Azad: Advocate Of Individualism

[ A tribute to Prof Humayun Azad on his 74th birth anniversary.]

Advocate of individualism in 56,000 square mile
Criticizes Bengali race and society in his style.
Frank writings never cease to rile
Reactionaries and make bigger his smile.

I first encountered the name "Humayun Azad" when I was in college. Our English Teacher Terence Pinero had thrown out a question to his pupils: "Who is your favorite contemporary writer?" Almost everyone told the names of two brothers who dominated the publishing industry at that time. Then he asked: "Do you want to know the name of my favorite contemporary writer?"

Without waiting for our reply, he said:" He shared the first name of your favorite writer, but has a different title. His name is Humayun Azad. I know many of you haven't heard of him. Do read Azad. No one in our time reads our society and people better than him."

Between the spare time my HSC exam and my admission to the University , I sent a long letter to Subarnarekha, a literary supplement brought out by Daily Ajker Kagoj, without knowing that he edited the supplement. The editor did not get back to me. An interview of him on that page also garnered my attention. I was no literary connoisseur, but his criticism of what is going on around him and the media attention invoked my interest on him.

Back in August 2011, I wrote a piece about him on https://rezaulhoque.wordpress.com .

I had not read much of his works by the time I entered university. My orientation with his works began with "Chappanna Hajar Barga Mile", followed by "Kabi Othoba Dandito Opurush". He was deeply moved by the criminalization of society, decay of values and rise of the Islamists.¹

One afternoon on the second floor of theater building while I was going to attend a class, I met this pleasant looking, plainly dressed professor who was ready to talk to anyone. While he was smoking I inquired about the subject that he was working on. He said, “There are some people who still believe the sun moves around the earth! I’m working on them!!”¹

This is our Azad Sir.

He was never shy to talk openly to a stranger. A rickshaw puller and a man from the upper rung of the society got same importance and reception from him. From head to toe, he was embodiment of an educated gentleman.

Humayun Azad, born in Bikrampur, now Munshiganj and son of a School teacher, was Bangladesh’s leading linguist, writer and a strong critic of the extremists. He did his schooling at Sir JC Bose Institution, set up at the premises of renowned scientist and inventor of radio Sir Jagadish Chandra Bose. His teachers were erudite and had an impeccable style of teaching, reflected in his brilliant result at the national level.

He was no half baked intellectual. He did his PhD in Linguistics at University of Edinburgh. His books on linguistics and Bengali grammar earned him a lot of respect. But campus politics delayed his due promotion and gun violence at campus embittered him about the learning atmosphere prevailed in 80's and 90's. In an essay titled "Jatike Ekhoni Sthir Korte Hobe: Amader Bishwabidyaloyer Dorker Achhe Ki Na?(Decide Now: Do We Really Need University?)" wrote back in 1991 after witnessing a gunbattle at Dhaka University: " From school to University, we would like to see books, blooming of knowledge. University is a grooming ground, not an arms depot. And only learners will stay here, there is no place for gunners. We have to decide now: Do we really need any school, college or university? If we do really need them, then they have to be run accordingly. Otherwise, we may destroy them and engage in our suitable savage acts."² He was however against banning student politics at campus.

He was apolitical. In an interview with Bolaka in 1999, he said:" I don't belong to any political party and never chant any slogan of any party. I do not follow any doctrine, nor do I think day and night how to spread a doctrine. I want profound creativity and ultimate freedom of an individual. I do not like a man being confined into a custom, doctrine or party."³

He was deeply disappointed by the absence of individualism in Bangladesh's budding democracy and one of leading critic to write about it: " To Bengalis, democracy is just like a legend; Bengalis heard of its beauty, but never see it, never hear its voice. Bengalis wanted democracy, but never practiced it in their personal, family, social and political life. A Bengali's life has been controlled by the joint command of feudalism and autocracy. Bengalis spend their domestic and political lives under the shadow of these two medieval axes. In Bengali society, individual has little value. This society values privileged individuals and fake customs a lot. In the democratic system, individual is the supreme thing, individual is the sun of the democratic solar system, individual is sovereign, individual is parliament; family, society, constitution, state and civilization are for individual. In democracy, individual is the truth, individual is as tall as the sky, individual never bends to anyone; everything lies beneath individual's feet. Democracy is the key to blooming of an individual; democratic civilization cannot be built by killing individual. Though Bengalis sacrifice lives for democracy, they are far away from democratic civilization."(Source: Jati Songsodio Ba Dolio Shoirotantro Chai Na( Nation Does Not Want A Parliamentary or Tribal Autocracy))²

Azad sir detested jingoistic nationalism. And in several of his writings he laid it bare and underscored that such nationalism is a perennial source of sickness of a society.

But it was his criticism of his own race, taking the baton from Nirod C Chowdhury who was equally unforgivable to Bengalis and dressed them down at every occasion, that made him popular and drew a lot of attention from Bengali readers.

