Impressions
The Burden of Ingratitude
Photo: Zahedul I Khan
Those who read Prothom Alo's takeaway Saturday supplement Chhutir Din-e (on a holiday) of 24 August must have been touched by bus conductor Humayun's single-handed act of bravery on Chittagong-Dhaka highway.
The story goes like this: On 25 July, 32 traders from Chittagong rented a Saudia company coach and headed for Baburhat wholesale market in Narsingdi to purchase clothes for Eid buyers. Since the businessmen were carrying substantial amounts of money, the bus operator took a commonsensical precaution avoiding pickup of any stranger en route. But somehow the closely guarded secret had got around and the vehicle came under gunfire at the small hours of night grabbing the driver's life first like an animal predator strangles the throat of its victim in the wild to choke it to death.
A drowsy Humayun sleepless from the night before for a moment fantasised it as fireworks in the sky. Soon the gravity of the situation dawned on him; shoving his 'ustad' gently to a side he sprang on to the driving seat. He looked around to see all the passengers ducking under their seats as the bus trundling to the highway corner barely held on to a precarious perch -- just about to fall in a ditch. Casually trained as a driver in 2004 and his hand 'frozen without practice' he swung the vehicle around which sped like a wounded wild beast, and reached to safety of crowds and transport beeline on the main thoroughfare.
The narrative does not say whether his company rewarded him for his act of valour under daunting circumstances that saved 32 valuable lives. He puts on a smiling face when asked about his income which is Tk 8,000 or a little more per month. He intones proudly that he has no greed, he has nothing to ask for, all that he wants is the education of his son, the light of which he was denied like so many others in the country. He muses what a delight it was for him to see the safe return of so many people to their homes!
It is also a pity that driver Abul Hossain's family was donated Tk 20,000 by a good Samaritan and from the labour federation his dependants received Tk 10,000 only. The driver's family has complained of not even having received a phone call from the transport owner.
Such is measly sense of gratitude shown to a driver who died in the line of duty and the conductor who saved so many lives. Not only the traders but also their families should be indebted to both of them.
We would like to think that since the tale appeared in the Prothom Alo supplement, some offers of help might have been extended to them.
It is by rewarding such persons that we will encourage others to follow in their footsteps. In a country of mishaps of various kinds and denominations there must be a receptacle for absorbing information about such acts of bravery and rewarding the performers from public and private sector funding sources.
We are witness to seeing coal being carried to Newcastle or oil being massaged over oily heads, clichéd maxims that will never lose their relevance given the imperfections of human nature.
Shah Husein Imam
The writer is Associate Editor, The Daily Star.
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