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Boatman Dhanu Majhi

Published : Saturday, 6 August, 2022 at 12:00 AM  Count : 1043

Boatman Dhanu Majhi

Boatman Dhanu Majhi

In late eighty eight, disastrous cyclone washed away my home, corns, and cattle. I became destitute. Wailing sounded everywhere- no water, no food, no work. I came out with a little bag in my hand from home in search of work leaving behind my wife and children.
I arrived at Ramgati bus station and boarded on a bus and got down at Chaumuhani bazar. I wandered all day and no food I offered to my belly. In the evening, a man suggested, "Listen, Mr, have boat-roaring work at south coastal area under Sonagazi Upazilla. Go and search work." Then I came here. What a White foamy river! Tide comes two times a day. Hundreds of people are crossing this Saber Ghat via boat in exchange of one taka coin.
Local landlord Rajab Majhi gave a boat with a helper provided that Majhi will take one hundred taka per day and the rest is for both of us. I started my new journey in that day. At midnight, I would fish in the Choto Feni Nodi and sell fishes in Sabergat, Banglabazar, Sauderhat, and Sonagazi bazar. On seeing this favourable condition, I fetched my family from Ramgati. Rajhab Majhi gave shelter in one corner of his Zhou Bagan garden. Thirty years have passed since that start-up. With the passage of time, a bitter change took place. Mushapur sluice-gate was built ahead the river. Large bridge was built on this river known as Saber Ghat Bridge. Then the man sighed �.
Out of curiosity, I asked the man, 'where is your house?' The answer seemed to me endless. The man reclined with the second pillar of the bridge stretching over his feet to the south. Two young men are playing cards next to him. It seems that the man's eyes, face, hair- have become bronzed rubbing with river water and sun-ray.
When I was child, I would hear the phrase Saber Ghat in our village fish market in Karamotia. The fish-mongers would go to Saber Ghat to buy river fish, and after return, they started gossiping on it. I have lived in Dhaka for many years and don't go outside because of work-load. At Eid vacation, I also came here and fell into the depths of oblivion. The once mighty river lost its current, source, direction. Now it flows in a narrow stream beside the sandy chars. Maybe the river exists only in map as Choto Feni Nodi or Bamni Nodi.
'What do you do now?'
At my question, the man looked triple pale. He said in a wailing sound, 'no river, no tide, no boat, no fish is here'. I would know only a job- boating and fishing. Today that becomes needless. If water has been released through Museum sluice gate, saline water would come with sea fish. 'No, no salt water come. Moreover Musapur Closer was built to stop flow of water. The once saline water of the river has now turned sweet.' 'Where else to go at this age?' he sighed. He waved hand to one of the card-players and said, 'I live in their home, work in the field and rear buffalos. He is the third son of Rajab Majhi's second wife. Now what I get work, I do that.'
'What's your wife and children? My wife got older. I married only one daughter to a rickshaw-puller. Only one son works at local cattle-farm.
'Their studies?
When I came here, there is no school or madrasa within ten miles. People who live on it never think of education again!
The sun is falling on the western cloudy sky. People are crowded on the bridge to enjoy gentle breeze of the river.
'What's your name?
'Obaider Rahman. People know me as Dhanu Majhi. Rajab Majhi also called me by this name.
'Where is Rajhab Majhi?'
Rajab Majhi left the world twenty years ago. He had twenty boats and five fishing trawlers. What a person he was! He was healthy and wealthy. One day his stomach pain arose. After suffering for three days at home, he was taken to Sadar Hospital. That man came back lying on cot. His grave was opposite to Zhou Bagan. Once high tidal bore washed away the grave and there was no trace of it. The family now becomes very destitute.
Evening is about to take its hue. The sky is covered with heavy clouds. Thunder has been heard far away. Maybe it will rain soon. I am too busy in the rush to go back. The man still looks to the south and has no attention to others. Boats are returning with travelers. A song sounds from a traveler's boat, ''Ami oper hoye bose ache, Ohe Doyamoy.Pare loye joy amay''. Dhanu Majhi is sitting yet. I don't know if the song has any meaning to him.


The writer is an essayist &
short story writer






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