Part 01

Fahima sat down on the floor, exhausted. The stick fell from his hand and made a soft sound. His body is sweaty. He wiped the sweat from his forehead with his palm and took a few deep breaths. Then he raised his eyes and looked ahead. No man can survive in remand, there is a girl in remand for four days today. In front of him, he was tied to a chair and drowsing. In four days, he did not utter the word two with his mouth. How much physical and mental torture has been done yet did not cry out in pain! It seems like a stone is being beaten. The stone that bleeds but does not open its mouth. Then Inspector Tushar arrived there. Seeing the snow, Fahima said in a sad voice, 'Not possible anymore. Not talking at all.'

Tushar looked at the girl with experienced eyes for a couple of seconds. Then he said to Fahima in a serious voice, 'You go.'

Fahima shuffled away. Tushar took a chair and sat in front of the girl. He remained silent for a while and said, 'I met you today for the first time.'

The girl didn't say anything. Don't even look. Tusha looked at the girl carefully. He said, 'Do you remember your parents?'

The girl looked up. cloudy eyes Blood is oozing from the cut lip. Around the eyes dark black. Both eyes are red. This color of the face belongs to all the defendants who come to remand. Tushar's facial expression remained in the same position and asked again, 'Do you remember your parents?'

The girl shakes her head. He remembers! Snow leans a little. The girl looked helplessly. Tushar untied the girl's hands and casually asked, 'What's the name?'

Although Tushar knows the full details including the girl's name, still asked. He thinks the girl will talk. That's true. The girl uttered her name in a heavy voice, 'Padma...I...I am Padmaja.'

Padmaja fell on the snow. The snow quickly caught on. He called Fahima in a loud voice, 'Miss Fahima. Come here quickly.'

Two others, including Fahima, rushed on foot.

___________

Year 1989 Hemlata gets very upset when Rashid Ghatak arrives in the morning. He repeatedly said, 'I will not give Padma's marriage right away. I will teach Padma a lot.' Yet Rashiduddin would come in search of a pot every week, week after week. How old is the girl? only sixteen Shamsul Alam's daughter got married at the age of twenty-four. Padma's marriage will also happen then. Lotus is preferred. Hemlata pretended not to see Rashid. Rashid spat in the yard. Then he said to Hemlata, 'You understand, Mother Padma, the pot I am bringing this time is a pure diamond.'

Hemlata replied in an irritated voice, 'I did not ask for a pot for my daughter. Why do you come again and again?'

'Young Maia is not good at home.'

'The girl is mine. Don't let me understand.' Hemlat's voice is dripping with irritation.

Rashid tried hard but couldn't help. He stepped on the road with a frustrated face. Every day some suitors will come with money in their hands and say, 'I want Morshed's big chrider.'

Rashid muttered to himself, 'Is there no more in Geram? Can be read in the eyes of everyone? Can you pay if you want?'

Purna dressed in school clothes and called Padmaja, 'Apa? Is this you? Don't go to school? Upper..."

Padmaja opened her eyes with a thud and said, 'No.' After that, he closed his eyes and fell asleep. Poorna comes to her mother's room disappointed.

'Mom, why don't you go to school?'

Hemlata leaves the bed and stares at Poorna. He said in an angry voice, 'Will I go? I will tell you to go.'

Poorna bowed her head. Hemalta's strict orders, educating girls not to speak impure language. You have to speak pure language. Hemlata gets satisfaction seeing Poorna bowing her head. Her daughters know respect very well. very loyal He swept the bed and said, 'Padma's body is not good. Crying with stomach pain all night. Stay, sleep.'

Purna's teenage mind understands why Padmaja was crying in pain. He did not know that Nanabari was there at night. He came early in the morning. It takes five minutes to walk to Nanabari. Seeing Purna standing quietly, Hemlata said, 'You go. I will go with my head down, I will come with my head down.'

'Well, mother.'

Poorna came to the room and stood in front of the mirror. He looked at himself. After that, the red lipstick brought from the fair last month is darkened and applied on the lips. Fourteen-year-old Poorna has been wanting to dress up a lot lately. Poorna didn't apply lipstick before because Hemlata doesn't like to go to school regularly.

___________

The wooden clock on the tin wall just struck ten in the morning. Padmaja has not yet risen. Hemlata entered the girls' room. Padmaja is sleeping with folded hands. Padmaja's smooth, thin lips, fair skin glistened in the touch of soft sun coming through the window curtain. Hemlata says bismillah, blows three times on the girl's body. Elders say that mother needs more attention. Bismillah has to be blown to clear the eye. Hemalta's magic seems to wake up Padmaja. Still, he called out in a warm voice, 'Padma. This lotus...'

Padmaja opened her eyes and sat up quickly seeing her mother. Hemlata called him on the day he was late to wake up. Padmaja asked in a guilty voice, 'Is it too late, Amma?'

'No problem. Wash your face and come to eat.'

Padmaja quickly went to the kalpad and washed her face. Hemlata is a teacher's daughter. Therefore, the influence of rules and principles is more in him. Girls are being brought up under strict rules. Padmaja entered the kitchen and saw the food on the plate. He smiled softly and took the plate and sat down at the table. Then Hemlata came. Padma quickly covered her head with a veil. Another rule given by Hemlat is to cover the head while eating. Padmaja is quiet and calm

He continued to eat. Hemlata said to the girl in a simple voice, 'Why are you in a hurry? You got your hair wet while washing your face. After eating, sit in the sun and dry your hair.'

'Well, mother.'

'Amma, Poorna, Prema didn't come?'

'Purna is coming. went to school Prema will come at noon.'

'Mom, when will dad come?'

Hemlata stood up at Padmaja's question. He replied dryly, 'I don't know. Do not talk while eating.'

As soon as Hemlat left, a drop of water fell from Padmaja's eye. Padmaja quickly wiped away her tears with the opposite side of her hand. Padmaja has a birth father in her life. But the birth-giver is not loved. He does not know what his fault? Why does his father love the rest of the sisters but not him? Don't even speak. Twice he asked his mother, 'Am I your real daughter Amma? Did you adopt because you don't have children? Why do you neglect me so much? And don't tell mom?'

Hemlat then remained silent. After a long time he said, 'You are the child of my womb. And your father's daughter. Now go and read. You have to read a lot.'

That's all! Hemlata does not say anything more than that. I know why Padmaja feels that one day Hemlata will tell something very secret from herself. But let it be bearable. He prays this all the time.

'What are you thinking so much? Eat quickly.'

Hemalta's words broke Padmaja's thoughts. Eat up quickly. Today was supposed to make mango pickle.

___________

In the evening, the electricity went out. It has been a few months since electricity came to the village. Alandpur consists of eight villages. Their village name is Atpara. The village is kept in darkness for three hours every day from dusk to night. And there is no smell of electricity all day long. What is the profit with electricity? Three sisters Padmaja, Purna, Prema sat reading together. As soon as the house was dark, nine-year-old Prema held the veil of Padmaja. Padmaja called softly,

' Mom? Mom…"

'Come, take the torch.'

Padmaja stood up at Hemlata's call. Prema is very afraid of darkness. Padmaja left her veil and held Purna's hand. The moment Padmaja entered the room with the torch, he heard the gate opening. He peeked and saw Hanif and quickly entered the room.