The Weekly Turni—Issue 91

Monday, August 8th, 2022

সোমবার ২৪শে শ্রাবণ ১৪২৯ বঙ্গাব্দ

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Recently I was talking to Doc Strange (not the Marvel one, the BDC one), and he was describing the situation of budding doctors in Bangladesh. Situation is probably quite similar in most of the sub-continent, but I am no expert on the matter. I might get all the terminology wrong, so I will stay away from it. I will also stay away from doc’s personal life.

The point is, the real struggle starts for a young doctor after he/she finishes the degree. You would think maybe after a year of on the job training it is ‘blue sky’. Unfortunately, nothing can be further from the truth! Work environment in government hospitals are marginal at best, depressing at worst. Pay is basically non-existent (once in 6 months, I am told), and below any meaningfully sustainable amount. Here is the kicker, young doctors will have to endure this for 5-6 years! This is after graduation mind you!

Here is a question from the outsider: Why? Also, does the country really expect budding doctors to be passionate about the profession once the system squeezes them dry for five years? What can’t be learned on the job in one or two years, that can be learned in five? Why this slavery and not a meaningful pay structure while each medical students perhaps paid a fortune to study and complete his/her degree? Why will the new generation of doctors study medicine and why the hell will they stay in Bangladesh? Unless of course they have no other choice…

I don’t think any of these questions have any firm answer. I don’t think, if there is a health ministry, they care about any of these fundamental issues. Any young professional who perhaps had the flare, in five years time, there will be none left. So good luck if you like to get quality treatment in the country. Unless you or your family members can afford to fly to Singapore to do some cosmetic surgery. Yeah, cheers to that!

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A heartbreak! Or, A love story!

It's a story, packed up with subtle feelings that make one rethink the outcomes over and over. Love makes this diverse world unite. A companion, a friend, a side by side warrior, a true compeer, is the best thing that should happen to all. But sometimes we go through challenging times, breaking our hearts in the process.

Life changes in the blink of an eye, but no matter what, everything moves on.

This week’s featured post: The heartbreaks (Part 1) written story by @joseph23

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We are also delighted to announce two honorable mentions of the week.

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by -@riz611

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--by @rafa-noor

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--by @annabeth

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--by @r-nyn

Fever is but death; devoid of cheerful movement, life begins to shrink like a fallen leaf that turns brown on a summer’s day. The stillness fever entails no less than a fish gasping on the surface even after drowned in the ocean of open air; you are wide awake, but the body is far too weak to kick-start the spirit living within.

Suddenly, this annoying fly is buzzing around and trying to sneak a peek into your nostrils— the first sign of death, enough to strike your heart with fear and force it to retreat to your past, scrolling through the regrets and deeds that make you feel whined. Remembering the good times with the little strength you still have seems to be a failed attempt; no matter how hard you try, glistening with sweet memories, you may barely affect your morbid mind. No matter if you are in your teens, tweens, or twenty-something, nothing makes you feel chilled when you are feeling feverish or already having a high fever, no way your heart is thumb-happy by any means unless your body, mind, and soul move in a tandem— which is rare. Only if your antibody gets in a good fight, wins over the culprits and makes them avert away from your body; you can expect to feel your own breath with a sweat line dripping down the spine or chest.

But it doesn't last long, and they don’t hesitate to return to your shrinking health— what a disappointment, but that’s the truth these days. No matter how powerful medicine you are taking, the fever will harness all the energy you may have until you are left with blurred vision, a tremendous cough, and a tongue that treats everything you eat as cat shit.

The body aches; you call your dear ones repeatedly and push them to their limits— ask them to sit by your side, run fingers through your hair and when they are asleep, spend the whole night looking at the fan or passing the time watching shimmering lights from the tail lamps fade away as vehicles follow their route.

Sometimes, you hear someone walking alone late at night, with a cigarette between his lips; his murmur doesn’t reach the heart of the beloved, but the moonlight never shies away from listening to his rant that involves his departed girlfriend. The song he shouts in a broken voice does not reach her, but surely it reaches the crickets nearby. And they join in his loneliness by stopping their chirping for a while, while he cries his lost love out in despair, walking on the road with the moon following his footsteps. A week of fever, and you reinvent your life through the eyes of nocturnal species, alone but full of life— a different one.

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--by @fahmidamou

সারার আউটফিটের কথায় মনে পড়লো, বাঙালি আজীবনই শক্তের ভক্ত, নরমের জম বৈশিষ্ট্যটি শত বছরের ঐতিহ্য হিসাবে এখনো লালন করে চলেছে।

স্বভাবতই আমি সলো-ট্রাভেলার অর্থাৎ একাকী মুসাফির হিসাবে ঘুরতে বেশী ভালবাসি। কিন্তু বাংলাদেশ এই আধুনিক যুগেও যা অবস্থা, এখনো উইমেন-ফ্রেন্ডলি যে পরিবেশ সেতা তৈরী হয়ে ওঠেনি।
এখনো রাষ্ট্রের সংসদে আলোচনা থেমে যায় একটা মেয়ে ওড়না কেনো নিলনা সে আলোচনায়। এমন না যে পোশাকে বিন্দুমাত্র অশালীনতা আছে কিন্তু একটা ওড়নার অনুপস্থিতি সকল প্রচেষ্টার উপর চপটেঘাত করে এখনো। কিন্তু আমার যা জীবনাচার, আঁচল ঘুরিয়ে শাড়ি বা থ্রিপিস আনারকলি পরবার উপায় নেই।

