Funny Alubukhara

Plums were not much available in Bangladesh for its low popularity one decade ago. In season some one could buy this fruit from the exclusive shops in Gulshan or Banani. Though nowadays plums are available in any supershop of Dhaka.
Adnan liked this fruit very much. Whenever it was available his father would bring it. We laughed a lot on this fruit once.
In this subcontinent plum is known as Alubukhara or Alubokhara. It is a Persian word. As you can see here the word includes Bukhara or Bokhara, the historical place in Central Asia. Funny thing is that the vendor wrote the name of the item Potato Bokhara in the receipt. I don’t know what Alu stands for in Persian but it means potato in Bangla.

First Meet

It was my third or fourth day in the Daily Inqilab office.
When I got in I saw he was on his father’s chest clinging. He just got up from a nap that noon. It was 1991 may be, he was about 4 years. The adorable little Adnan stared at me. Looked like he was very calm. Eyes were dozed for early waking up.
I asked his father whether he is mild natured or not. I was told that he was very obstinate. Later he proved it in many ways.
In that day we were not socialized. Later he was taken away by some one.

MetroWest Daily News

Cops say Babson students killed in fiery crash were racing

By Samantha Fields/Wellesley Townsman
GateHouse Media
Thu May 03, 2007, 04:44 PM EDT

WELLESLEY - The Babson College student, killed along with a companion when his Porsche Cayman struck a tree on Forest Street April 24, had been racing with another luxury car whose driver will be cited, police said.
"It appears that there were two vehicles (involved) - the one that crashed, and another that was racing," said police spokeswoman Sgt. Marie Cleary.
The 19-year-old Babson student who was driving the second car, a BMW, will face two criminal citations and one motor vehicle citation, Cleary said.
The student, whom police did not identify, is charged with racing a motor vehicle, negligent operation of a motor vehicle and failure to stay within marked lines. There is no indication that drugs or alcohol were involved. The case will be heard in Dedham District Court.
Killed in the crash Ishfaq Moinuddin, 20, of Bangladesh, and Angad Sawhney, 19, of New Jersey, according to authorities.
Shortly before midnight, Moinuddin apparently lost control of his car and crashed into a tree on Forest Street, less than a mile from the Babson campus. The car was enveloped in flames by the time police arrived.
The two were returning from a late-night snack at McDonald's with some friends, who were following Moinuddin's car.
The two cars never made contact, said Cleary.
"Our decision to issue a criminal citation is the result of a thorough investigation," including many witness interviews and accident analysis by the Accident Reconstruction Team, Cleary said.
The results of the Accident Reconstruction Team report will not become available to the public until the case goes to court, but Cleary said the Porsche was "definitely traveling at a significant rate of speed."

http://www.metrowestdailynews.com/homepage/x2097867287

His Passion for Cars

He loved the cars more than anything materialistic in this world even when he was a child. I can remember the way we made friends. He asked me to draw the picture of a vehicle. It was not a car but a bus. I sight copied that from a kid picture book. Later that day I drew a sports car.
Whenever he came to his father’s office he would request someone to draw the picture of a vehicle. Pankaj Pathak, the cartoonist/artist, drew many vehicles for him.
Later as a teenager his love became passion. I can recollect someone gave him a big calendar with the picture of slickest cars in the world. He kept it as a great asset.
He loved The Fast and The Furious Movies. He enjoyed the trilogy many times. The last time we met we had a rather long conversation. He told me once, ‘Alam Chachchu, do you know, in reality these movies are the publicity for cars?’
He even told me about his Porsche Cayman. He was not bragging but like informing a friend about his possession. He was like shining then.
I can remember his inclination to nice cars started when he was very little. He had many small toy cars. He had a Motor Grader (like one in the picture), which was a small replica of a real one, which was really something to be attracted to. I remember we played together with that, I was in my 30’s but I enjoyed playing. You know a child always lives in you.
We have played with his Nintendo too; it was a first generation console played with cartridges. I don’t remember the title of the game but it was one of his favorites. It was a car racing game (in fact he had more than one of the racing titles). Some time he insisted me to play. I was worse in playing game; in fact I was a disaster. I was never being able to stay steady on the road. So I would usually hand over the controller. He would always be able to finish first or second. Whenever his Lamborghini or Porsche exceeded 200 mph he would be ecstatic.
Like I said he had a great passion for vehicles, no matter it is a bus or a sports car. It was a late winter afternoon. Most likely a weekly holiday. He father told me, ‘let’s go to the Meena Bazar (a sort of one /two day fair) in Gulshan.’ I always avoid this kind of crowd. This time I tried again. Adnan requested me, ‘Cholo Na Alam Chachchu.’ (Please come along Uncle Alam). I could not refuse his soft tone, I never could. His father did not tell me why we were there. He was keeping that a mystery. We struggled through the gate. Later we came close to a stall where a wooden truck was displayed, in a flash I perceived why we were there. I can remember his father had to buy that with an illogical price. After purchase we did not wait there for long. I also remember we took a rickshaw to the car as it was parked farther.
He loved driving. Once or twice he drove there car without his father’s permission when he was underage. His father scolded him for that.
One of his playing mates was his cousin Sirin. He was often called to their residence to accompany him to play soccer or cricket. Sirin once complained that,' I never will ride with Adnan Bhaia, he is a rough driver.’
Another incident I heard from Adnan, though it rather could turn to an accident. He with his father were coming back home from somewhere else. Their Toyota Four-runner was waiting in the crossing for green light. A high speed bus struck the Toyota from back. I heard that the car went round more than once and there was a risk of fatality. He survived that.

Requiem for a Son, a Student and a Friend

Whatever John Lenon meant, to me Strawberry Fields sound like the ultimate destination for a man. Ishfaq are you there in Strawberry Fields Forever?
I would go along you to the strawberry fields forever if I could. But that would be very unlike action. As my sins are heavier I would like to give some space for repent. But suddenly everything seems very unreal, very untrue. Suddenly our red roses bleached to white. Suddenly hopes faded to black.
A car named after a vicious reptile. A skid. A screech. A crash. An eight feet inferno. Some helpless cries. They all took it away. A hapless father’s hope, a family’s pride – all effaced in a swoop. But, is it? Hope may be gone but the pride lives for eternity. Nothing will erase the snapshots the neurons possess. This boy, this man (he suddenly became) will be in our hearts always.
I have thousands of memories with him. I will try to chronicle them here whenever I can. it’s only in the sake of reminiscence, let it not hurt anyone.

A Clip

That unforgettable smile...

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kjjTLtICEhU