Goodbye friend, see you again if alive

Time: 18 March 2020, 9:00 p.m.

Eventually our Comilla University also closed.  In the beginning, many people took the issue of closing the university as a joke, but now the situation is not so much.  There is a fear among everyone. Due to corona panic, last night many batches informed that they are not coming to the university until the situation is favorable.  Being junior at university, we did not have the courage to make such a big decision.  We were waiting for the decision of the senior brothers and sisters of the department.

Went to campus today to discuss closing classes.  The campus, which is full of laughter, songs and chats, has suddenly become unfamiliar.  The atmosphere is thumping all around.  I feel a cool silence on campus.

At noon, the government announced the closure of all educational institutions.  At the same time our doubts were dispelled.  Semester exams, session jot are something that came to mind.  But everyone had to accept, 'Study for life, not life for study.'

I was watching the news on television in the evening.  Every news report seems to be crashing into the heart.  One day is going by and the situation is getting worse.  There is no war, no clanking of weapons.  It seems that surviving one day seems to be our biggest battle!

Many of the friends have said goodbye and gone home, again many are preparing to go.  But this time the farewell was not like any other farewell.  Everyone had a last word at the moment of farewell, 'Goodbye friend, see you again if alive.'  Tears came to my mind when I heard that.  I have never seen anyone say goodbye in this way in my short life.

My mother called from home to go to the village.  In such a situation, she do not want to keep her child out of sight.  Books, clothes, bags are all packed.  I will leave for the village tomorrow morning.  Maybe tomorrow I'll have to say, 'Goodbye friend, see you again if alive.'

Writer:

Md Jahid Hassan

Student, Department of Pharmacy

Comilla University, Bangladesh