তায় আবার আছে আরেক বদ অভ্যেস। বাইরে গেলে আমার চা খেতেই হবে। আর চা খেলে চায়ের সাথে "টা"তো নিতেই হবে।
আমি অনেকটা নিজের পরিধির উপরই পরীক্ষা, পর্যালোচনা করি।
আমি বদরাগী কিনা জানিনা, তবে কিছু বিশেষ উন্মাদ মুহুর্তেও আমার দীঘির জলের মত শান্ত হয়ে থাকবার এক চমৎকার কার্যক্ষ্মতা আছে।
বিশেষ করে শ্বাপদসংকুল বা বৈরী বলয়ে বিড়ি টানতে গেলে।

একটা সময় আমি উপলব্ধি করি, যে জিনিসটা তথাকথিত "সামাজিক সিস্টেমে" অপ্রথাগত, সেটা করতে গেলে আপনার চলন-বলন, বাচন ভঙ্গিমা সবকিছুতেই আত্মবিশ্বাসের রীতিমত বিচ্ছুরণ দরকার। আপনাকে আতংকিত বা অসম্মান করতে আসার সাহসটাই না হয়।

ফাঁপা বুলি না, একেবারে জীবন থেকে নেয়া।
সাধারণত চরাঞ্চলের মানুষরা অনেক বেশী শিক্ষা বঞ্চিত, গোঁড়ামিতে ভরা আর রুক্ষ হয় বলেই জানি। একবার সেখানেও একইভাবে দেখেছি, কেউ আমাকে হেনস্থা করতে আসে কিনা।

তাকায়। অনেকে ড্যাবড্যাব করে, অনেকে আড়চোখে, কেউবা ঘাড় ঘুরিয়ে, মুখ বাঁকিয়ে, জানালা গলিয়ে, কেউ হয়তো বাড়ির গেত খুলেও!
তাকাক।
নার্ভাস হবার কিচ্ছু নেই।
মেরুদন্ত সোজা করে দাঁড়ান, সুড়ুত করে এক চুমুক চা খেয়ে, বুক ভরে শলাকার দম নিন।
যেন এই পৃথিবীতে অই মুহুর্তে আপনি, আপনার চায়ের কাপ, আর ধুম্র শলাকা ছাড়া আর কিছুর অস্তিত্ব নেই কোথাও।

আর এরকম হাভাতে দৃষ্টির সাথে যদি চোখাচখি একান্ত হয়েই যায়, তাদের প্রত্যেকটা দৃষ্টি আপনার পাল্টা শ্যেন দৃষ্টিতে ফিরিয়ে দিন।
পাওনাদারকে প্রাপ্য বুঝিয়ে দেবার মত।
দৃষ্টিতে থাকবে তীক্ষ্ণতা, ভ্রু জোড়া কিঞ্চিৎ তীর্যকভাবে উপরের দিকে উঠিয়ে, অবাঞ্ছ্বিত তিরষ্কার ঝড়ে পড়ুক তাতে।
যেনো ধ্যানে মগ্ন ঋষির, ধ্যানে অযাচিত ব্যাঘাতে সে যারপরনাই ত্যাক্ত-বিরক্ত।

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Source

"Poetry, you shall illuminate my path like a blazing butterfly."

When I was watching the trailer of this film, this is the quote that caught my attention. The words that were spoken, I didn't understand (language barrier and all that) but they sounded so affectionate - thankfully there was a subtitle that allowed me to know the words that sounded so beautiful. I felt the quote itself is so out of ordinary - it had moved me too much. And I decided I must watch this film as soon as I can. Endless Poetry (2016) is autobiographical by Chilean-French filmmaker Alejandro Jodorowsky. It's the story of the life of a young Alejandro.

I never really had much interest in documentaries or biographies - I'll skip them very very quickly. But this one is different. Almost 3 years ago I had seen posters of this film but unfortunately, my appetite for motion pictures was pretty bland at the time and so I had just shoved the tiny spec of interest away. I don't regret not watching the film back then - honestly, I needed to build my strength for it. Jodorowsky is a surrealist, they say - I think he has his own way of seeing things but everything must be defined, and hence the world "surreal." Lately, I have seen a few of his other films, but to be honest, this is by far my favorite one. His other films, whether it's The Holy Mountain or El Topo portray what's on his mind. Perhaps the reason I liked Endless Poetry the most is that it portrays all of him, not just his views or thoughts but also his passion, his struggles, and his journey to becoming what he is. I lack the words to explain how this film is. Although the film itself is so vibrant, I found myself hanging on to every word that was spoken.

I wondered what makes a film unforgettable - I'm not capable enough to answer to that. I'm quite sure there are other people who, like me, don't enjoy biographies much but this one may yet change your perception. I have seen films that are complex - too complex that they went over my head. I have seen movies that made me feel overwhelmed - some even made me feel quite underwhelmed. Even though it gets hard for me to pinpoint all of Jodorowsky's insinuations, his films do give me a certain nag to figure out what he's implying - to know more and more. Somehow this film has made me feel that his films are not all that is him - I sure don't know how to explain it better. Perhaps there was more of him than what his films usually portray and Endless Poetry (2016) showed some of its glimpses.

It was an emotional rollercoaster and something to ponder.

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--by @tahminasayed

"Broken attachment
Caught up so high,
Remorses building,
Above the benchmark.

Startling glitches,
occupied my surroundings,
Aching my oblivious,
Present mind full of riots.

Descendents of societal
Bridges, blames the broken minds,
What sorts of accusation is this?
What sort of awful demands?

Backslashing abusive words,
Cracks open another dimension,
Answers many unknown questions,
Making me leave my position.

This way in,
This way out,
My time herein,
Was to part."

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