Tareque Masud: The compassionate creator

"Believe those who are seeking the truth; doubt those who find it." – is a famous quote by French Nobel Laureate Andre Gide. In this quite simplistic statement, Gide emphasised more the importance of constantly striving for enlightenment than discovering and propagating an overarching resolution. This is why I take so much interest in the works of Tareque Masud, because he is an artist who never hesitated to question any metanarrative, be it political or religious. On the contrary, his films seem to embody the very essence of the above-mentioned proclamation- the enduring quest to know the truth that would help us make sense of the world.

Tareque Masud's very first full-length feature film, 'Matir Moyna' (The Clay Bird) is a testament to this spirit. The film faced some difficulties before its release in 2002 as the then government felt it contained some objectionable contents that might hurt the religious sentiment of the people. The portrayal of the madrasa education system in the film caused discomfort for the authority. But a close study of the film would reveal that Tareque Masud did not criticise madrasa education in a one-eyed manner but his approach was very objective and unbiased. Before getting into this discussion, a summary of the film's storyline would be helpful.

Matir Moyna is a semi-autobiographical story as Tareque Masud himself was a madrasa student, though he later switched the track and achieved his BA in History from the University of Dhaka. The film starts with the scenes of a madrasa where Anu just got admitted. He seems to be very gloomy as he is far away from his own home. He makes friendship with a schizophrenic boy named Rokon, from whom everyone else keeps distance. The key focus of the film is not the friendship between the boys but it is also the difference of opinion between the adults, especially the discord between the teachers at the madrasa and dissonance between Anu's father and his uncle at home. In the backdrop of all these debate and deliberation are shown the tension and unrest that led to the Liberation War of Bangladesh.

Let's get back to the issue of the portrayal of the madrassa education. As I have already mentioned that a critical analysis of the film would unearth the director's unprejudiced attempt to show the good as well as the bad aspects of the system. For example, the Bakiullah Hujur, the senior teacher of the madrasa, is a strict disciplinarian who brings a long cane to the classroom. He changes the name of Anu on his very first day at school to Kazi Anwarul Islam, chastises a student for showing disinterest towards learning Urdu, calls for jihad in his sermon during the Jummah prayers, treats the mentally challenged boy Rokon by making him dip into pond in the freezing morning, etc. But alongside this teacher, we also see Ibrahim Hujur, a more considerate and moderate person. He is someone students feel very comfortable to talk with and share their concerns. Ibrahim Hujur refutes Bakiullah Hujur's radical views and condemns the attempts of using the innocent students for political advantage. He tries to ensure proper treatment for Rokon instead of trying out unscientific means and gives money out of his own pocket to buy medicine for him. Thus Tareque Masud underlined the fact that there are people in these institutions who do not hesitate to misguide the students for their vested interests, but at the same time there are also good souls who wholeheartedly work for the proper upbringing of their disciples.

Conflict of ideologies is the central theme of the film but it does not try desperately to prove the supremacy of one idea over the other. This is also manifested in the contrast between the views of Anu's father, Kazi Mazharul Islam and his uncle, Milon. On one hand, Mazharul Islam is a very reserved person who sends Anu to madrasa to save him from the "sacrilegious" activities, he does not let the women of the house to get outside, and he is a strong believer in the unity of Pakistan. When the villagers become very wary knowing that the Pakistani Army already attacked a nearby area, Mazharul Islam wards off their fears. He believes that the Pakistani Army has been employed to protect innocent people from wrongdoers and they will not cause any harm for them. On the other hand, Milon has been portrayed as a secular individual who loves to enjoy the boat race organised on the occasion of Biswakarma Puja and attend folk concerts. Milon believes that they should break free from the tyranny of Pakistan's autocracy and he also expresses his strong determination to fight for this freedom. Thus the contrast between Mazharul Islam and Milon is quite evident but the interesting fact is that the director did not represented either of them as all good or all bad but showed them in humanistic and realistic approach.

For example, though Mazharul Islam is very conservative and orthodox, we see a change in him after his daughter's death. He becomes very forbearing, asks his wife to go out more to get out of the despondence, stops homeopathy treatment as it failed to save his daughter. These changes highlight the humane aspect of the character and the audience feels empathy for him. On the other hand, limitations in Milon's thoughts are also shown in the film. In one scene when boatman Karim converses with Milon, the topic of Liberation War pops up. Karim says that the war would not bring any good for the common people. Many would find it preposterous but this again underscores the director's philosophy – to analyse a phenomenon from different perspectives with an inquisitive and open mind.

An unusual narrative on the role of Bihari people during the liberation war is also found in Tareque Masud's short film 'Noroshundor' (2009), where we see a young man running away from the Pakistani military taking refuge in a barber shop run by some Biharis. The boy tries to act nonchalant when he sits in the salon for shaving but he was trembling inside thinking these barbers might hand him over to the army. Biharis were close collaborators of the Pakistani military during the time of war, assisting the army in their heinous crimes. Tareque Masud presented a different narrative in his short film by highlighting their positive side as they saved the boy when the army personnel come to the salon looking for the boy.

This again proves Tareque's tolerant and resilient nature. This short film sparked controversy after its release but many might have felt reluctant to criticise Tareque Masud blatantly considering his early works like 'Muktir Gaan' (1995) and 'Muktir Kotha' (1999), the works that are considered among the most precious documentation of the Liberation War. Tareque Masud spent the prime time of his life making these documentaries with little resources and funding.

These creations of Tareque Masud underscore his unwavering commitment towards the spirit of the Liberation War.

In this era of mistrust and hatred we see the overwhelming urge among people to divide themselves along the line of race, religion, ethnicity, nationality, and whatnot. The sheer desire to prove the supremacy of our ideologies and undermine the beliefs of others has become a common trend. While this tendency has ensued more violence and destruction, Tareque Mausud's works inspire us to be more compassionate and resilient. His works encourage us to broaden and deepen our understanding of opposing ideologies and be respectful towards people with differing views and values. There is no denying the fact that this attitude is essential to build an inclusive and diverse society.