Dhaka Diary

The Weird 'Druggy'
A while back, my cousin and I were returning to our village. We hailed a rickshaw upon reaching the Sadarghat Launch Terminal. On our way home, a man wearing a lungi and a torn shirt stopped us and demanded money. We could clearly figure out that he was not a usual mugger and was a drug addict. His only weapon was a small blade, with which he threatened to cut himself if his demands were not met. Trying to ignore the man, our rickshaw kept its pace, however the 'druggy' was running along with the vehicle! It was then that I noticed the horrible marks on his arms and neck, which were definitely made by the blade. Scared by the fact that he might cut himself again, I quickly took some money out and handed it over to him. I hope that maybe in the future, steps can be taken to fix the drug problem amongst the depressed and distraught in our country.

Aornob, Pallabi, Dhaka

A silent stalker
A few days ago, I, along with one of my friends, was standing near the Mohakhali bus station waiting for a bus that would take us to our destination. My friend who lives near Mohakhali suddenly nudged me and pointed towards a shabbily dressed middle-aged man who he claimed was a pickpocket. Moreover, my friend also mentioned that the person lived near his locality. I could not help watching his every step. Apparently, he was stalking his prey, an elderly man who was unaware of what was going on around him. It struck me that I should probably warn the innocent man but didn't know how to tell him. Before I could think or say anything, both men got on the bus. Since then, I often feel as if there are miscreants stalking me, especially while carrying a good amount of cash.

Mohammed Sohel Hara, Olympia Palace Restaurant, Topkhana Road

Discrimination over clothes???
A couple of days ago, I went to the Polwell Super Market for Puja shopping. After roaming around for a while, I found a shirt that I liked and decided to buy it. However, instead of stating the price of the shirt, the shopkeeper advised me against buying the shirt as it was a "Muslim shirt" and not a "Hindu" one. I have heard of discrimination over gender, religion and colour of one's skin, but never over clothes! I guess we are now a part of the minority in shopping as well.

Bichitra Roy Department of English Dhaka University