I am thrilled. I was informed that our Save the Children driver, for our journey to the Barisal impact area where I will be reviewing our implementation, is none other than Majiid! This professional driver will conduct us across wide rivers, using ferries and on into the remote areas of the river delta of Bangladesh approaching the Sea of Bengal.
Majiid was our driver to this same area on my last visit in March of 2005. As seems to always be the case, I am given, against my continual protests the world over, the passenger seat next to the driver. Majiid has driven for this office longer than any driver, over 22 years. He is an older man, as myself, but he is tall and distinguished. It helps that he speaks and understands more than functional English, as most Bangladeshis do, but Majiid and I seem to have that additional non-linguistic link of communication that I rarely encounter.
On the last trip, we had arrived at our first river crossing, the wide, swollen Ganges river that had coursed across eastern India from its source in the Himalayas. This particular river transit is more than simply crossing, but rather a meandering trip across and down the river to the next river landing. These smaller ferry landings are most exciting places, reminding me of small Western towns of the 19th century U.S. The ferries are typically huge and filled to the brim with vehicles and people, an opportunity to obtain a condensed sampling of Bangladesh. After we had entered the ferry with our vehicle, I quickly, and excitedly, got out to mingle with the vendors hawking their exotic foods and wares.
Soon though, Majiid found me and motioned for me to follow him. I was initially dismayed since I wanted to stay on deck, but I figured it was a security precaution to move me to safer location on board in case we capsized. Instead Majiid conducted me up a series of stair wells to the bridge. I, of course, was greeted with surprised looks, but I saw that Majiid was recognized and greeted with some honor. I was introduced to the Captain, who briskly demanded that another person on the bridge get up and give me his seat. I was given a glare from this man, which the captain noticed and quite harshly told the man to remove himself from the bridge. I sheepishly then sat in a prime location where I had a wonderful view of the ensuing hour-long voyage. However, the displaced person hovered about the bridge too long and was ordered to return with tea and biscuits for my pleasure. This made me very uncomfortable, but who was I to argue with a Captain!
What i found out later was that Majiid was well known. He was a freedom fighter during the war of liberation from Pakistan in the early 1970's. Imagine, if you will, the 1840's in the United States on the East Coast during the 4th of July and all the remaining soldiers from our War of Independence being given honor during the parades of the day. This was Majiid.
I recall well my first instance of hearing of the newly-created state of Bangladesh. George Harrison, late of the Beatles, had crafted a benefit concert to aid the people of Bangladesh who were suffering the twin-pronged effects of a devastating cyclone in the very area which I will re-visit tomorrow which killed thousands of persons with it's floods, and the effects of a virtual genocidal advance by the Pakistani Mor. Harrison sing of Bangladesh in my studio apartment with some friends, wondering where in the world Bangladesh is!
This afternoon, Majiid and I reacquainted ourselves. I told him that I had spoken of him the world over and that I considered him my friend after three days of travel together last year. We laughed and exchanged news of family and he congratulated me on my marriage to Heidi.
So, tommorow, I wil once again have the opportunity to travel with Majiid, the freedom fighter of renown! By the way, Majiid is the gentleman on the right in the photo at the top of this blog entry.
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