WE APOLOGIZE TO YOU DEEPALI

Via unheard voices I found this touching piece of writing by Sumanta Aslam in the Daily Prothom Alo. For the non-Bengali readers below is a truncated translation.

One tiny News

It was decided Deepali would eat lunch and her little brother dinner. But that day the little one suffered from extra hunger. Being unable to wait till night he ate his sister's lunch. However, Deepali is used to the situation and carried on without food till the evening. But soon she was defeated by hunger. She ended all the hunger and thirst by hanging herself to death.

Deepali's family, who lived in Bhairab, Kishoreganj never used to get enough food for lunch and dinner. So the family members used to eat in rotations, those who had lunch skipped the dinner and vice versa.

And us:

Sister Deepali, when you used to live in hunger, our previous home minister was busy with the alleged terrorist Mufti Hannan. You tell me, how could he think about you instead of this important matter?

Sister Deepali, when you used to live in hunger, our former energy minister was busy with an expensive SUV, which he got selling his soul to an oil company to act against the country's interest. You tell me, how could he escape the allure of this beautiful car and think about trivial matters like your plight?

Sister Deepali, when you used to live in hunger, our law minister was busy with law reform. He was so consumed with the facts that there are many laws not practiced and manipulated each day that he could not think about anything else. He could also not make any laws for constantly telling lies. You tell me, being a person entrusting on law every moment, how could he make time to learn about you?

Sister Deepali, when you used to live in hunger, our opposition leader was trying to find a way to get to power. She is still trying. Just if you could imagine how distressful is it to lose power after getting the hang of it. If you would just know, then you would know that what silly things one has to do to get the helm back. You tell me, if a person is so involved in this notion, how could she learn about your plight?

Sister Deepali, when you used to live in hunger, our prime minister was busy with keeping the chair intact. She is still busy to stay in power for a longer period. The associates around her do not let her know the actual plights of the common people, their grievances. Our prime minister is living very well and tension free. Can a person living without tension understand the plights of others? Now tell me, can a person learn about your plight keeping her eyes closed?

We are begging to you sister Deepali to forgive us. Not for the fact that you used to live in hunger. Not for the fact that you had to die without food. But for the fact that we have to vote again for all these empty people.