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Spotlight

COLOURS OF YOUTH

Star Campus Team
Photos: Kazi Tahsin Agaz Apurbo

Muhammed Ali, a student from Udayan Higher Secondary School states, “Falling in love or dating someone in school and college is always a challenge. Teachers and parents see it as a sin. So there was a girl in my school who I liked a lot. I couldn't tell her how I felt but everyone kept telling me that she likes me too. So on Valentine's Day I finally went up to her and told her how I felt. And one is not likely to believe it, but she said yes! But that's not why I am narrating this story. After she said yes I gave her a bunch of roses and at that moment the vice principal saw us. Both of our parents were asked to come and I got suspended for two weeks. After I joined school I heard that her parents forced her to leave school. And that's the last time I asked someone out on a Valentine's Day.”

“A couple of years ago, I had a huge romantic date planed for Valentine's Day,” explained Suvasish Ghosh, a student from Northern University, Bangladesh. “I just started seeing this girl. She was my first girlfriend so I was up on my heels to make the day as special as possible. I started saving up for this day for like two months. On the day of February 14, I went to pick her up and we both were very excited. But we didn't know what was waiting for us! Living in Dhaka city, we all know how traffic congestion can ruin everything. So, though we started at 7:30 pm for the restaurant, by the time it was 10:00 we were still on the road. So we bought a couple of potato chips and two jhal muris and had our first romantic date in the CNG! Later ,I married her and we still laugh at how our first Valentine went.”

Ayesha Khan, a student of the English Department at North South University says, “On Pahela Falgun, North South University Shangskritik Shanghatan (NSUSS) organises a rally and later on, the day cultural events are held, which quite obviously attracts a huge number of students. Young students of our age clad in saris and punjabis from the morning eagerly anticipating the day's events. Classes are officially never cancelled however, that does not stop us from bunking. I remember last year, we had a mid term scheduled for that day, and surprisingly it got cancelled because only three people showed up. Even our rigid professor was reluctant to take the exam that day!”

Sajid Iqbal, a student of Electrical and Electronic Engineering of American International University, Bangladesh (AIUB), states, “Since Pahela Falgun and Valentines Day almost coincide with each other, I treat it as a holiday when I don't have to go to university. I have been in university for a quite some time now, so, I know for a fact that most students don't show up to class these two days. Those who are single utilise Pahela Falgun to find a suitable match for themselves while those who are hopeless lovers sacrifice the next day to spend time with their significant other. I believe in being unique and I do not like indulging in either act. So, I just stay home and sleep-which is the true love of my life.”

Mohammed Anwar, a student of the International Relations, Dhaka University states, “We often have examinations during this time of the year and somehow we cannot miss it. Unlike other private universities our examinations cannot get cancelled. So, as we rot in the four walls of the halls due to last minute cramming, other students from universities all over the city come to ours just to rub salt in our wounds. The irony is we being the students of DU can barely enjoy these two days-- Pahela Falgun and Valentine's Day while others who do not even belong to our university come to our campus to spend time.”

Pritom Talukder from University of Liberal Arts, Bangladesh states, “We never got a day-off at ULAB for Pahela Falgun. So the students would just celebrate in the campus. The whole campus would be coloured in different shades of yellow and orange. We'd attend all our classes and do everything normally; the only difference would be that we would all be dressed up. Nothing ever happened on Valentine's Day either. Just this one time our new cafeteria opened and the whole place was decorated with red balloons. Our Media club had arranged for that.”

Maria Ahmed from East West University elaborates, “We never did anything in our university for Pahela Falgun. But I always go to Dhaka University on this occasion. It's my favourite place to be. It's so colourful and festive, I barely feel like leaving. I even remember skipping university once, just to go to DU early and enjoy their festivities. Valentine's Day, on the other hand, is very boring. It's even duller than most days in university. I just see girls roaming around with the usual red rose in their hands that they receive from their significant other or 'Valentine'. But not much goes on.”

Rehnuma Jannat, a student of Department of Public Administration, University of Dhaka says, “Unlike many others, I have to stay inundated in books during Pahela Falgun or Valentine's Day as our department usually goes for final exams in February! However, it is the time when there is love in the air, so those of us who are lucky enough to fhave foundtheir soul mates, celebrate the occasion in their own way after the exams. Be it an exam or not, boys and girls come to class sporting colourful attires. It makes a wonderful yet funny scene to see a class full of students heavily dressed up while taking their exams!”

Sohini Sikder, a student of BRAC University says, “For me the ultimate symbol of Pahela Falgun are flowers. There was this one time when my friends and I offered flowers to people inside our campus during Pahela Falgun. Though we circulated the flowers randomly to the people whom we don't even know, many of them ended up being very good friends with us!”