Today we all went down to Dhaka University together. Sam has been working in an archive there and the archivist has really been itching to meet Jon and Atticus for a while now. The archivist, Mr. Gopal, is a great and interesting guy. He has personally compiled the archive of the Dhaka University Central Student Union (DUCSU) over the last fifty years. He came to Dhaka University in the 1960s and worked as a canteen boy. Then he somehow managed to get a job as a photographer on the campus, and then he eventually became the curator of the little archive collection/museum on the campus. Even before he had an official space and title as an archivist though, he was collecting up things and photos as he came across them and kept them in his home. He stole –er, “rescued” university papers out of trash cans and compiled a history of Dhaka University that is fascinatingly random.
He is also just an incredibly nice guy, and he knows virtually every person that ever went to Dhaka University since he arrived it seems (which is also just about every powerful person in the country!). On the campus everyone knows Gopal, he is above any partisan divisions, and all day students come by to chat, look at the collection and say hello. He is also a great source of information himself- he has seen all the major student movements that Sam is researching, he was a freedom fighter in the Liberation War and his wife is a war camp survivor. Even better, by some stroke of ridiculous luck, he thinks Sam is here as the pinnacle to his career and her research will be the culmination of his life’s work, after which he plans to retire. Really.
It is a little bit of pressure, actually.
So anyway, he’s a nice guy and today was a half day of school for Atticus (as is every Thursday) and we decided to go do the family meet and greet. He was delighted. We arrived and the campus was a little dead, and the gates were locked up. Today was a Buddhist holiday though, so we figured it was closed down for that reason. When we got to the DUCSU collection center to meet Gopal he told us that earlier that morning a student was hit by a bus and killed. That may be part of why things were in lock-down too. The campus generally erupts into processions, road blockades, and occasionally there is vigilante justice enacted in various form when something like this happens.
Here is a photo of Sam, Atticus and Gopal at the DUCSU collection center.
The bus hit a student who was in the first year of study, and it is of course a tragedy whenever a young person is killed. In this case, the bus was subsequently burned and the driver was carried away and killed (according to Gopal’s son who told us this later as we passed the burned out bus). So really, two men lost their lives in the accident. It is hard to defend these crazy bus drivers that recklessly and carelessly endanger the lives of thousands of people as they barrel along through crowded streets, but it is equally difficult to accept mob justice and the ad hoc murder of any man. It was just a sad situation in all ways.
It was interesting to be on the campus during a day like this because we often read about these events after the fact in the newspaper, and it being present on the campus revealed some of the sensationalism that these events are usually given in the press. The campus was lively, there was an angry procession that marched by, and everyone was certainly a little more tense than usual, but it was certainly not a war zone (which you would expect based on the hundreds of riots cops stationed at every corner!).
Here is a far-way picture of the burned out bus and some riot cops. Gopal and his son wouldn’t let us go closer to photograph the bus better because they were too stressed out about our safety. (although really, we are usually more safe than people think- we are often more interesting to people than whatever mischief might occur, so we might in fact, diffuse a situation. Oh well.)
So anyway, after arrival we headed over to Gopal’s house for lunch. Sam has been to Gopal’s for lunch before and his family was extremely excited by the idea of Sam bringing her husband and child (or baby as he is considered) back over. Today, we fulfilled the promise (but made another promise to return, of course). The best thing about Gopal’s house is definitely how much he loves his wife. He frequently talks about how good his wife is, but when she is present, he can barely contain himself. It is just refreshing to be around a couple that has been together fo 40 years and is so clearly in love and happy. It is also funny that the way he described her goodness “She is a very good wife. She makes no demands” might lead you to think it would be one of those super patriarchal type families, but actually they seem pretty progressive. Most couples we encounter here don’t really express their emotion toward each other at all – either because they don’t have any and it is one step above a business agreement, or because they would never express any love in public. Either way, it is a little depressing to never really encounter . Gopal and his wife, however, are an adorable couple.
