The book A Golden Age is a historiographic fiction that
evolves with the gain and loss of a family. Rehana Haque is the protagonist of this novel. Her
two children- Soheil and Maya get directly involved with the liberation war; Rehana out of her
motherly affection tried to prevent her children from getting into the fight. Finally, all of
them survive from the war’s brutal forces.
The book, divided in
10 chapters, covers a decade. The final ten chapters span ten months. It opens in a dramatic fashion: “Dear husband, I lost my children today”.
The opening chapter (March 1959) glances at Rehana’s past
life. Then we see her brother-in-law
Faiz and his wife Parveen take Rehana’s children to
Pakistan. Also, Anam narrates some of her characters’ likings and disliking.
(March 1971) touches the war of 1971.
The whole East Pakistan (presently Bangladesh) agitated against West Pakistan. Meanwhile,
Rehana got back her children, praying regularly for her late husband Iqbal along
with her kids.
(25 March 1971) labelled as Operation
Searchlight where the West Pakistani began massacre upon the innocent, unarmed East Pakistani. Rehana,
Soheil, Maya, Sabeer, Silvi all feel restless and helpless in such a situation. At the end
of this chapter, we get a historical proclamation of independence from Major Ziaur Rahman.
(April, Radio Free Bangladesh) Soheil gets
involved with war. As an affectionate mother, Rehana tries to prevent her son but
fails. Later, her daughter also revolts against her own mother Rehana! Joining in war, liberating as
well as contributing for the country is such excessive desires in that period. We see this
reflection in Soheil and Maya’s eyes. The War occupies the backdrop of the narrative. In
Chapter-5, ( June), Anam says 1 million refugees from Bangladesh took shelter in West Bengal and struggling
there to survive for the basic needs. A bomb attack occurred in hotel
Inter-continental (Sheraton Hotel), orchestrated by the freedom fighters. Apart
from these incidents, in Rehana’s house an Army Major took shelter with whom she falls in
love.
(June) Rehana describes her past life, her
memories to the unknown major. Feeling lonely, she shares her everything with this
stranger.
(July, red-tipped bird) is talking about a
civilian’s restoration by Rehana. She takes some bold steps here to free a civilian called Sabeer
(husband of Silvi) from the custody of West Pakistani. She could be killed, could be raped but
remain safe.
(August, September and October) takes place in
Salt-lake, West Bengal. Rehana moves there to observe her daughter, Maya’s activities. She
stays there with a refugee camp, helps her daughter and others. She keeps herself busy with
the young men and women, met with some known faces, experienced some tragedies etc.
(November) is a reunion of mother, son and
daughter. They return from several places. After many days, they pass some delightful moments
though at last of this chapter Rehana lost the unknown Major.
16 December 1971, is the last chapter of A Golden Age. The
closing chapter starts with a note of
hope: “Dear husband, the war will end today”.
Here we find Rehana’s brother-in-law Faiz who dooms for his
collaboration with West
Pakistani. The novel ends with a hopeful letter-
Dear husband,
Today I have come here to tell you how we survive… I know what I have
done.
This war takes away so many boys only my son survives. This
time so many girls burn only my
girl left.
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