Devil at Work in mind, body and soul

Chintito

In this column a fortnight back the digital devil ensured that the intended italics go on an unannounced vacation, and so they did. I wonder if perchance this week they have returned but truant cannot yet be ruled out, for they say you need a vacation after a vacation; the proof is in the pudding.

The devil is everywhere, well almost.

Devil is in the mind of our politicians who sniff a conspiracy in any word, thought and deed that goes against them or their holier-than-thou parties that are often born out of such scheming plots. Arrey Bhai! Even Queen Cleopetra did not lead an unblemished life, nor did Alexander, although he was called 'The Great'. Unless our politicians, many of who have envious role in the making of this country's history, really believe today and now that indeed the country is greater than the party, and the party greater than the individual, as has been said before, the healing period of two years would have been sacrificed for nought. Now, come on, we have more grey matter than that. Allow me to narrate a common gag to illustrate my point:

In the U.S. they invented a machine that catches thieves; they took it out to different countries for a test. In the U.S.A, in 30 minutes, it caught 20 thieves; in the UK, in 30 minutes it caught 50 thieves; Spain, in 30 minutes it caught 65 thieves; Ghana, in 30 minutes it caught 600 thieves; Bangladesh, in 15 minutes the machine was stolen.

Now, commonly it may be believed that that shaggy dog story was penned by an American, but you would win the bet if you put your money on a Bangladeshi. But betting with financial implications is really the work of the devil.

Devil is in the body of our mastans, who think not a wink before taking a handful of dough to assault, maim and even kill the enemy of his promoter. The terrorist often does not know who his victim is or why. The barrier between his blocked head (read 'easy money for intoxicants') and conscience is sometimes as less as a Taka 500 note, or lesser.

Just imagine to what lawlessness (also uplessness = lowness) this nation has stooped to. As the killer mastan walks up to his unsuspecting prey (his patron's political/business/social target), he thinks not a moment about the would-be affected family, his parents, his children. All he wants is his 'mission' accomplished in the most ruthless manner and as quickly, get his dosh and get drunk or gassed.

Most recently allegedly, and as confessed, a lady (if you may call her that) hid three would-be killers in the veranda of her apartment, and went to bed with her husband. Her hired friends (you may call them that) attacked her unaware husband at around three in the morning, killed him and left the venue of the murder. When apprehended, not difficult because she was with the body all the while, she said (as per news reports) she asked her 'friends' to only scare her husband and not kill him. The least she could have done was stop them when they had gone beyond her recipe, or shout for help. The devil took over her.

Devil is in the soul of this country because we have opted to accept lies more readily than the truth, even when the facts are evident. Why? Because we want to carry out our respective agenda.

For example: If it helps a person, a party or a government to disregard/disown the contribution of the freedom fighters, and the role of Bangabandhu and his comrades in attaining the very entity of Bangladesh, then 26 March become 27 March, the parenthood of the nation is unnecessarily put to question, 'revolutions' are portrayed greater than the glorious and holy War of Liberation. One has to then put in effort and time to explain the truth to the intentionally gullible. They are unmoved.

If our politicians do not clean up their act, even after the “slap” of 1/11, then again the story of that Barishaillah shall have to be repeated. It goes like this: The man was assaulted, slapped and kicked by some thugs. When the man returned to his friends they asked him about the incident. Nonchalantly, the man said, “They hit me, but they could not insult me”.

Let this be known to the politicians. The nation has been insulted.

If we cannot make our mastans unemployed in their present occupation, if we cannot find them noble and suitable jobs, then too the silent sacrifice of the last two years shall be in vain.

If we cannot shun the false for good and nurture the truth that has been witnessed by crores of living Bangalee then time and again this beautiful country of peace-loving millions shall stumble, slip behind and the finishing line shall be forever receding.

Let us be clean in thought, word and deed. Let us be purified in mind body and soul. Let our politicians follow us and us them.

<chintitoforever@gmail.com>

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