Wearing colorful clothes, crown on the head. With the exception of bicycles. But if you look at the headlights, it will seem like a motorcycle. A horn like a motorcycle is attached. Behind the barrier are cooking utensils. Police written on the front bicycle headlight, with a police dummy holding a rifle. I will catch anyone’s attention as soon as I see it. The name of the owner of this exceptional bicycle is Lutfar Rahman. He is a cook by profession.
Even at the age of 75, he loves to entertain people by playing songs. He runs every day with his hobby bicycle. His bicycle is equipped with soundbox and boat nature and charger light. He ran to different areas in the knowledge of music and cooking. Although his name is Lutfar Rahman, he is known to everyone as ‘Hathat Baburchi’.
Lutfar Rahman’s house is in Tapodhan Chowdarhat area of Rangpur metropolis. All four daughters are married. One son is also married without parents. Old Lutfar now takes care of the family with his sick wife. In the twilight of life Lutfar wants to forget his troubles and make others laugh by wearing eye-catching clothes while immersed in acting. So he finds himself in a character in a stage play that is abandoned even after being a full-time cook.
Recently met with Lutfar Rahman in Mainakuthi area of the city. He had come to the area for a wedding ceremony. From there, after work, he was running to his address on a bicycle. He stopped the bicycle on the way and talked about his life story for a while. Happiness, sadness, laughter are all part of life for him. Now he doesn’t think about happiness and sadness, now he just wants to live a little better with his wife.
When asked about wearing colorful clothes, Lutfar Rahman said that when he was young, he used to act in village plays. His character in a play was named ‘Hathat’. The name ‘Hathat’ spread among the people because of his good performance. Later, however, he left the drama stage and got involved in the profession of a cook. He has been in this profession for more than 40 years.
Lutfar Rahman was an agricultural laborer before becoming a cook. But he did not want to do that. He had a kind of inclination towards cooking. So sometimes he would take orders to cook for small events at neighbors’ houses. Gradually the reputation of Lutfar’s cooking spread throughout the village.
Lutfar Rahman’s hobby was to get rid of the old bicycle and buy a motorcycle. But there is sadh but not ability. So he installed the headlight and horn on the bicycle itself. Lutfar bought these tools from a motorcycle repair shop. All in all, it cost 1500 rupees. The people around also came to see the unusual bicycle with great interest. When people see him, they say, ‘Look at that, suddenly the cook goes.’
Lutfar Rahman is happy with what he earns as a cook. This is how he wants to spend the rest of his life. From time to time he is silent while telling the story of going out in royal attire. After that, he said with a smile, many kings and kings have also become fakirs. This is a cruel irony of fate. I am not a king, not a king, I am Lutfar Rahman. Earlier I was an actor and now I am a cook. Income of 15 thousand rupees per month, the family can survive well with it. I am doing my own work.
No matter what the occasion is, the cook does not take any remuneration. At the end of work, Lutfar, the cook, returned home happy with what he got. The family is well off with the income it earns. In this way, a cook aka Lutfar Rahman wants to spend the rest of his life serving and entertaining the villagers.
He also said that most of the time cooking utensils are obstructed behind his bicycle. He left on a bicycle when he was called to cook. Have mobile SIM, but can’t talk to anyone due to broken mobile. While cooking, I suddenly have to meet the cook in the wide market. He can cook all items of Bengali food including kacchi biryani, phirni, polao, korma.
Lutfar Rahman told this reporter that cooked food is available even if you don’t want it. He does not have to look to anyone for food. In his old age he has a sick wife. Even though the children are different, they are fine. Both husband and wife are now somewhat ill with age but are healthy in spirit. He also said that he has received a lot of love from people in this life.
Lutfar Rahman also contributed to the Great Liberation War of 1971. At that time, he used to collect food and feed the freedom fighters. Sometimes he would cook and feed himself. He used to care for the freedom fighters. But that work was not recognized in his fate. He loves Bangabandhu Sheikh Mujibur Rahman. The boat is the symbol of his choice. For this reason, he also put the boat on the bicycle. However, he has no shame or regret for not being recognized despite his contribution to the liberation war. Rather, hardworking Lutfar Rahman blames his own fate.
It has been found that Lutfar Rahman lives in a small shack in Tapodhan Chowdarhat Bazar of Ward No. 7 of Rangpur City Corporation. Although he had a hotel there, it has since closed down. Now he lives in that hotel. A sick wife sometimes stays with him or sometimes at his father’s house. Old Lutfar Rahman is better known as ‘Hatat Buburchi’ to everyone in the village. Nuruzzaman Niryas, the young man of that village, was saying that.
Niryas told this reporter that everyone in our village knows him as ‘Hathat Baburchi’. Most people can’t say his real name. On top of that, he made the bicycle in the model of a motorcycle, which is also a variation of his work. Even at this age he is doing his own work. Apart from entertaining people, he also tries to keep himself happy all the time.
Lutfar Rahman learned cooking from a Bihari cook in Syedpur. He has been with this work for more than four decades. He can cook for 1200 to 1500 people at once. Now more than ever there is a demand for ‘sudden cooks’.
Milan Mia, a local day laborer, said, “Hathat Baburchi” uncle’s cooking tastes different. His hand cooking is famous throughout the village. That is why he is often called for cooking outside the village. We always find him near. He not only entertains us. He also advised to do good work for the country. I heard that he helped the freedom fighters in various ways during the liberation war. Now he should be supported by the government.
Rangpur City Corporation Ward No. 7 Councilor Anwarul Islam said that arrangements will be made so that the cook Lutfar Rahman gets the elderly. I have also spoken to the mayor about this. An arrangement will be made if he gets the necessary documents.
Farhaduzzaman Farooq/AAA
