The
shameless policeman
I had just come back from abroad and was getting out of Zia
International Airport in a yellow cab. As soon as the cab started,
a traffic policeman suddenly came up to us and asked the driver
to stop the cab. My driver did accordingly and the policeman
asked him to roll down the window. The driver did so and said,
"Sir, my meter is on and I have all my papers." The
policeman laughed and said, "Did I ask you anything? I
think you know what to do. Money is not an issue, what matters
is prestige, understand?" Then he looked at me and asked,
"Isn't it?" I said yes and asked the driver how much
the policeman wanted. The driver said Tk. 30 would be enough
and gave it to the policeman. The policeman was laughing while
taking the money. There was no trace of shame or embarrassment
on his face. After taking it he advised the driver, "remember,
money will come, money will go, it doesn't matter. What matters
is keeping your prestige." I was surprised and shocked
at the policeman was doing for Tk. 30 and how helpful our police
department is.
R. Ahmed, Comilla
Cadet College
Unsophisticated
behaviour
A
few days ago, I was going to New Market from my university hall.
I was stuck in a traffic jam on my way there with everyone wanting
to get ahead of one another. A rickshaw was also trying to get
ahead of a private car. All of a sudden, a handsome man got
out of the car and started beating the rickshaw-puller. He beat
him even more when the rickshaw-puller tried to protest. I couldn't
stand such cruel and inhuman behaviour and, along with some
other students angered by the man's behaviour, went up to the
man. We asked him why he was beating the poor rickshaw-puller
and tried to defend him. Then I told him to leave or else he
would have problems. The man said sorry and left immediately.
There were police standing there but seeing that the man was
rich and the victim poor, didn't do anything to stop him. This
kind of behaviour is really unexpected from the privileged.
Ersadul
Azam, Sir A. F. Rahman Hall, Dhaka University
A
commuter's lesson
A few days ago I was coming home from work by bus. I heard the
conductor asking a passenger to step down from the running bus
with his left foot first. I wondered why he said this and whether
it was just a superstition. When I reached my destination, I
stepped out of the bus right foot first and stumbled. I learnt
my lesson and advise my fellow readers to take conductor's advice!
Farhan
Hara, Sports Time, Gulshan 2
Poorer
than the beggar
A
few days ago, I was sitting with some of my friends inside the
Institute of Modern Languages of Dhaka University. A disabled
beggar came up to me and asked me to give him one taka -- "Ekta
taka den na, Bhai."
I had only a one hundred taka note on me so I told the beggar
I had no change. I was quite astonished by hearing his reply.
He told me that he would give me change for my one hundred taka
note! At that moment I felt poorer than the beggar and realised
that many beggars in Dhaka weren't really all that poor.
Kushal,
Dhaka
Chaos
on a serious day
With
a grave heart and a reverent mind, I went to visit the Buddhijibi
Smriti Shoudho at Mirpur early morning of Martyred Intellectuals
Day. Some time later, the leader of one of our political parties
appeared on the scene amidst much unnecessary loudness and yells
of joy. I was shocked to hear them call the leader and members
of her family intellectuals which she was really enjoying. The
situation was of utter chaos with camera lights flooding the
scene and terrible noise marring seriousness of the day. What
a way to observe such a day. Talk about cultural progress!
Md.
Firoj Mahmud,Surya Sen Hall, Dhaka University
How
to spot a swindler!
A
couple of days ago, a sort of elderly man came to our class
and said he was a freedom fighter. He narrated his painful story
and told us about the miserable condition of his family now
and their days of hardship. He asked for some financial help.
Because he was a freedom fighter, I got together with some of
my friends and collected a handsome sum of money for the man
to help him and his family. Some days later, I was returning
home from university by local bus. I saw a man board the bus
and ask for help claiming he was seriously ill and undergoing
treatment at DMCH. I looked at him carefully and saw that he
was the same man who had come to our class claiming to be a
freedom fighter. Was he really a freedom fighter or has this
too become a business to swindle people out of money?
Md.
Aktaruzzaman Dipu Dhaka University