Feature

Dr Binoy Barman

I am acquainted with some people who would never use mobile telephone. They consider it to be an utter nuisance. They would not allow it to invade their personal time to destroy the bliss of solitude. Ringing off and on, without any notice, a mobile phone can really be very disturbing. It will cry with tone or melody at midnight when one is sleeping, or at midday when one is taking lunch. Call may come at the most unexpected moment when one is engaged in a very serous job. Such a necessary evil it has become!

Even some would carefully avoid mobile phone for ideological reasons. Mobile technology has been invented and disseminated by the west. It is an element of western culture which is oriented to annihilate the peace in oriental atmosphere. The multinational companies spread their net of business here obviously for profit. Disguised in the utility of science, mobile telephony is seen as technological imperialism. So the cellphone haters think it their responsibility to resist imperialism at any cost!

Just consider how the technology is to some extent contributing to intellectual decay among our youths. The young boys and girls would chat with one another through the night to avail themselves of the free or low-tariff opportunity offered by the mobile companies. Mobile phone makes them feel romantic but snatches away their spirit to work. Students would forget their lessons led up to poor performance in classes and finally in examinations. They fail to make the best use of their time. They employ more time in writing SMS than writing their assignments.

Mobile telephony also causes a huge waste of money. Uncounted bucks slip out of wallet for talking necessarily or unnecessarily. Nowadays many people happen to possess more than one SIM belonging to different companies or packages. Multiple SIM means multiple handsets and extra budget. Mobile is a billion dollar investment in the country. Mobile network and handset businesses vie to woo consumers with their glitzy products continuously. The consumers also are lured to grab the new facility often just for fashion. Necessity seems to be determined by ad hype, amid a hyper-real colour of life.

If you have a mobile phone, you may miss many things but not certainly miss calls. The kiss of miss calls may flow from your spouse or friend or from anybody. They are short of money so call them back. You are urged to do that even if you are short of time. More irritating is the call from a wrong number. An unsuspecting call will come out from the other side and ask you 'Apni ki Adu Bhai or Badu Bhai?' You just gently say, sorry, I'm not the person you are looking for! But some are not giving you up so easily. They will call you again and ask who you are, what your profession is, where you live, and so on. If you are a lady, then it is all hell. You will get calls totally uncalled for, or SMS, or miss calls, without any fail, time and time again. Some men have really immeasurable supply of passion at their heart.

I have recently had a bizarre experience with mobile phone. An unknown person calling to my number identified me as Nuru Chacha and told me to refund his seven thousand taka that he claimed I borrowed from him a few months ago. The more I tried to convince him that I was not Nuru Chacha the more he got angry with me. He called me day and night demanding his money. He would not refrain from calling whatsoever. At last he gave me an ultimatum, if I did not hand over his money coming to a particular location in the city immediately, he must complain to RAB so that they would punish me. Oh, my God! 'Chhere de ma kende banchi!' Since then I put that particular number off to keep out of danger. I do not want my life to be messed up with RAB!

I wish if I could get rid of the hazards of mobile phone. But the technology has entangled my existence with it (and probably yours too) and I cannot get out of it. Mobile phone has eaten up my mind (probably damaging brain cells with harmful radiation). It feels essential, very essential, indeed. I cannot live without the tiny tyrant in my palm any more.

The writer is an Assistant Professor, English, Bangladesh University. He may be reached at: binoy_barman@yahoo.com