A few days ago, I was speechless for a long time after watching the scene of former MP Fazle Karim Chowdhury being brought to the court premises in an ambulance. Once surrounded by the power of a powerful man, hundreds of followers, administrative influence, and political prestige—today, seeing him sick and helpless brought to the fore a cruel truth of life.
The greatest judge of life is not man, but time. Time never rushes, but its verdict is published one day or another. Power, money, influence, power—all bow down to time one day. In my long journey of journalism and writing, there have been many times when my attempt to find the truth has faced me in difficult situations. I believe that after publishing some investigative reports, pressure was created against me in various ways. I had to face intimidation, harassment, and multiple cases. There have also been times when I spent my days in deep uncertainty about my own life. Those days were not easy. Every morning would start with uncertainty, every night would end with a prayer to Almighty Allah for safety. An investigative journalist does not have any weapons in his hand—his only power is truth, conscience, and pen. I believe that if it were not for the infinite mercy of Almighty Allah, I might not be alive today. The professional role and cooperation of some responsible law enforcement officers also gave me courage during those difficult times. My gratitude to them remains unwavering. Today, when I remember that terrible time in the past and at the same time see the current situation of Fazle Karim Chowdhury, I do not feel any joy of revenge. Rather, the impermanence of life makes me think more. Power makes people think that they can do many things, but time reminds people that they are only a momentary traveler. This writing of mine is not to express joy in the plight of any person. It is a lesson learned from the harsh reality of life. All those who want to intimidate others with the name of power, and suppress people through injustice, should remember that power has a term, but the account of deeds remains. I still believe that the truth can be suppressed temporarily, but not forever. A journalist’s pen can be broken, but the history of truth cannot be erased. May Allah Almighty grant us all the ability to walk on the path of justice, honesty and humanity. May He not blind anyone with the arrogance of power and make no one a victim of injustice. Because in the end, the greatest identity of a person is not his position, but his deeds. And time is the most impartial judge of that action.