Monorom Polok, son of journalist Shafiqul Islam Kajol, has written a letter addressing his missing father, hoping for his safe return.
Kajol, a photographer and editor of Daily Pokkhokal, went missing on March 10.
Kajol’s disappearance occurred after Saifuzzaman Shikhor, a ruling party lawmaker of Magura-1 constituency, filed a case against him and 31 others under the Digital Security Act, for publishing a report with “false information” and circulating it on social media.
The heartfelt letter of Polok is appended below:
“30/03/2020
Dear father,
I don’t know where you are. I can feel that you are alone and unwell. I can imagine that you have lost your mental stability by now as you did after bringing mother back from India following her surgery. I don’t think they will consider your mental condition. Will this letter even reach you? Will they let you read it? Will they let you come back? When? If this letter does reach you, I want to tell you a few things.
Your family is still strong and hopeful of your return. Our hope will never fade away. We are eagerly awaiting your safe return. Poushi is highly optimistic. She still has not thought of anything negative, even once. She has a lot to tell you. She now sleeps beside mother. Mother asks me: “Will you really be able to get your father back? When is Kajol coming back? How long do we have to wait?” I never answer these questions because I don’t know the answers.
I am trying to get you back. People are saying, I am doing a lot as a son. I cannot ever say that I have done enough as a son until you get back to us again. Some people are saying they wish they had a son like me. If anyone’s parent is taken away from them, they will definitely do whatever they can to find their parents. I am only doing that. But I know my parents. I don’t know if my father and mother are the greatest parents in the world, but I know you two are the greatest parents I could ever have. I have always known in my heart that you and mother deserved a better son. Is there any use of a son who has not been able to bring his father back even after 20 days since he went missing? What need is there of a son like that?
I know if this had happened to me, you would have brought me back by now. You would not have entered home without me. You would have made life miserable for several people. But I am not as capable as you. Our family has always been dependent on you, be it during tough times, sickness, or financial crises. Now you are not here and I am searching for our family’s protector like a ship without a rudder.
I am the last person to fall asleep in our house and when I am awake alone at night, I always hope that you are going to return to us at any moment. I know they are hurting you. But I still hope that somehow you will come back on your own feet. I become anxious when I hear footsteps outside at night. I hear someone’s voice and think you have come back.
The current state of the country is unprecedented. The streets are empty as everyone stays at home. I also have to stay at home. It is shameful, I know. You would not have stayed home. No one wants to meet me now. There is no place I can turn to. Such is the helpless situation I am in now. Before the country went into lockdown, I would go out early in the morning and would not come home till 1 or 2am at night. I cannot go out alone. People have told me that I am being watched. By whom or for what reason, I do not know. I am staying cautious so that they can never use us to scare you.
I hope you are trying your best to get out. I, too, am trying my best. I will never stop. Nobody can stop me until you return to us safe and sound. I want my father back among us at any cost.
I am waiting for you. I hope you will come back before long. I hope you will return before this letter reaches you. I hope you will knock on the door right now before I write the last sentence and before I finish writing this letter.
Sincerely,
Your son,
Polok”
