Sit-ins, blockades.

Banners, red ink.

A circle, no, a sphere.

No killings, no bullets.

Peaceful sit-ins, slogans and resistance.

Quota! Quota! Quota!

That’s all that screams.

Heart wrenching, mind-bending sadness overpowering,

Sitting in my dark room, scrolling through linkedin,

“I am pleased to inform..” a hundred posts about jobs awarded, talent forgotten, quotas reinstated.

Eyelids heavy with the impending decisions,

In spite of knowing no jobs will find me tonight, no talent will come and knock, ousted in my room, locked away for good.

Battles everyday, do I deserve it this way?

‘Hi, i got a job’

‘Let me guess, you’re a son of a freedom fighter’

‘Why, yes, I am.’

A lead, a brick goes through my already bone dry throat.

Where are the doors to my dreams? Already locked and doomed to falter?

Into the darkest realms, into the deepest corners, i sit with my face tight,

Holding onto a slightest smile, yes everything is alright.

No, I am not fighting a battle.

No, I didn’t get that job.

“Congratulations”

–

A sigh, a laugh, a beacon of hope

Red tie around my head, banners in my hand.

Quota na medha? Medha, medha! (Quota or merit? Merit, merit!)

Quota na medha? Medha, medha! (Quota or merit? Merit, merit!)

Sit-ins, blockades.

Beat to death, red and blue

Is that all I am to you?

Gun-point, blackmailed.

Name-called, heinous acts, is that the only thing you can do?

Show your worth through tv screens and getaway planes.

Even your own wouldn’t accept you, shame on you.

Free Speech, what is that?

1984, ever heard of that?

Gun shots clear as day,

Heard over azan,

5 times a day,

In the middle of the night,

A cry,  a scream

Lips sealed, bullets shot.

They said ballots, not bullets.

But what are you doing? Where is your ballot?

Was that also sold like your decency? Like your humanity?

I thought monsters were only found in the dark,

Under the bed,

Behind the curtain.

Oh, was I wrong to find them in the streets of Bangladesh?

On a fine July afternoon when a bird was hit right in the chest.