Feature

The Other Side of the Street

Munaf M Chowdhury

UNDER the scorching sun of summer, my camera lens captured a baby, sleeping on the pavement under a shade. It seemed like a silent protest against the cruelties that they face every single moment of their lives. I was shocked to find out that there was no one around the baby. I asked a few people about the baby's guardians. A day-labourer told me the mother left for begging.

Such scenes are very common in the streets where luxurious BMWs, Lexus, and Hondas race by. The baby seems to be giving no heed what so ever to these Road Kings and the riders in them!

The same night I went to the Airport Railway Station and was enthused to see a young mother and her baby. They shared a minute of happiness that seems to be enough to fill up all our sorrows. They were just sitting at one corner of the railway station. The young mother was playing with her baby. She seemed amazed with life; may be that is why she could smile from her heart. The baby was enjoying every minute of the attention he was getting while I captured the moment in my digital lens.

The story of their lives are among that of the numerous people who make the streets their home floor and the open sky as their ceiling. The mother of that child is a single parent who used to be abused and beaten by her husband. She left her husband and now works at different houses as a part time maid.

We tend to be grieved by all the little sorrows that we face in our daily lives. But what about them? May be they do not feel the sorrows. When the cup is full, the excess water does not harm it, it only cleans its sides.

Department of Media and Communication
Independent University, Bangladesh (IUB)

CUET inter department
debate competition-2009

LIKE every year, the “Cuet Debating Society” organized a debate competition from 6th to 8th April with the slogan'Bissho Manobotar Sokti, Mukto Moner Jukti.' The Vice Chancellor of CUET, Prof. Dr. Shaymol Kanti Bishas inaugurated the competition. Eight teams of different departments participated in the tournament. The department of Civil (Civil Civilization) won the Championship and Sk. Ehsan Uddin was elected the best debater. In the evening, an enjoyable cultural program was held by the students. Faisal Rabbi- president of CUET DS gave a speech in the prize giving ceremony.