We met Gopal’s son on the way over to his house, and he was a great guy. He is a student at Dhaka University. He was excited to meet us and liked chatting. He revealed secretly to Sam that he had a girlfriend who is Muslim (Gopal’s family is Hindu), but made Sam promise not to tell Gopal. (Later Sam was walking with Gopal and he said “My son has a Muslim girlfriend, but her parents don’t know.” Apparently his son isn’t as good at keeping things from his dad as he thinks!) Anyhow, we headed to Gopal’s house and had some tasty lichu (Lychees in English) while we waited for lunch. The lunch was delicious and afterwards we were, naturally, offered the opportunity to take a nap by the fan (which we declined). We talked with his daughters and granddaughter too and had a nice time hanging out and chatting.While there, the procession of students went down the street and Atticus and Gopal’s wife and daughters all enjoyed watching it from the window. Here are some photos we took on the way there and a pic of Atticus watching the action out the window with the ladies.
Afterwards we went back to DUCSU (for some reason- maybe to walk together instead of Gopal walking back alone?) and saw the Edward Kennedy tree along the way. You may or may not know, that Ted Kennedy (our former senator, RIP) was a big advocated for Bangladesh, and one of the lone voices in the US government that early on supported the war of liberation and the ongoing quest for justice regarding the genocide that occurred during the war. He was also one of the first (or the first) US official to visit after Bangladesh gained independence in 1971. Bangladeshis love Ted Kennedy – when he died, shortly after we arrived in Dhaka, it was major news here, and the country mourned him as a real friend to the nation. Here is a photo of us heading back from Gopal’s house and the Kennedy tree (it is a nice tree).
After we arrived at DUCSU, Sam started talking to a guy about a book he was suggesting Sam read about the student movement in Bangladesh and Jon, Atticus and Gopal disappeared. In the meantime, Gopal took off with Atticus upstairs and asked if he needed the bathroom, Jon followed along (once Atticus is on the scene we basically become background to everyone adoring him). They ended up in a mostly empty room where some students were practicing for a dance performance they would do this weekend. Jon asked if they would do the dance for them and they excitedly prepared some chairs for them to watch. Sam caught up just before the show and we saw a cute little dance performance, just for us. Atticus said it was just like 9XM (the equivalent of MTV) and they were quite flattered. Here is a still photo, but we are trying to figure out how to upload a video, so check back in a day or two for a possible moving update!
Finally, we headed back home. It was a fun day, and a great example of how work/personal boundaries just don’t exist here in the same ways. We had a nice afternoon and look forward to our next visit with Gopal’s family.
He is also just an incredibly nice guy, and he knows virtually every person that ever went to Dhaka University since he arrived it seems (which is also just about every powerful person in the country!). On the campus everyone knows Gopal, he is above any partisan divisions, and all day students come by to chat, look at the collection and say hello. He is also a great source of information himself- he has seen all the major student movements that Sam is researching, he was a freedom fighter in the Liberation War and his wife is a war camp survivor. Even better, by some stroke of ridiculous luck, he thinks Sam is here as the pinnacle to his career and her research will be the culmination of his life’s work, after which he plans to retire. Really.
It is a little bit of pressure, actually.
So anyway, he’s a nice guy and today was a half day of school for Atticus (as is every Thursday) and we decided to go do the family meet and greet. He was delighted. We arrived and the campus was a little dead, and the gates were locked up. Today was a Buddhist holiday though, so we figured it was closed down for that reason. When we got to the DUCSU collection center to meet Gopal he told us that earlier that morning a student was hit by a bus and killed. That may be part of why things were in lock-down too. The campus generally erupts into processions, road blockades, and occasionally there is vigilante justice enacted in various form when something like this happens.
Here is a photo of Sam, Atticus and Gopal at the DUCSU collection center.
The bus hit a student who was in the first year of study, and it is of course a tragedy whenever a young person is killed. In this case, the bus was subsequently burned and the driver was carried away and killed (according to Gopal’s son who told us this later as we passed the burned out bus). So really, two men lost their lives in the accident. It is hard to defend these crazy bus drivers that recklessly and carelessly endanger the lives of thousands of people as they barrel along through crowded streets, but it is equally difficult to accept mob justice and the ad hoc murder of any man. It was just a sad situation in all ways.
