It seems just the other day that we joined the military academy as cadets in our late teens, all imbibed with the dream of building a challenging career. The roller coaster journey started with all its thrills: The unforgettable reception by the seniors; the wild and unending ragging rituals; the first military trim aimed at stripping us our civilian notions; hanging from the krishnachura branches like a bunch of monkeys; singing the most meaningless and funniest of the chants; being woken up after hardly a few hours of sleep by the thumping sound of a senior’s footsteps and their shouting; leaving the dining table while still hungry as a group punishment followed after a mere drop of a fork.
These were all part of our first experiences as cadets aspiring to become army officers. At times we were all broken and shattered, and yet somehow, we kept our dreams alive, braving odds with the never dying illusion that all adversity will come to pass, and we shall soon be ushered into a calmer sea.
This was the initial jolt crafted to break our ego and rid our psyche of all that is unwarranted of the military and to instill the qualities needed to become a leader in uniform. Soon we got accustomed to it all and started mastering new skills from these everyday encounters. Some of us could only just manage to remain with the flow, carefully balancing ourselves in our walk along the tightrope, while few others excelled by dint of their indomitable will-power, enviable physical strength, arduous stamina and talent to become acclaimed allrounders.
Makers of leaders
We were fortunate to have capable instructors in various strata to impart lessons on multifarious disciplines. Most important of them were a team of seasoned trainers, officers in the rank of Majors mostly, who were entrusted with our transformation from raw teenage civilian lads into well trained novice officers in the army. We call them “makers of the leaders.” Later in the process of our journey we joined them as colleagues in many outfits in the army. Some of them were so deep into their dedication and attachment that they kept in constant touch with us, watching over the trajectory of our career. They remained with us in every milestone we reached, inspiring and guiding us through them all.
In our more than three decades in uniform, some of us rose to the rank of Generals, some became Ambassadors, some left uniform early to build a second career in entrepreneurship. Irrespective of our standing in the society, the makers of leaders remained deeply engaged with us, even attending intimate events such as the anniversary of our commissioning, our children's wedding, and ofcourse, the sombre last journey into which some have already embarked.
The friends we've lost
Very recently we lost two of our friends in a quick succession within a span of two weeks. One was a Birprotik, a gallantry award winner for his dedication, guts and indomitable will-power in fighting miscreants in the troubled hills as a young captain. This friend of mine suffered from cancer for the last three years. He underwent treatment in the UK. As his journey was destined to end, he departed on a quiet February morning in the military hospital here. His brave soul was laid to rest in his ancestral village in Tangail beside his parents.
Just a few weeks before his passing, he returned from a number of sessions of chemotherapy in the UK, his face was pale and he could barely walk. His house being just opposite to our masjid, he would come and pray in one corner in silence. I would wait for his prayers to be over, gently go over and pat his shoulders. He would turn smiling and say, “I am just fine by His grace. I am happy that I can walk, come and pray.”
The other friend we lost was a top cadet -- a recipient of the sword of honour in the academy. This is a prestigious award given to a cadet adjudged best allrounder on completion of his training. Competing at every aspect with skill in both military and academic subjects, he had to prove his worth. The winner’s activities are watched and kept record of at every conceivable way by qualified people to make assessment. Once he achieves this and lands a military outfit, the challenge multiplies as all eyes remain focused on him. That’s a lifelong tag of excellence he carries and hence cannot afford to lay down.
All good things in life must end sometime. We stand and pray in silence with a band of soldiers paying their last tribute, turning their rifles upside down, the bayonets touching the ground, with their chins down in a sombre mood, the last post is blown. Members of the bereaved family, students and admirers, colleagues from the navy and air force, and the makers of the leaders, all in attendance.
Goodbye friends. You have done your best as leaders of men, as loving husbands and caring parents, as responsible neighbours and unforgettable friends. May your souls rest in peace till we join you at sundown.
Brig Gen Qazi Abidus Samad, ndc, psc (Retd) is a freelance contributor.
