Survival tactics for “peaceful” protests

Stay in a group, never in alleyways
Chaos is your best friend; your voice, a weapon. 
Your power is in your numbers.
Let people know where you are whenever you get the chance,
So they know the starting point of where to look for you.
Don't get killed
But just in case,
Use your name and emergency contact as your lock screen.
Wear your institution's badge as one of honour
You're a student
You're learning,
Practicals on human anatomy, or the complex structure of bones
And how to wrap the copies across your chest to protect them 
Because you're also learning to be frugal, makeshift gears to make use of everything.
Practicals on the refractive indices of lens
Followed by the ones in your eyes.
When hit with tear gas, try not to focus on the burning in your lungs
Or the swelling of your chest, 
the blinding pain, or the gasps for clean air
Toothpaste doesn't help, but put it on as a warpaint, a placating placebo
Until your student instincts kick in.
Moxifloxacin for seven days if you live that long
Artificial tears, because unfortunately the real ones won't suffice,
For 15 days (if you live that long)
And Ce vit for a month 
if you live that long.
Cover your ears at the sight of a sound grenade
And open your mouth to neutralise the pressure.
Don't run away. The ringing in your ears will stop eventually
Don't run away. Unless you see the bullets firing (and hope it's just the rubber ones)
Unless you see.
Flash bangs, smoke grenades
When hit with tear shells, try to trade one burning in your lungs with another
And light up a cigarette.

This is one of the top entries for Khero Khata, Star Books and Literature's monthly writing contest.

Faiza Ramim is a final year student of BBA at the University of Dhaka. She likes to watch sad films and write sad poems.