Singled
Out
My
brother and I were going to New Market at about 7.30 p.m. When
we were passing the Science Laboratory, we saw a hijacker doing
his work on a gentleman. The hijacker was armed and was talking
to the man in a pretty loud voice. “Dekhtasento hate ki
ase, na chilla chille kore ja ase dea den!” (You can see
what I have in my hand, give me what you have without screaming.)
There were many people in the location where the incident was
taking place but nobody came forward to help. Everyone pretended
that nothing was happening. I wanted to go forward to help the
poor man but my brother stopped me. He said that the person
may have accomplices around and I could do little single-handedly.
Now my question is if we are not there to help our fellow countrymen
in their time of need, what sort of a society are we living
in? If we have unity, we can break any block in our path. Until
we have unity and stand up for each other, we will all be alone
and will always be victimised.
Zillu
Rahman, Dhaka
The
Graveyard of Salman Shah
On
my first visit to Sylhet I went to Darga for my jumma prayers.
I was quite astonished to see the Big Darga Sharif. It was spectacular.
I later came to know that there was also the mazar of Hazrat
Shahjalal (RA) there along with a graveyard. So after saying
my namaz I went to graveyard to offer prayer from my
brother in law's relative. After the munajat we were returning
from the graveyard when my brother-in-law pointed out the graveyard
of our great actor Salman Shah. I was quite astonished to see
that there were many people standing there but no one was offering
any munajat. The people were probably thinking what
it would be like if he had been alive today. Whatever they were
doing, they were not paying any respect for such a popular celebrity
of our country. I guess people are loosing their touch when
it comes to offering blessings.
Hifzur
Rahman, Dhaka
Public
meeting and traffic jam
One
great thing done during the last regime was to ban holding public
meeting on the streets. I have always felt that this great achievement
has never really got its due recognition, but those, who have
to spend a good portion of time daily on Dhaka streets, know
that this was as monumental an achievement as that of climbing
Mount Everest. Now that meetings are held in the Paltan Maidan,
our streets have been exonerated to a great extent, but not
absolutely. A public meting, particularly when called by BNP
or AL, draws thousands. If a meeting starts at 3 pm, people
start gathering in the meeting place from as early as 12 pm
or 1 pm and if the meeting ends at 6pm it takes another 3 hours
for that rush to be cleared up. So, for the six hours, thousands
of meeting-comers on hundreds of trucks and buses turn Dhaka
streets impossible to commute. You know how it feels to be on
the streets when a meeting is on. But this problem can be eased
out sill if the political parties reach a consensus to hold
meetings on Fridays or on holidays.
Ripon,
Gopibagh
