FOUR POEMS ON BANGABANDHU
1.To the Killers
Shahid Qadri
Not like tigers or bears
Not like a school of sharks from the Bay of Bengal
No, no analogy is enough to arrest them
They were with uniform
Boot, cap of the soldiers,
They had words with Bangabandhu even,
They spoke
Like pure Bangalees
In Bagla. Denied it cannot be
They were like humans
And they were humans
They were Bangalees
I won’t hear anything hideous than this
Anyday.
2.Blood of a child
Sunil Ganguly
Russell, an innocent baby, for you
I also cried
Khoka, by the name of your late Baba who
sloganned one day at a sky-reaching sound
They, after two days, spit, blaze fire-
Adults are insane thus!
You were busy with story books, toys
Was at your fairest age!
Despite why the earth has become so bloody
Isn’t there any punishment for drinking the blood of a child?
Hate you the cursed!
For the nameless baby die there
I am sorry, I am sorry by the name of civilization.
3.”Ode to a Leader”
Nirmalendu Goon
‘I do not observe my birthday, ‘
– Bangabandhu Sheikh Mujibur Rahman
17th March 1971
He did not observe his birthday.
Observing birthday, he used to regard
As wastage of time.
He used to think, he didn’t have time to waste time.
He knew it well, before the day ends
He has to reach his destination.
And we, who were his followers –
knew, from the 5th February of 1966
Where his destination was.
The motherland which had been counting days to be rescued from hell,
Entwined with the freedom of that motherland
He fixed his birthday.
He didn’t observe his birthday and that’s what,
Prompted him in freeing the country.
He didn’t observe his birthday and that’ why
People of the country today
Are observing his birthday as ‘Mujib Year’.
Not observing birthday,
For freeing motherland
The time he saved-
Although we don’t realise its significance
Its meaning was rightly realised
By the rivers, soil and trees of Bengal.
As he didn’t observe his birthday —
Trees blooming with new leaves
Are swinging in the Spring Wind.
In every bank of the rivers
Butterflies are cradling in great bliss.
The song of freedom that you sang to us,
That song crossing the sky of Bangladesh
Has spread out in the sky across the world today.
With the tears of gratitude of crores of people,
With the elation and sigh of grief of them
I have composed this song.
4.The Flute of the Shepherd
Helal Hafiz
Who is there?
Tell the sky please
So it may go up a bit
I cannot stand.
Translated by Alamgir Mohammad: Teacher, Department of English, Premier University, Chattogram.