Azad Sir put forward reasons for criticizing his own race. He said in an interview accorded to Natun Diner Dandhane on June 3 ,1992: " Bengalis have not created a civilized state yet, let alone a developed and just society. I have right to criticize the Bengalis, but I do not have right to criticize other races. That is why I am critical to my race."³

He was conspicuously outspoken and took great pride in his works, which he really deserved. This, however, made him very unpopular among his peers.

His sharp political commentary about what was going on around him and the growing radicalization in Bangladesh caused lots of anger among the radical establishment.

His work " Pak Sar Zamin Saad Baad which was later banned by the Government of Bangladesh, made the extremists furious and led a radical member of parliament, also an infamous war criminal, Delwar Hossain Sayedee, now sentenced to imprisonment for life for War Crimes, to raise the issue of introducing Blasphemy law in the parliament in 2004. Just a week later, while he was on his way back home from Ekushey Book Fair, a bunch of medieval thugs attacked him with kitchen tools. He survived the attack, but he was so traumatized by the incident that it ultimately caused his death in Munich, where he was doing a research on German Poet Heinrich Heine.¹

I willfully avoided highlighting some of the important issues that Azad Sir pondered and worked as we have been going through an awful time . In this time , such discussion may give rise to fresh bout of bitterness and hostile feelings among certain quarter.

It is a pity that I will never see this simple but brilliant man at the gate of New Market or at the lecture theatre of Dhaka University. Unlike his writings, his very appearance radiates joy and makes one more optimistic. He was one of the brilliant graduates his alma mater ever produced and the Bengalis should be proud of him and his works.

With his demise, Bangladesh lost a great linguist and writer of our time. He was born much ahead of his time and in a regressive society like our ones very few were ready to hear what he tried to say. I think, in future, at our difficult times we will have to recourse to his writings.

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Notes and References:

1. A Man Ahead of His by Rezaul Hoque.https://rezaulhoque.wordpress.com/2011/08/11/a-man-ahead-of-his-time/

2. Protikreashilotar Dirgho Chhayar Niche(Under The Long Shadow of Reactionary Forces) by Humayun Azad.

3. Ekush Amader Aghoshito Shadhinata Dibash(Twenty First February Is Our Undeclared Independence Day).Anthology of interviews of Humayun Azad.

Republic Of Plunderers & Parasites

What an spectacle of victory!
Inequality,discrimination bury the glory.
There is growing sign of parasitism.
Citizens see no sign of optimism.
As cruel toddler treats its pet,
Smart elites flee abroad to secure their fate.

As Bangladesh steps towards celebrating its 50th anniversary next year, dissimilarities, discrimination, injustice and inequality it fought 50 years ago become more shockingly visible. Cheerleading for overpriced infrastructure projects, where contributions of Bangladeshi companies are infinitesimal and whose implementation are dominated by foreign companies, boasts jingoistic attitude that has little impact on vernacular life of common people. Embryonic zeal of self-determination has turned into parasitism. No short of excuses to misappropriate public money. From private companies to individuals,all depend on government money for survival. This trend could be found from social security expenditures to incentives for business. Even parasitism has become endemic in individual life. A rent-seeking class has emerged, exploiting others' hard earned income. Land grabbing, forest grabbing, extortion, squeezing father-in-law (sometimes brother/sister-in-law or in-laws in general) whenever odd situation strikes have become common practice in order to prosper in personal life.(Nowadays stealing someone's creative work, article, plagiarism are also becoming pretty common; another indication of growing sign of parasitism). Four decades ago ,these things could be viewed as taboo and criminal act. Now they become integral part of Bengali's DNA.Even a decade ago , extortion in the name of " Mukh Mithai"(Sweetening Mouth) was seen as serious transgression. Now everyone gets used to it!

No government spokesman, partisan expert, government statistical pocket book will ever publish this unpleasant truth. Unfortunately this is the reality stands before us in 2020.

There has been delay in publication of Household Income Expenditures Report, which has little credibility. I personally found data mismatches in annual report of Bangladesh Bank and on website of Board of Investment. I also found anomalies in PDF versions of statistical pocket books. Why does a successful and confident government want to hide and fidget data?

Today's Bangladesh contravenes breaking up of Pakistani feudal structure. In fact, feudalism is consolidated in Bangladesh. Wealth has amassed into the hands of few people. Bangladesh outperforms other countries in generating super rich. From DTH service to COVID vaccination program, all are being done by powerful cronies. During the lockdown, I took notice of a news item that revealed that family members of a former minister and businessman left Bangladesh for London on a chartered plane. Former opposition party minister turned out to be relative of ruling party crony through the marriage of their son and daughter.Months after months staffs of former minister's cell phone company demonstrated on the streets for their dues after the company had been incapacitated by lack of bank credit and government cooperation. The former minister and his son already laundered huge money in Singapore. In my earlier piece, I elaborated how mismanagement and corruption in the banks contributed to piling up of Non Performing Loans (NPL).

