THE question that not only peeps through but also strikes the mind of readers after reading about half of the book "BANOJOSTNA" by Harun-al Rashid is "what is the legal process of divorce?" The popular belief about divorce Is that if husband pronounces the word 'divorce' thrice before his wife, wife becomes divorced and a large number of women are the prey to this belief. Harun has dealt with this vital issues of our society. Tara Mia loved his wife very much — more than any one of his surroundings and the happiness of his wife Moyna was a cause of envy to the young housewives of the village. Being a poor farmer be would buy every charming new model saree for his wife, do everything for her. A good-starred Moyna, like Albatross, brought good luck to the family of Tara and conquered the hearts of everyone by her all expected' nature. She does not, as Is seen for common woman, eagerly grab new saree her husband brings rather protests everytime or spoiling money and like a modest housewife says," I don't need. I have enough. Bring one for mother-tn-law. She has been wearing worn-out saree "
Moyna would eagerly wait for the return of Tara every moment and this earnest desire for
husband's presence resulted In destruction of her conjugal life, her happiness and everything. One evening she was waiting and as the evening passed Into night she fall slept with the kerosene lamp on. Only God knows how, the house caught
fire and all the six houses of Tara burnt to ashes. Tara returns on the following day and to his full anger forgets his love for Moyna for moments when he came to know that she was responsible for the destruction and pronounces the word "divorce" three times and got senseless. He regains sense and Immediately realises what he has done.
A new period starts In the life of Tara Mia. He goes from door to door of every elderly man and Moulavl to ask only one question If Moyna had really been divorced. These people do not have proper knowledge about the legal aspects of divorce and belief In the popular saying that only pronouncing the word 'divorce' thrice ts enough for divorce, clearly say that divorce has been effective. Tara Is the prey of this Ignorance judgement and a naive, though not as passive as Opu of
Rabindranath Tagore's Hoimonty, can't take any step since he himself is also Ignorant of the exact procedure of divorce. Mad for Moyna, he goes to her in secret. He can’t marry for the second time despite family pressure and even after Moyna did so.
Probably Tara would have to pass the rest of his life without Moyna unless the senior Moulavl of the Ganj told him that uttering the world divorce' three times were not enough to divorce wife. It must have witness and husband must do that In sound mind, not angrily. Moreover If the wife Is pregnant and If husband does not pronounce the names of his wife and her father there will be no divorce,
Harun-al-Rashid has depicted the true rural picture of Bangladesh. Rural people are mostly illiterate and prejudicial and this destroys the happiness of a large number of people Including themselves. Ignorance Is at the base of all these prejudices. Harun has struck this very vital issue of our. society. The story Is based on a village and the language, the characters use ts totally native. While depleting the childhood of Moyna he has also used some rhymes that the children of the rural areas use lo play game. But the author has often come to the narration of different situations in his own difficult commentatlve language. This type* of sudden break and commentary is not seen in modem times. Sometimes this seems to be boring though do not kill the eagerness of the readers.
Harun-al Rashid, a graphic designer of BTV has been writ Ing since hl* student life. HI* other books — "Roudramoyee", "Dhul Fashal", "Kotlpoy Issaya", "Blborno Nadi", "KrltHnashar Sroto", "Dhal Prohorer Ghan" have already established him as a prospective litterateur of Bengali literature.
Bonojostna will help the readers realise the legal aspect* of divorce which everyone should know.