Bangladesh and its image

Bangladesh's sagging reputation got a boost when the Time Magazine recently carried a special report on it and on the leadership quality of its present rulers.

Its success story appeared in the pages of one of the most prestigious and well respected magazines of the world!

But while the Bangladeshi leadership was basking in glory, something usually accepted by the great people of Bangladesh but often deemed [unusual] by the so-called civilised people of other countries happened at one of the playfields of Chittagong. The day was Sunday, the 16th of April, 2006.

The Australian cricket team, already subjected to a [danthbhanga] performance by the Bangladeshi Tigers at Dhaka, was about to face them once again at Chittagong Stadium. They were nervous at the prospect of receiving another danthbhanga performance from the Tigers. But what we Bangladeshis are expert at doing most proficiently happened, and the shaky cricket team of Australia breathed a sigh of relief.

Earlier in the day, a photojournalist arrived at the outer gate of Chittagong Stadium and insisted on the on-duty police sergeant of Chittagong Metropolitan Police that he be allowed to ride to the entry gate of the playfield in an auto rickshaw, with his heavy equipment, cameras, lenses and a laptop carefully stowed on it. The sergeant would not let him do that, for most ordinary souls of Bangladesh do not deserve such a comfort.

An altercation ensued, and the sergeant on duty performed his sacred duty by slapping the journalist, also known as [journo] in the local English lingo of Bangladesh, on his face in the presence of a host of onlookers. The sergeant followed his slap by a kick on the body of the journo.

Bangladeshi journos are a different breed of human beings. Instead of congratulating the photojourno for receiving a slap and a kick from the police sergeant, they took to their feet in a protest and began demonstrating in the field against the police sergeant with a demand that he apologise to the journo for treating him like that.

Tai ki hoi? Nonetheless, some high officials intervened, and promised to the journos that their demand would be met the same day before the lunch break. Since most of the Bangladeshi journos knew well how honestly the high officials of their country fulfil their promises, they relented and the match began ten minutes behind its schedule.

During the lunch break the journos went to talk to the police after they came to know that no action had been taken against the sergeant. In the presence of high police officials, the imprudent journos became agitated.

Aar jai kothai? A deputy commissioner of police began hitting the journos with his fist. Soon, an entire contingent joined in, using their bare hands, batons and rifles (thank heaven!).