SPECIAL FEATURE
A Father's Last Letter
Captain Rajib Chandra Karmaker was the master of the Bangladeshi cargo ship MV Hope which was struck by large waves on the night of July 3, 2013 in the stormy seas of Phuket while it was heading from Malaysia to Bangladesh. MV Hope's story was on all the national and international newspapers as soon the accident occurred. Then we start forgetting the missing sailors and their families. Ronika Karmaker, daughter of the ship's captain shares with us a tale of a loving father and a brave sailor.
Taken in MV Hope on the June 2013, Rajib Chandra Karmaker with the second officer and the chief officer.
When Ronika’s mother would send Capt Rajib his daughter’s picture, the father would send it back with a loving message.
Year 2012. Ronika Karmaker (Pritha) was living in a girls' hostel in Bashundhara for her study purpose. “ No matter how much I put myself out there, settling down in a new environment and living miles always from my family was always difficult for me. I would imagine my parents coming to see me every week, but in reality that is just not possible.” Like another mundane Friday morning, Ronika went out of her hostel when she got a call from her father, “Where are you? If possible get back to your hostel now.” Surprised, Ronika rushed towards her hostel at once, to find her father standing at her doorstep, smiling, his arms wide open for a hug. He hugged her tight and affectionately said, “tomake khub dekhte ichcha korchhilo.” They went for a rickshaw ride, had lunch together and then he left for his work. “Even now when I close my eyes I see that moment I am riding a rickshaw and my father standing waving hands at me with a smile on his face,” Ronika could not hold back her tears.
Year 2013. Captain Rajib's family has made a public appeal to give information about the missing Captain's body and his other shipmates. Ronika Karmaker, the daughter of Captain Rajib Chandra Karmaker does not want to believe she will never see her father again.
The only complaint his children had against their father was that they did not see him enough - there would always be a long gap between home visits. “That is how a mariner's life is. Sometimes it feels as if Baba has sailed off for another few months. I feel he will be back from work any day and things will be like before”, Ronika continues.
Captain Rajib is lost at sea, but he has left his family with countless memories. “Rajib went off sailing when Ronika was 3 months old lying in her cot", says Sharbari Karmaker, Captain Rajib's wife. “But he felt he was missing out on the little changes the baby was going through as she grew. To appease him I had to make a timeline noting down when she first stood on her own, spoke her first word, or any other little things which could help my husband visualize little Ronika while sitting in the midst of sea.”
When Ronika became two they decided to stay with her father in the ship for around eight months. “On starry nights, he used to show his daughter the stars in the sky and helped her to discern Canopus from Alpherd" recalls Sharbari. "On the other hand during the day time the father and daughter would enjoy the sight of the dolphins' playfulness in the sea.”
"My father was always affiliated with sea one way or other" says. As he named my brother Arnob (meaning ocean), my mother thought it was too common. But my father stuck to the name. My name Ronika too, was given by him. With the matching initial like him, may be hoping that someday I will become like him- independent and brave”, Ronika continues.
Captain Rajib started off as a deck cadet in 1981 and was entitled with captaincy in 1994. Throughout this journey he aced every level of expertise. “He stopped sailing off in 1998 as my grandfather became ill and did not want him to sail anymore. However he was always affiliated with ships and joined a shipping company to do onshore surveying jobs. After this long break, this year he once again joined as Captain for a ship MV Hope of Trade Breeze Shipping Limited. Now I wish he hadn't,” Ronika comments. The ship was carrying clay balls which were soaked as the water hit the ship, tilting the ship. While seven of them were rescued and other four were found dead, the rest four of the sailors are still listed as missing. Captain Rajib is one of them. The Royal Thai Navy has also closed the rescue operation assuming there are no more survivors.
“I see my mother fighting not only for my father, but also on behalf of the other crewmen's families. She is handling all the official procedure regarding this case. Fortunately, we have some of my father's mariner friends who have assisted my mother all through,” says Ronika. “Even though the shipping company Trade Breeze Shipping Limited was reluctant to attend our call in the first few days, now we see a ray of hope that we might be compensated soon.”
The rescued second officer and the deck cadet informed the family that the Captain was fulfilling all of his obligations even when disaster was upon them. He let every other crew member to board the rescued ship first without thinking of himself. Then before he could board, the stormy sea clutched him in the other direction.
"The very last interaction with Baba? It is the email that he sent to me sitting in the Colombo port. Maybe he was getting a vibe that something disastrous could happen, but he did not let his family know. That is how my Baba is, selfless, brave and bold,” Ronika ends.
The email that Captain Rajib sent to his daughter
Dear pritha
Hope you are fine and doing well. Just talked to your ma and found out that, she is still in ctg and waiting to get the visa travel to India.
I am supposed to go to Malaysia but on the way we had Engine I and diverted to Colombo, Srilanka. Now we are waiting for the spares to come from Korea.
There after we will repair our engine and proceed to next destination exactly do not know where it is now.
My health also giving problem I need to consult with your bhaiya. May be his old number is changed and pls collect his number so that I can contact with him.
It would be nice if you sent me today.
You are grown up now and take care yourself. But being a father I am always conscious about you as you are staying alone in dhaka. You are mature enough to take right decision. I want you to complete your MBA in USA and PHD there and get a good job and take care of your brother.
I have never being serious about my life and had to pay for that. But I came to sea once again just to give you and your brother better education. But I do not know how far I will succeed? All depends on your desire and your attitude towards your life. I can only support you but you have to make your life yourself.
Hope you are not bored reading such big mails. A Seaman's life always unpredictable as we are always fighting with our life to survive at sea.
May be I will not have chance to write you again.
Love you.
Baba
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