In rural village, poor people sell their meagre land to loan sharks or local elites in order to go abroad to make a fortune. Policy change, deception, international crisis often lead them to lose their land. Rural land, due to presence of erroneous land dispute settlement, are concentrated into the hands of few powerful people.

Five decades ago, when we got liberated from Pakistan, we owe to Pakistan around $ 5 billion. Now more than $ 5 billion , some estimates put the figure somewhere around $15 billion, are laundered from Bangladesh every year. So Bangladeshis outdid the Pakistanis exploiting the local economy and laundering wealth abroad.Sense of insecurity and hopelessness have increased in magnitude in five decades. Where is the progress in independent Bangladesh?

Three or four decades ago Bangladeshi constructors and engineers built roads and utility lines in Middle East and Maghreb.Now Libyan coast is washed away with Bangladeshi migrants who are desperate to take a perilous boat ride to Europe. Just couple of months ago, Reuters carried out a special story on stranded Bangladeshi in Bosnian jungles.Even in Pakistani period, when poverty was so abject, people did not flee the country in drove. Why are so many people fleeing abroad clandestinely from independent and prosperous country?

Business malpractices also reach worrying level. Earlier adulterating milk with water was prevalent. Now no business is without malpractice. Digital weighing scale is deliberately tempered to give less amount of goods to consumers. Mobile data pack and other services often do not yield the promised amount. Since it is hard to fathom the true consumed value, such malpractices often go unnoticed. Bus fare, auto fare are artificially hiked to whiten black money.

During the colonial time our educational institutions produced brightest minds and there was liberty in freedom of expression.Had there been no freedom of expression, Bengali language would not get the status as it is enjoying now and our struggle to independence would not culminate into full blown armed struggle.

There had been skirmishes and assault on teachers. But now students and teachers both lost their lives in campus. Even teachers cannot speak their minds in campus. Prof Ajoy Roy who taught several decades at Dhaka University despite repeated pleas from relatives in Kolkata to settle there had to bear the news of his son's killing at the university premises. Prof Human Azad, one of the brilliant linguists both Bengals ever produced, was attacked with machete at the university. His son on several occasions was also assaulted at the university.They were attacked for expressing their views and speaking their minds.

Same kind of incidents were purported in other universities.

In the Pakistani period, even undergraduate of a mofussil town knew three languages--- Urdu, English, Bengali--- and wrote impeccable English. From the autobiography of historian Tapan Roy Chowdhury I came to learn that a library in Borishal even ordered French book from foreign publishers because there were readers in that village. We do not have that kind of libraries or independent book shop now.

Back then university produced graduates whose ideas and innovation found global platform and audience. Composite material that was used to build F-15 fighter jet, a reliable platform for many Air Forces, was the brain child of a Dhaka University chemistry graduate. Quantum statistics, which revolutionized scientific analysis, was born at the Curzon Hall in Dhaka University.

Now Pakistani universities assemble their own satellite, excel in reverse engineering , build jet prototypes.

Where are we now? Is there really any intellectual advancement in Bangladesh?

I do not understand why in a well functioning economy there is a silent invasion of drugs. Today yaba or methamphetamine market in Bangladesh is worth $5 billion. The autobiography of veteran journalist Abdul Gaffar Chowdhury shed some light on the tobacco related business in the Pakistani period. Back then 1 million people were employed in "Tendu Pata"(tobacco leaf) related business. Now hardly any business or vocation left where drug money is not invested.

The whole real estate sector is thriving on undocumented money. Government does not question origin of the money invested in real estate sector. Buying and selling flat have become popular mode of legalizing black money as less paperwork is required.Politics has become more violent as black money finds safe sanctuary in politics. Back in pre-independence days , this was unthinkable. Seasoned politicians had some principles back then.

Last leg of Pakistani period witnessed a boom in setting up educational institutions across Bangladesh. Now we see a contest to set up religious seminaries across Bangladesh on empty government lands. Such seminaries guarantee steady stream of revenues from devotees and government does not ask for any explanation how the donation money is spent. In addition, setting up such seminaries brings lucrative donations from Middle Eastern countries. So there is a rat race to become member of the management committee of religious seminaries.

Now there is no public service job quota for women. Stipend program for women is slashed. Minimum marriage age for woman is lowered. Literary works by writers of other faiths are taken off from school text books. Where are we heading ten years later?Should there be any reason to remain complacent?

Bangladeshi rulers have proved that they are the worst rulers than the English and the Pakistanis. Compared to the Bengalis, they were farsighted and compassionate. That was why they built institutions. Bengali rulers treat their citizens like a sadistic toddler treat its pet.All their efforts end up making the country a nightmarish hell.Smart ones among the ruling elites purchase foreign identity. And for the commoners, there is no escape from this republic of sadistic plunderers and parasites.