But surely he should have been forced to leave? She should have visited the doctor at least four times during her pregnancy. They replied, they could not move it. She was worried that if she went to the hospital, her baby would be born through surgery. Then she will not be able to return to the field. Then how will she earn? How will she support her family?
Then? Fazlul Haq said that he had taken her to Kaliganj market twice for ultrasound and everything was fine. The doctor had said that there would be no problem in normal delivery. At 3 o'clock in the afternoon of March 13, Razia called her brother and asked him to bring a babysitter to the house. Fazlul came with midwife and village doctor Sanjay Mondol. They all agreed that childbirth would take more time and Sanjay left.
Razia's child was born at around 10:00 pm. His brother Fazlul Haq was sitting in front of the house. Razia called him inside. Fazlul said laughing, “Razia, your son's features are so good, you won't need to draw his nose! His arms and legs are nice and long too!” Suddenly Razia gasped and said that she was not able to breathe. Razia's family called 999 and got an ambulance.
And then? Mutala Union is 12 kilometers away from Kaliganj Upazila. When they reached Kaliganj, Razia was neither speaking nor moving. But there was still a long way to go. When they reached Satkhira Medical College Hospital, the doctors said that he had died on the way. Fazlul returned home with Razia's body. He stopped in front of their house. How many times had Razia stayed in front of this house after coming back from playing for the national team. When she leaves the car, there will be celebrations all around.
My head was spinning with countless thoughts. I was thinking of Maria's little boy Bartle in John Millington Synge's 'Riders to the Sea'. The eldest son, Michael, was swallowed by the sea, his shirt and socks washed up on the shore. Nine days passed, but the fury of the sea did not subside. There was not a single grain of food in the house. The whole family must either die of hunger, or Bartley must go out into the wild sea to fish. Mother kept stopping Bartley, but then… where would the food come from? Bartley walks out of the house, never to return.
Our Razia went to play when she was three months pregnant. He will get 8000 taka per month, otherwise nothing. Then what will she eat, what will she feed her child, her family?