ONE of the oft-used words very subtly tucked into our dialect, that is as we speak, is the term 'probably', which does not sound that menacing until you realise I am referring to the Bangla word 'naki'. Not a great translation, but perhaps close enough. Every so often, simply for the sake of variation, the word is replaced subliminally with a 'maybe' or a 'perhaps' or a 'possibly', all of which are synonymous with 'bodh hoy', a phrase putting the entire liability on one's intelligence.

As a professor walks along a corridor of a university, a student will come up, and while gently massaging his scalp with his fingertips, volunteer, "Sir, they said that today 'naki' we do not have to submit our report?" (that you told us in class to submit today a million times). The student has built two lines of defence: one is 'they' – the group being undefined so the members cannot be located – and two, the 'Great wall of China', the world 'naki'. Thereby, if there is no truth in the statement, the Prof cannot blame the student because firstly, the student does not necessarily constitute 'they', and secondly, he is well shielded by 'naki', which on investigation would reveal the student committed to nothing.

Blurts the dulabhai at a serious family meeting (they always do), "I heard, she 'naki' does not like the boy." Who said such a preposterous thing? No one raises a hand for fear of it being guillotined. If the statement is indeed true, the brother-in-law is gratified that he has saved the girl's life. If not, he did not say it; it was some alien droppings that can be ignored because the couple lived happily ever after.

Other wedding 'nakis', almost never based on facts, include, "Boy naki BA fail," and "Girl bodh hoy had a boyfriend," but you can never blame the informer because he said it if it works out, and he did not if it stinks.

The office boss is furious. An important file is missing since last Thursday. Steps forward one of the nakis, who is always on the side of the government, but this time accused of being the last to access the document, "Sir, some people naki worked on Friday."  There you go! He has succeeded in clouding the situation. 

'Naki' can be a life saviour for one and can put another into a lot of trouble.

Expanded, the 'naki' syndrome affects our everyday life; no one is ready to take responsibility for anything.

After an under-trial prisoner escapes, the jailor is fully protected with the statement, "He naki did like that earlier also. He naki has the Houdini training."

After a fire at a government office, the hunt for the culprit beyond the 'short circuit' led to this classical statement, "The official meeting of officials (obviously) was long and the AC, the fans, the lights, the computers, the printers, the scanner, and fifteen mobile chargers were naki on for over 24 hours."

After our delay in bringing a razakar to the dock: "He naki has Saudi connections," although subsequent trials and verdicts and punitive measure have proved otherwise.

Then there are saving nakis:

He naki has alcohol for medical reasons. He naki has no other medicine. He has to naki go to a club every evening to have this particular medicine. Hic!

He naki married for the second time because his first wife from a five-year affair used to beat him. During that courting, she naki used to slap him on the shoulder ever so lightly if he was late. He naki thought that was love. Ouch!

He is not getting promoted because he naki is a very honest officer. He reported about his immediate boss's questionable dealings to their superiors. Last week, his immediate boss got promoted.

Such naki-naki has percolated into our system of governance. No one is answerable to anyone, least of all to the public, the 'source of power', as we all hear time and again at election rallies. Psst! There are no other rallies.

Imagine there is a bridge collapse. Starting from the concerned minister's naki via the chief engineer's naki through six administrative levels and two technical levels, each crossing out because of some masterly nakis; the blame ultimately falls on an MLSS, who did not report to duty on the fateful day.

The BCS exam questions have been leaked. Very bad, very bad. Catch the culprit, hang him. The nation waits with abated breath to see some heads rolling, followed by obvious resignations. An extensive three-member inquiry leads to the unanimous conclusion that the questions that were leaked were naki not for the BCS. So, why do we have some efficient and others not so efficient governing us? Take that as a remark and not as a serious query.

The writer is a practising Architect at BashaBari Ltd., a Commonwealth Scholar and a Fellow, a Baden-Powell Fellow Scout Leader, and a Major Donor Rotarian.