Remembrance of 1971

Blue Venom

In the backdrop of first few days of Bangladeshi liberation war of 1971, a resident of Dacca, Nazrul is apprehended by the soldiers loyal to Pakistani government, on his way to meet his family – away from the violence in the city. And what at first seems to be a decent interrogation soon turns into brutal and inexplicable sequence of questions, which clearly carry the sentiments of religious hatred for Hindus and the violence against Bengalis demanding a free state.

The interrogators question him about his small movements in the city before the declaration of independence on March 26, 1971. Amidst his fear and trembling, he gets the clue that the interrogators are seeking his association¹ with the liberation movement and revolutionaries. He tries to make a way out with simple truths and lies, even exaggerating other people’s activities in the hope of being freed. And he is scared from the way the interrogators with nationalistic virtues are trying to prove that he is guilty for supporting or acting as a liberationist – questioning even his natural instincts – and what his answers might lead him into. Meanwhile, he doesn’t understand why he’s being treated as if he is a poet who has written rebellious poems in support of the independent Bangladeshi nation. Only when a piece of paper that was found in his pocket containing a poem by Kazi Nazrul Islam, the national poet of Bangladesh, is brought upon he does realize that the soldiers have mistaken him with the poet, when in fact he only shares the same name and even doesn’t know how to write a poem.

1.       “… I neither understand nor enjoy politics. I didn’t even vote during the elections, because I was down with fever. I try to steer clear of marches or strikes because I don’t want to get shot. I can’t stand the sight of blood, which is why I did not opt for the medical profession after passing the ISC. I can’t think beyond my family and that’s why I was afraid.”

He is beaten and tortured when he doesn’t accept to identify as the poet and tries to prove his disassociation with politics. Later, a statement is brought to him that addresses the Bengalis and requests them to quit the liberation movement and to be undersigned by the poet Kazi Nazrul Islam, which he refuses to do. In his captivity, he has visions of his first love, his wife and children speaking to him and even the poet Nazrul Islam appears as if in a phantasmagoria, all of which strengthen his courage and true inner motivation for liberation. Nazrul, at first encounters with his interrogators and torturers asks if he will be able to go back to his family, however he transforms into a fervent supporter of liberation movement and sheds all his fear for life which later brings upon him the tragedy.

The novella captures small movements, acts and language of the characters that renders the ambience and tension surrounding the liberation movement, and exemplifies the brutality and defiance in the face of Bangladeshi war of independence. Blue Venom is not only a remembrance to the liberation war but also to poet Nazrul Islam who backed up the rebellion through his poems. Simple but dark and honest account of ordinary citizens suffering the brutality of regime, Blue Venom is a poignant reminder that liberation was attained not at ordinary cost.

Forbidden Incense

The story starts with a train coming to a halt before reaching Jaleswari at Nabagram station. Boarded in the train is Bilkis, who has come from Dacca to meet her mother and siblings in Jaleswari. In almost a godforsaken station, Bilkis tries to find out if the train will ever go to Jaleswari, but soon witnesses it returning back to another station marring her last hope. Then after having a conversation with the stationmaster about the tension in the area between the people and soldiers, Bilkis starts her journey on foot for Jaleswari. Soon she finds out that a teenage boy whom she had seen before at the station is following her. As they progress on their journey, the conversation with the boy leads her to discover that the family of the boy had been killed by the Biharis and that he knows her family well. The boy had escaped from the village when the Hindus were slaughtered and doesn’t exactly know what’s happening in the village and the apprehension of Bilkis grows and so is the urgency to reach her village having already lost (?) her husband in one of the violent attacks raging nationwide.

After reaching Jaleswari Bilkis and Siraj (the boy) find that Bilkis’ house – where everything looks like as if things were left in a hurry – and the neighborhood too is empty. Bilkis searches for traces of any killings while Siraj ventures outside to search for any news, both wary of their movements and taking care to avoid any attention. Siraj brings the news that all of her family is safe and have crossed a river to a safe place, and shortly they leave the house. They come to a house of an old blind man, who has been left by all and now is at the mercy of Biharis. When the old man finally speaks to Bilkis, a truth yet kept secret by Siraj surfaces – Bilkis’ brother was killed among many young boys. The story progresses as both of them venture out again and decide to give proper burial to the victim of genocide until they face the infiltrators themselves.

Like Blue Venom, Forbidden Incense too is a story woven around the Bangladeshi war of independence, when mass killings, displacement, torture and rape were among the atrocities suffered by the common people. The novella delves deep into the psyche of people facing the violence and their struggle for life and safety and foremost the never-ending connection between those who are living and those lost forever. The heartbreaking scenes of killings, dead bodies and tortures make us surprised to feel and understand to what extent human beings can become evil, corrupt and animalistic in the face of war. Combined, the novellas give a true account of humane and inhuman stories resting in the shadow of Bangladeshi war of independence.

The book is part of Library of Bangladesh series.

Author: Syed Shamsul Haq

Translated by: Saugata Ghosh

Edited by: Arunava Sinha

Publisher: Bengal Lights Books (Library of Bangladesh series)

Page Count: 124pp

Price: $11

Author Photo Credit: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Syed_Shamsul_Haque

Review Copy Courtesy: Bengal Lights Books (Library of Bangladesh series)

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