Chapter 6: Reunion with Old Comrades

"Well, let's head back to the dining room. Roshni may have already cooked dinner. We'll have a feast tonight."

Captain Reyaz chuckled."Looks like you're playing house with that girl."

Fayez's calm expression shattered instantly, replaced by an overwhelming sense of embarrassment.

He had never dated a girl in his past life. Coming from an impoverished family, he was just a gloomy, nerd guy. Girls ignored him, and treated him poorly — he had grown used to it.

And now, somehow, he was living under the same roof as a beautiful girl. The problem? She was only sixteen.

"From the outside, I probably look the same age as her… maybe a year older. But still… Am I a… lolicon?"

His face turned red from shame.

After the earlier chaos, Fayez finally crossed paths with Roshni again — this time with a sheepish, apologetic expression.

"Sorry, I couldn't even keep my promise for a single day. But it's settled now. I talked with the Captain — things are under control."

Roshni looked surprised but smiled."You don't need to apologize. I heard you fought bravely despite your injury. If it were me, I'd have run for sure."

Her words soothed the tension between them.

"Anyway," Fayez said, "there'll be a lot of soldiers dining here tonight. You'll have to cook for everyone. I can help if you want."

Roshni gave him a light glare."No need. Raisa's helping me. You should worry about yourself — you've already been wounded multiple times."

She scolded him like a mother.

Fayez grinned."Alright. But I should let you know — most of these soldiers will be joining the security firm. The day after tomorrow, we're heading to Tongi to seize a few abandoned factories. I promised Captain Reyaz a 3% share."

He wasn't hiding anything — Roshni was a shareholder too.

Her eyes lit up."Oh! Two factories once belonged to our family. You should start operating them right away."

"She probably thinks legal ownership will protect them from confiscation," Fayez thought. "But it won't. In reality, only power and money can protect property. Soon, the government will nationalize everything. After Bangabandhu's death, the tide will turn again — capitalism will return but nations' industries will be ruined by then. But I won't let this happen again."

He didn't voice any of that.

"Alright. I'll look into it," he said vaguely, then left the room.

Later, Fayez entered the dining area. He noticed the soldiers weren't using chairs. Instead, they sat cross-legged on a mat — a traditional Bengali style of dining. Fayez quietly joined them.

Roshni and Raisa didn't join the meal. Probably it's better that way.

"Hey Fayez! Join us here, man!" Siraj called out cheerfully.

Fayez noticed two young men, around his age.

"Not surprising," Fayez thought. "In the war, even teenagers joined. The youngest fighter was just eleven."

He sat beside them and spoke politely, "So, comrades — may I have the pleasure of knowing your names?"

The whole group burst into laughter. Fayez blinked, confused.

"You hit your head hard, huh? You don't just forget us — you're acting like some aristocratic gentleman!"One of them, also his age, laughed out heartily.

" I'm Mashrafi. That guy next to me is Fahmid. Ring any bells, Mr. Savior?"Mashrafi added with a grin.

Fayez quietly took note of their names.

"So what are you guys planning to do now? The war's over. You'll be discharged soon."

"Bro, we just reunited after ages and you're already starting with serious talk?" Mashrafi groaned. "Anyway, I heard you're forming a security firm. Just make me the leader and I'm in!"

"No way! I'll be the leader — you can be my second-in-command!"Fahmid cut in, grinning.

Their childish argument carried on as the others laughed and ate.

Siraj sighed wistfully, taking a bite."This food's amazing... Reminds me of my wife."

His voice was low — could barely be heard.

Many soldiers shared the same feeling. Though they always shared meals during the war, it was always in haste, under the looming threat of ambush. A peaceful meal like this felt rare… almost unreal.

Fayez finally spoke, voice steady.

"Even though the war's over, our real struggle is just beginning. It won't be easy returning to civilian life. That's why I want you all to join me — not just for the nation's future, but for your own. The coming days…things'll get real tough."

The room went quiet for a moment.

"You're always so damn pessimistic," trying to erase the gloomy environment Fahmid cheerfully said."Can't you be a little more hopeful man?"

Then a voice replied, "Fine. I'll join. Whatever fate has in store for us — we'll face it together, just like we did in the war."

"Very well. Most of us don't have any plans anyway," another soldier added with a shrug.

"But I need to return to my village first… I don't know how my family's doing."

"A common situation," Fayez noted inwardly.

"Bro, you want to go back empty-handed?" A young soldier protested."Let's earn some damn money first. Everyone has a family — including Fayez. Even if you go home, what's the point if they starve with you?"

The room fell silent again — but this time with agreement.

And so, just like that — the journey of the Security Firm officially began.

The next day, Foyez was strategizing for the upcoming cease and analyzing the post-war industrial landscape.

"There are many valuable—and potentially valuable—industries in Tongi," he noted to himself.

 Textile

The Tongi Textile Factory is one of the largest in the country. Cotton and other raw materials are available locally. However, the main challenge lies in the machinery—most of it is likely rusted, and some parts may be missing entirely. Assembling a capable team of technicians could be difficult. Fortunately, the factory was run by Roshni's parents, so she might be able to help restore operations.

 Jute Mill

Jute was once a prosperous sector, known as the golden fiber of Bangladesh. In recent years, the world has shifted toward plastic packaging, causing demand for jute to decline. However, in the future, people will become more aware of plastic's environmental harm and transition back to jute and paper alternatives. This is a long-term, high-potential sector.

 Match Factory

Match factories are a profitable venture and can be repurposed into small arms workshops. While not highly valuable right now, they could serve a more strategic role in the future.

 Battery Production

This industry has immense future potential—especially for small electronics and military equipment. Raw materials are scarce now, but with future knowledge, replicating alkaline battery designs can offer a major head start. Even a small pilot production line would be revolutionary.

 Warehouse

Warehousing is essential due to Tongi's strategic location. All railway lines and roads from the north and south pass through here en route to Dhaka. Export goods, relief materials, and foreign aid shipments will all need a central storage point. This is a "must-do" project.

 Logistics

At the moment, road-based logistics are in total disarray. Purchasing or repurposing military trucks—especially armed ones—can give an edge in both security and delivery. Establishing a reliable logistics network will be vital for industrial supply chains.

 Garments

The ready-made garments (RMG) sector has tremendous future potential. In time, this industry will account for around 80% of Bangladesh's export revenue. With cheap labor, Southeast Asia—especially Bangladesh—will always be attractive to international buyers. Starting early in this sector is a guaranteed long-term win.

 Housing

The Pakistan Army devastated and razed countless villages. Millions of refugees will return home, most of them homeless. People won't have the money for rent, but housing can be tied to factory employment. Rents can be deducted directly from wages, providing both shelter and workforce stability.

 Weapons Workshop

There are several old workshops once used by the Pakistan Army and later by the Mukti Bahini. Many rusted guns lie scattered—with some repair and reassembly, these could be sold, potentially even to ongoing conflicts like the one in Vietnam. This could be both profitable and politically strategic.''

Thanks to the war criminal Henry Kissinger's attempts, the devasting war of Vietnam is going on forever. That guy even supported Pakistan's genocide of the Bangali people. American President even sent a navy platon to support the Pak army in genocide ( later forced to call back the army due to public outrage)

The most ironic thing was that Henry Kissinger was jointly awarded the Nobel Peace Prize for "bringing peace" to Vietnam—a peace that never truly materialized. The war dragged on, lives were still being lost, and South Vietnam would fall just two years later. It was, perhaps, the day the world's trust in the Nobel Peace Prize began to fade away. Then again, no global institution is truly free from political influence. Even awards meant to honor peace can be twisted by diplomacy and power plays.