It was interesting to be on the campus during a day like this because we often read about these events after the fact in the newspaper, and it being present on the campus revealed some of the sensationalism that these events are usually given in the press. The campus was lively, there was an angry procession that marched by, and everyone was certainly a little more tense than usual, but it was certainly not a war zone (which you would expect based on the hundreds of riots cops stationed at every corner!).
Here is a far-way picture of the burned out bus and some riot cops. Gopal and his son wouldn’t let us go closer to photograph the bus better because they were too stressed out about our safety. (although really, we are usually more safe than people think- we are often more interesting to people than whatever mischief might occur, so we might in fact, diffuse a situation. Oh well.)
So anyway, after arrival we headed over to Gopal’s house for lunch. Sam has been to Gopal’s for lunch before and his family was extremely excited by the idea of Sam bringing her husband and child (or baby as he is considered) back over. Today, we fulfilled the promise (but made another promise to return, of course). The best thing about Gopal’s house is definitely how much he loves his wife. He frequently talks about how good his wife is, but when she is present, he can barely contain himself. It is just refreshing to be around a couple that has been together fo 40 years and is so clearly in love and happy. It is also funny that the way he described her goodness “She is a very good wife. She makes no demands” might lead you to think it would be one of those super patriarchal type families, but actually they seem pretty progressive. Most couples we encounter here don’t really express their emotion toward each other at all – either because they don’t have any and it is one step above a business agreement, or because they would never express any love in public. Either way, it is a little depressing to never really encounter . Gopal and his wife, however, are an adorable couple.
We met Gopal’s son on the way over to his house, and he was a great guy. He is a student at Dhaka University. He was excited to meet us and liked chatting. He revealed secretly to Sam that he had a girlfriend who is Muslim (Gopal’s family is Hindu), but made Sam promise not to tell Gopal. (Later Sam was walking with Gopal and he said “My son has a Muslim girlfriend, but her parents don’t know.” Apparently his son isn’t as good at keeping things from his dad as he thinks!) Anyhow, we headed to Gopal’s house and had some tasty lichu (Lychees in English) while we waited for lunch. The lunch was delicious and afterwards we were, naturally, offered the opportunity to take a nap by the fan (which we declined). We talked with his daughters and granddaughter too and had a nice time hanging out and chatting.While there, the procession of students went down the street and Atticus and Gopal’s wife and daughters all enjoyed watching it from the window. Here are some photos we took on the way there and a pic of Atticus watching the action out the window with the ladies.
Afterwards we went back to DUCSU (for some reason- maybe to walk together instead of Gopal walking back alone?) and saw the Edward Kennedy tree along the way. You may or may not know, that Ted Kennedy (our former senator, RIP) was a big advocated for Bangladesh, and one of the lone voices in the US government that early on supported the war of liberation and the ongoing quest for justice regarding the genocide that occurred during the war. He was also one of the first (or the first) US official to visit after Bangladesh gained independence in 1971. Bangladeshis love Ted Kennedy – when he died, shortly after we arrived in Dhaka, it was major news here, and the country mourned him as a real friend to the nation. Here is a photo of us heading back from Gopal’s house and the Kennedy tree (it is a nice tree).
After we arrived at DUCSU, Sam started talking to a guy about a book he was suggesting Sam read about the student movement in Bangladesh and Jon, Atticus and Gopal disappeared. In the meantime, Gopal took off with Atticus upstairs and asked if he needed the bathroom, Jon followed along (once Atticus is on the scene we basically become background to everyone adoring him). They ended up in a mostly empty room where some students were practicing for a dance performance they would do this weekend. Jon asked if they would do the dance for them and they excitedly prepared some chairs for them to watch. Sam caught up just before the show and we saw a cute little dance performance, just for us. Atticus said it was just like 9XM (the equivalent of MTV) and they were quite flattered. Here is a still photo, but we are trying to figure out how to upload a video, so check back in a day or two for a possible moving update!
Finally, we headed back home. It was a fun day, and a great example of how work/personal boundaries just don’t exist here in the same ways. We had a nice afternoon and look forward to our next visit with Gopal’s family.
how about archives, accidents, and adda? :)
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