The Third Dimension (2023) #Wattys2024

13-1980

Sohail, Saleem and Rehana got back to Dhaka by train.

For instance, they got into the Prison from the access of Saleem's acquaintance from the Police Department, who happened to be the prison inspector. At first, the inspector refused. Saleem convinced him in such a manner that he welcomed to meet the person from Kader's gang. His name was Muhammad Michael Santiago Krishna Dutta Shahzad, according to the police files.

The man gazed silently at the window, in between the crowded prisoners on the other side. Damaged, old walls, graffiti with black paints and a broken dirt toilet serves the mundane life of a prisoner who weren't treated kindly enough. The prison walls were not only old but also have the lack of maintenance in the walls and on the floor, which disgusted the journalist trio.

"Michael" the jailer called.

Michael, the man received through his ears, and answered by coming towards the prison bar. He smiled creepily towards the stoic Rehana, the restless Sohail and the scared Saleem. He was gruffly bearded and an injured scar, where he was bumped into the prison walls, every time when he made a statue. His eyes were soft as the artist and his anger shows his crave for freedom. The jailer introduced them to Michael.

"So Mr. Michael, as you were involved with the murder of Ms. Kohinoor Banu, I would like to ask, why have you open up the murder to the family?" asked Sohail.

"Your question is a little gibberish, but understandable. His activities were somewhat, haven't supported my perspective towards the meaning of true love and the responsibility behind it. To further state it, he was under the influence of a politician, Salam Ul-Karim, who was not only a leader but also a drug peddler. He imports drugs from the UK and also from the South East of Asia. Kader was the avid supporter of the political ground involving Salam, due to the fascist behavior and was also disturbing for our Prime Minister, Mohammad Tajuddin. Due to the votes he stole, he became one of the Counselors of the University, otherwise, he was merely the Member of the Parliament. Kader's fanatic towards Salam worsened his behavior, on which, his toxic masculinity and his uncountable sums of money but also his brilliant academic results popularized him that pleased his ego" stated Michael.

"So what is the relationship between your friend, the minister and Kohinoor Banu?" asked Rehana.

"Kader could have gotten any girl he liked, even played with some of them. His eyes on Kohinoor was such that, he even wanted to influence her with drugs. I would thank the Almighty that she gracefully avoided the fact, as per her perception, she considers him as a brother. At the end, I thought that Kader may have fallen for her due to his previous records with his ex-flames. Until, he told us, even most of his other friends from his school and college by showing her picture. I felt embarrassed of his actions. Therefore, his actions went further when he broke the beds of the hostel plus drinking alcohol, as well as the phensidyls and other foreign narcotics. Worst of all, he planned to kidnap Kohinoor just not only to propose her, but also kill her by the drugs, as he was manipulated by the treacherous Salam, bloody bastard! He forcefully took her and interrogated her to get married, as it may have been immature of him. When she refused, he forcefully gave her the narcotics plus furthermore; he choked her by threatening her more. Until then, she passed away. Suddenly, we heard a cracking sound and ran away. Until, Salam stopped us and buried her dead body. Since, I couldn't tolerate it, I was the one to inform her about his actions. Due to this betrayal, he escaped by going abroad, left me and the rest of us into the utter fucking hell!" angrily sneered Michael.

"Why do you have such a big name, mixing with other religions?" said Saleem.

"In this independent country, religions such as Muslims, Christians, Buddhists and Hindus live together, united, like brothers. Back in a day, we were not divided, as we were called 'Indians', until, the Partition divided us but we are together by culture and religion" explained Michael.

"In the name of religion and independence, you increased the dependence of devious crimes!" stated Sohail.

"Shakespeare said 'what's in a name'? At least, I am loyal to the good" snapped Michael

"Great for an English Graduate! You should join the army, you know? Your body suits you. Anyway, where is Kohinoor's dead body?" interrogated Sohail.

"Do you really wanna know? Where is it? It's in the post-mortem of the Dhaka Government Medical College" answered Michael with a loud whisper.

Hence, Sohail commanded Saleem to be with Michael, for secretly going to the morgue, while, he told Rehana to research on the notorious peddler and politician, Salam Ul- Karim.

The day after that, Saleem and Michael secretly sneaked through the morgue of the Dhaka Medical College. It was soundless as the horror might set some nauseating experience for Saleem, as to the contrast, Michael was habituated with it, due to the recent string of murders with the heinous crimes done by the notorious criminal, Salam and Kader, as to the contrast of the 'peaceful' name.

The morgue was frozen and such that it wasn't easy for Sohail to enter there. Furthermore, it was more of a room for gas than the room for the dead. Salam entered the room along with a familiar face and a local goon that surprised the nail bitten, petrified Saleem a lot. It even surprised him, that their boss, Ahamad Siddiqui was involved with Salam's hidden activities as a politician. The two loud whispers led them to crouch inside the bed, with a tip-toe.

"Sir, why have you let the family put her dead body in the morgue? Isn't it risky?" asked Ahamad.

"I don't want the family to suspect me, as the elections are coming!! If people knew about the heinous activities, our vote would decrease, in the re-elections. That Kader fellow is extremely restless!! Can't even influence a simple girl for the narcotic influence, where the other secretly smokes other downers!" said the loud whispered Salam.

By the time, Saleem opened the tape recorder from his bag to capture their conversations. The further conversations gave him through utter shock! It was the moment of suspense as both Saleem and Michael might be waiting for. Therefore, it was more connected to Sohail and Rehana that she might get traumatized by the past connections with Salam.

"Rehana, that girl! She reminds me of someone during the days of war. I get a feeling of her presence!" said Salam anxiously.

When Saleem and Michael rushed out of the morgue, while Salam and Ahamad tried to continuously chase them, from the dead house to the back entrance. Wherever they have tried to hide themselves, the result was a dead end. They got out with the relief, as celebration would sense the following.

Till now, Salam held the triggered the pistol twice by aiming at the duo. It spread the news to the thousands and millions of people. Bloodstains, restriction circles from the police and as the Prime Minister was against the bastard Salam, the frustration among the youngsters and the people in the country in general turns the blood, extremely fiery. On the other hand, Salam's criminal activities were unveiled by Ahamad who was secretly helping the trio. As the press was controlled under the Prime Minister, Rehana and Sohail were almost safe and secured.

Until, at night, Rehana and Sohail stole the tape recorder from the morgue, and went to Shahbag to enhance the protest. As the protest went on, the group of university students, especially women were marching on the grounds, similar to 21st February, 1952, where Jawad's grandfather and Sohail's father was one of the people who took the Language Movement grandly. The sounds were so loud, as if the women empowerment, as well as the first communal murder after the war became the integral part. Not only on Dhaka but also Rajshahi, the protest had been done on the certain basis.

In the middle of the protest, Sohail and Rehana got out in the middle of the march, while they saw a girl, molested by a hooded man whose wet coat had an odor of loathe and disgust, in the midst of the field. It was quite dark and foggy, and wet, as it was about to rain. When they rushed towards them, the mysterious man pushed them, while falling off to the ground, the molestation continued to happen. Sohail crawled from the ground and bit his hand with his blunt tooth, which led the girl escaped.

The psychopath targeted Rehana, trying to severely assault her. Until, she got a pepper spray from her small purse. Blinded, but took a shovel that almost paralyzed Rehana, but the hit on Sohail's brain, transformed it into a complete memory loss.

Rehana was taken to the hospital by the madman that shocked her. After the few weeks of recovery, she bought a rickshaw from Chikku and Gyankosh, just to cover herself and also to protect Sohail from the clutches of Salam but fate circled around.