The Clay Bird Page #4

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But those cricket games

go on for five, six days...

Our "Danguli" sport

is more sensible.

There's no more game now,

all games are up.

They've stopped the cricket

to broadcast Yahya's speech.

The new parliament is cancelled.

We should have known,

that despite our victory,

the Pak army would never

concede power to the Bengalis.

The stadium must be on fire by now.

There's only one way left,

to fight for freedom.

Politics is just another game,

there's no benefit for you and me.

If people only knew

what true freedom is...

Blindly religious people like you

are to blame for the mess

our country's in today.

What did you say?

"Blindly religious"!

Actually no true religion,

be it Islamic, Hindu or Christian

will ever make people blind.

True faith opens your eyes!

All games are forbidden

in Islam except threel

The horse race,

the sword fight

and the martial art of stick play.

Hey you, come here!

One, two, three, four. Go back!

Now you, come!

One, two, three...

Stupid boy!

You almost got hurt. Go back!

Now split into pairs and fight.

Oh Ali!

Rokon, I'm leaving.

Come with me.

You go Anu.

I've got nowhere to go to.

This is for you.

What's in it?

Something special.

I should go.

Good bye.

Not on March 26th,

around 11 PM, the 25th.

What a horror it was!

There was massive gunfire.

The tanks came out on the streets.

People were screaming...

Where did they attack first?

First at the police barracks

then in the University area.

How did you escape?

They briefly lifted the curfew

and we fled

across the river to Jinjira.

There were thousands of refugees.

All went there to save their lives.

Later, the Army came and

shot at them randomly.

We heard that many people

were killed there.

We managed to flee,

on foot, on rickshaw,

by boat, whatever means

we could find...

Ali, the Tiger of Allah,

thinks himself so handsome

seeing his own

masculine beauty in the mirror

Ali's son Hossain tells his father:

"If you only knew

my mother's true beauty"

Ali rushes to his wife and says:

"Show me your beauty"

"That you've hidden

even from your husband"

Fatema replies:

"It's not a physical beauty"

"That can be seen

with the naked eye"

Then Fatema utters her curse:

"Whoever beheld my divine image

will die in a fratricidal war"

Ali says:
"Your curse is for

none other than your own son"

"Hossain witnessed your sacred self

in an invisible mosque"

Hearing Fatema's cry

Allah says:
"I can save your son,"

"but no other child will

be spared their mother's curse"

Cries out Earth-Mother Fatema:

"O Allah, let me loose my son,"

"but let no other child

suffer the same fate"

The grace of Muhammad's daughter

illuminates the world

Thus Fatema's pain redeems

the suffering of all women...

Ayesha!

Look at all the flowers

on her grave.

Just the other day,

Asma used to play here.

Do you remember

when we used to run around

and play hopscotch under this tree?

Look!

Asma loved butterflies.

I'd just started wearing saris.

We were playing and it came loose.

I was so embarrassed...

It all seems so far away.

What's near then?

- The fight.

- Fight?

What fight are you talking about?

Fight for freedom.

The Army's killing everyone.

We have to stop them.

I want to do something.

I want to go and resist...

You're all leaving this house.

I've got nowhere to go.

I've got no war to fight.

You go...

All of you...

They say the Army's coming

to Kumargonj any day.

They're already in Faridpur.

Wherever they go,

they burn homes and kill people.

Don't believe everything you hear.

They're coming to protect Islam,

to maintain peace.

Why would they kill people?

Why should Muslims kill Muslims?

What should we do now?

Other villagers are fleeing.

Some students raided

the police armory,

they've taken position

on the bridge.

They're planning to resist.

What's the point of resisting?

If you resist,

you'll just provoke them.

They say your brother is with them.

How did he get into this?

We must stop this foolishness.

You seniors

should talk them out of it.

The situation's getting worse.

Islam will prevail. Don't worry.

If you wish to go to heaven

keep fear of Allah in your heart

If you want to be close to Allah

keep love within your heart

I'm just your daughter's age

I'll assume the side of sharia

to take an anti-Sufi stance

Don't take what I say to heart

You ignore the Holy Scriptures

What kind of Muslims are you?

Why are the mullahs

always angry with you?

Keep fear of Allah in your heart

You need wisdom to grasp the Koran

How can half-read mullahs

interpret intricate Scriptures?

Without knowing the text

they preach to others

The dogmatic mullahs

make a living from deception

We don't lust for heaven

We have no fear of hell

If you want to be close to Allah

keep love within your heart

You Sufis chant Allah's name

ignoring creed and prayer

You smoke pot during Ramadan

with the excuse of meditation

You don't go on pilgrimage,

you don't give charity

What do you have against

ritual sacrifice?

Why should Muslims

quaver at the sight of blood?

Keep fear of Allah in you heart

You're asked to sacrifice

your dearest ones

Are cows and goats

your most beloved?

Nothing is dearer than yourself

The supreme sacrifice

is self sacrifice

If you can, restrain your senses

and control your passions

Keep love within your heart

You roam around with women

without wedding them

You dance and sing together

without shame

The outside world is for men

The woman's place is at home

Keep fear of Allah in your heart

Woman is the seed of life,

source of creation

Those who believe in inequality

ock women into marriage

Woman is the vessel of love,

the Mother

Without her

we wouldn't come to earth

You need both man and woman

for procreation and creation

If you want to be close to Allah

keep love within your heart...

I heard the Army's already

in Kumarganj.

If the Army's in Kumarganj,

why should that affect us?

Everyone's leaving.

What should we do?

The Army won't come to the village.

Calm down!

My Anu?

What will happen to him?

He's quite safe in the madrasa.

They say

there's fighting in the cities.

The Army isn't here to fight.

They've come to keep the peace.

I heard

Milon's gone to fight at the bridge.

He's a fool!

Don't even mention his name.

Don't worry.

Things will return to normal soon.

Ma!

The Army's coming!

They're burning houses!

- I'm so glad you've come!

- What do you mean?

I would have gone mad without him.

Can't you hear?

Where will I go with my Anu?

Kazi!

The Army's arrived!

Do you understand now?

Let's go. Please!

Everyone's hiding in the jungle!

Please come with us,

for Anu's sake.

You go ahead.

I'll look after the house.

Allah you are sacred

We bring suffering on ourselves

Let's go back.

I can't bear it anymore.

Anu's mother!

Who's there? Karim!

Don't worry!

The Army's gone.

Anu's father!

Karim,

any news from Milon?

There was a big fight on the bridge.

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