In the annals of time, nestled in the embrace of history existed a place veiled in shadows and shrouded in mystery -- Bangladesh. Once a great kingdom, it stood as a testament to the resilience of its people and the richness of its culture. Within its borders lay sprawling landscapes adorned with the hues of antiquity, where whispers of ancient tales lingered in the air like wisps of smoke from a distant fire.
The capital, Dhaka, was regarded as the centre of trade and commerce, and also the government's head of operations. However, beneath the surface of prosperity there was a tangible sense of unease.
Amidst the whirlwind of activity and intrigue, Bangladesh was under the watchful eye of distant powers. Perceiving signs of a faltering administration, the United States Government, exercising its influence from a distance, endeavoured to step in. Their envoy, a highly regarded official and a collector, was sent to manage the affairs of this mysterious kingdom.
A troubling trend surfaced in the countryside around Dhaka, where the kingdom's heartbeat could be heard only dimly. The future's vital resource, students, failed in alarming proportions, in their board exams and every academically important test.
Entering the centre of this mystery, the collector embarked on an adventure full of danger. His route brought him to the village of Agargaon, a formerly thriving epicentre that was now abandoned. Upon seeing the burned remains of the former, he came to the unsettling realization that concealed within the ashes of a vanished era was the secret to revealing the mysteries shrouding Bangladesh in secrecy.
He started walking and walking. While walking, he found a house, which was a rather tall structure, seeming as if something was hiding within it. The collector, Mr Jones, felt like there must be something inside a building that huge, it may even have people inside it. He immediately tried going inside and noticed that there was a large feast going on with many people. The liveliness inside the building matched the parallel emptiness outside in the village.
Complete and utter darkness suddenly fell before his eyes. It engulfed him, and he fainted
The whole situation baffled Mr Jones as he walked through the party atmosphere. Soon enough, he met Mr Amin, who introduced himself as the main counsellor of the village, along with his wife, children, and many other local ministers who were part of the village management committee. He was offered a glass of wine, and they had a fine dinner there. Mr Jones could finally breathe a sigh of relief.
Suddenly the question came to Mr Jones and he thought of asking the counsellor about the increasing failing rates of the schools in the village. However, just as he was about to ask, complete and utter darkness suddenly fell before his eyes. It engulfed him, and he fainted.
When he finally regained consciousness, he found himself lying in a dark dungeon-style space. He was trapped. It was not long before he realized that it was the same building where he dined with the people of Agargaon, except now there was not a single soul in sight. In its place there were cobwebs scattered all around -- the entire area seemed as if it had been abandoned for ages. Mr Jones' heart flickered with bewilderment as he laid there, confused; his eyes scanning every corner the place. He struggled to make sense of his recollections. How did this happen?
Arita Haque is a student at Oxford International School, Dhaka.
