My friend and publisher Robin Ahsan, who runs the Shraban Publishing outfit lives in a world surrounded by books. He is even building a Book house- Boi bari - in Manikganj which will focus on kids and child readers. Robin has very little business sense. Even 25 years ago ago, he published my book when I was far less known to the buying public.

He told me all the books he published were sold then and its true none are in the stock but how long that took I am not sure. But maybe that was a different world. Today's world is a tough one for Robin, but his love for books has not dipped and my love for him has not declined either.

That's why I don't give him books to publish anymore. I know he will make losses, but he won't tell me. What else can I do to protect him? But he has chosen his path. Let him fall, die but he will go on in that path. All the abuses and bruises of his life will also go on but he goes on too. He is borderline crazy but as the song says, the world cannot run without crazy people.

2

Recently, Robin posted in his Facebook timeline watching how three children stole books from his Boi bari library and fleeing. Robin saw it all but said nothing. I myself once stole a book, a comic book when we were in Karachi in the early 60s. But I felt so bad about it that I returned it surreptitiously. In our social culture the theft of books is not considered a crime really. After all, books circulate knowledge in society. But it is also true that the desire to steal is natural in us. With every day that desire is increasing.

3

I had a lot of interest in doing research on "corruption" before, but now it seems such a boring topic, the subject is so commonplace. I conducted a survey once about the experience of corruption a few years ago which was presented at a TIB seminar. We had found that 89% of the people had experienced giving "ghoosh" while conducting any transaction with any GOB agency.

It didn't surprise me or TIB as they had similar responses. But I was intrigued by that 11 %? Did it not mean they 11% didn't take money? So I sent the research workers back to those 11% to ask what happened. They returned and said those 11% asked, "You mean that was a bribe? We thought it was the normal thing for all, not a bribe, A bribe is a payment for doing something which is a special favor, not normal routine work. It's the money that needs to be spent to get illegal things done." Thus, even bribery has different meanings, categories.

4

If book theft is nothing, wife theft is still a big theft. But it happens more and more these days. Second wives and husbands are equally popular. Both steal various wives and husbands when they get a chance. The needs change as society changes. It is the most popular topic in modern life, the dominant social narrative etc, This is the truth, this is the reality.

5

People's economy used to be smaller, simpler once but though there was a tendency to steal too, less goods were available for theft, another crisis. With economic change, social change is bound to happen. Earlier, if the family did not survive, life couldn't go on, men and women. Now money is both about earning and working.

This is a new reality so there will be a new society. Seeking happiness not morality is the objective in this new society. Religion tries to implore all to "do the right thing." but in our country people practice both religion and corruption with equal enthusiasm. One is for the hereafter; the other is for right now.

6

In order to survive one needed others, not anymore. Today, people can move, work, love all on their own, so there is less judgment of any social groups, good and bad and the need is less too. Even if laws are broken, if there is a right link, then there is no punishment for breaking the same. So Robin looks the other way to avoid seeing the theft, thinking of a better future, others look the other way in the best interest of their own personal future.

Stealing books doesn't make one a good person. Today he can steal books tomorrow money, the day after. But knowing Robin, the book lover, I know what he will do, for others, the same principle applies. One truth is not for everyone, not everyone is for one truth. Books yes but hail to money and bring in the girls and boys too.