted anywhere.
The attempt to write the resignation letter thus became a huge problem at night. He again sat down to write faultless resignation letter. He was rehearsing how he would introduce himself before the Inspector General of Police and how he would start his conversation with his boss. After completing the letter he went through it. This time the letter was all right. He also thought what he could do if his resignation letter was not accepted. He was arranging in his mind his impending activities. Meanwhile the right had advanced. It was two thirty. He went to his bedroom to get some sleep.
Abdul Huq was Manzur’s driver. He was asked to report at half past eight in the morning. He reported at nine in the morning when Manzur Ahmed was in deep sleep.
Abdul Huq pressed the calling bell. He kept doing so same time. This woke up Manzur Ahmed. He jumped up from bed and looked at his watch. He was quite bit stunned. It was past nine. What could he do? He had to brush his teeth, shave and take his bath. There after he would also have to dress up. He was at his wits end. He put all the blame on his driver. Had he come in time such things would not have happened? At the fag end of his career the driver had cheated him. He decided to give him a sever scolding. He was extremely displeased with his lazy driver. He was supposed to come at eight thirty, but he had come at nine. He should have pressed the calling bell only once but he kept ringing the bell. Since he was late there was no need for the driver to come. He could have given him a mighty slap for his delay. Let him wait for hours together for his delay it would be a punishment for him. Manzur Ahmed got down getting prepared. He could not decide what should be doing first. He tried to calm himself. The driver was still pressing the bell. He thought his boss was still in deep sleep. If he woke up there would have been noise inside the room. Since the driver heard no sound from the room he thought it was his duty to continue pressing the bell to wake up his boss.
Manzur Ahmed though that he would open the door and give a sever scolding to Abdul Huq. However on second thought he gave up this idea. He felt a bit of sympathy for the driver who was an old man. Perhaps due to some problems on the road he could come in time. Or he was in deep sleep like his boss. The driver disturbed him round the year yet he did not tell him anything.
As soon as Manzur Ahmed came out of the door, driver Abdul Huq gave him a salute but stood with a pale face. Without noticing the driver Mansur Ahmed walked straight to the car and got into it. Abdul Huq too got into his seat and started driving for the police Head Quarter.
IGP Hafizur Rashed was extremely busy. He had come to office punctuality at nine. He tried to finish his file work as early as possible. He talked with several top officials. He also rang Manzur Ahmed but he was not at home.
The IGP was a little bit worried. Manzur Ahmed was quite well known for his punctuality. He was thinking about what prompt the additional to be late. He was not sure that Manzur Ahmed forgotten the appointment with him. Then he again got busy with his work. When the IGP started to work with his files Manzur Ahmed knocked on the door. ‘May I come in sir’? He asked.
‘Yes please,’ replied his boss. ‘Did you face any problem? You are never late in any appointment. What made you late today?’ The IGP asked him.
‘Sir, I went to bed late last night. I couldn’t get up in time.’ replied Manzur.
‘Why? Was there no one at your house to wake you up?’ the IGP wanted to know.
‘Sir, perhaps you don’t know all members of my family live in Canada. I have been living alone for quite a long time!’ Said Manzur Ahmed.
‘I don’t know that,’ said the IGP; ‘How are you now?’
‘Not well sir. I am very disturbed.’
‘Why? What happened to you? Please tell me!’
‘Sir, I am resigning my job today?’
‘Why? What’s the problem?’
‘Sir, I have been working for quite a long time. Now I want to take rest.’
‘What do you mean? You have still several years in your career.’
‘Sir, I have decided that I shall no longer work in my job.’
‘Why? Are you going to settle in Canada?’
‘No sir, I shall stay in my country.
‘Then. Why do you want to give up job?’ ‘Sir, I have been totally cornered. No one is co-operating with me. No one carries my order. I have no importance in the department.’
‘These are troubling matters, the IGP consoled Manzur. In the long career many such things happen. If you take everything seriously you can’t continue in the job. The Inspector general continued, ‘Mr. Manzur you are an experienced person. I can’t stop you if you want to resign. But as your senior colleague I will request you to reconsider your decision. Haven’t you seen me face many such complexities? Even then I have been standing my ground. Please have patience as I had. Everything will be all right. Haven’t you heard, the proverb runs. ‘Patience begets good results. What will do after giving up the job? You haven’t sufficient money to start a business. Better, have patience.’
‘Sir, you have known me for quite a long time.’ said Manzur Ahmed. I never compromised on any principles. I won’t do it now. Sir, I don’t want to sell my personality. ‘Sir, I have come to you to tell my story, for that I sought appointment from you. My nephew has been arrested. He does not know on what ground he was arrested. No one knows where he has been kept after his arrest. I can’t get any information from anyone in this regarded.
‘What’s the name of your of nephew?’ The IGP wanted to know.
‘Akmal Kabir.’ Manzur answered.
‘What short of nephew is he?’
‘He is the only son of my only sister, when he was only two, his mother died.
‘I am also worried about this matter; said the IGP. I did not know that Akmal is your nephew.’
‘I was not informed.’
‘Prof Kabir is his father isn’t it?’ Asked the IGP.
‘Yes sir,’ replied Manzur Ahmed.
‘I have heard that he has been accused of murder’ said the IGP. I also heard that he is extremely meritorious. When he was implicated in a murder case I raised the question I was told that he was arrested on specific charges. However, I shall personally look into the matter. I don’t want to see that the image of the Police department is tarnished. I also don’t want that an arrested person should be the victim of police harassment. Rest assured; I shall look into the matter. Don’t be angry. Anger does not pay anything. In the long run it brings harm. I shall try to get all information about your nephew. I assure you I’ll not allow letting down the image of the Police department to be tarnished.’
‘But sir, I want to know where Akmal is now and how he is.’ said Manzur Ahmed.
‘May be, he is well, or may be he is not,’ replied the inspector general.
‘Sir.’ fumbled Manzur.
‘I can’t give you any information about Akmal right at this moment. I hope you understand my position. But we’ll certainly have information very soon. Go to your office and attend to your work. Leave the matter of Akmal to me. Manzur Ahmed did accordingly.
A relieved man, Manzur Ahmed went back to his office. The IGP looked at Manzur as he went out of the door. He was, perhaps, feeling a bit sad for Akmal.
