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Dhaka
Diary
Superiority
Complex
The
other day when I was riding in my car I saw a very disturbing
sight. I was in Gulshan, in one of the small alleys where
most cars go at a very decent speed. Obviously in residential
areas the natural rule of law is that you have to drive slower
than you do on the main road. A huge white Pajero with a yellow
license plate zoomed by me, almost running over an old woman
with a limp, who was walking on the side of the road. The
driver, who was a foreigner, then backed up, got out of his
car and started berating the woman in English. As he got back
in the car he caught a glimpse of me staring at him, smiled,
and waved! I was so angry and extremely shocked. It's such
a shame that these foreigners get away with this kind of behaviour.
It's bad enough that he almost ran the woman over, especially
when she was on the side of the road, but to actually get
out of the car and yell at her and humiliate her the way he
did, is totally unacceptable. Some expats in Bangladesh really
think that they are superior. I wish someone would tell them
that their white skin is the only thing that sets them apart
from us, and that for all their money and education, they
still haven't learned common decency.
Tamanna
Dhaka
Honesty,
a safe policy
The
other day, I had gone to a music store to buy a blank CD.
Unfortunately, the shopkeeper did not have any change for
the Tk 500 note that I gave him. So he politely apologised
and asked me to wait while one of his boys ran out to get
the change. However, the boy came back without the change,
since he could not find any. The shopkeeper then told me that
I could come back later and give him the money. Although,
his colleagues advised him to keep my address and contact
number, the shopkeeper just smiled and said that it was not
necessary. I did not return the next day, but went back only
after a week or so. Upon entering the shop to return the money,
the shopkeeper gave me a big smile and even gave a sigh of
relief upon seeing me. I guess he thought it was worth trusting
my honesty, which was showing on his glowing smile while taking
the money from my hand!
On
email
Bridge
on the Lake Banani
I
was crossing the bridge on Banani Lake on my way to Jatra.
I heard there were some new items which I wanted to check
out. As I was crossing, I noticed something really disgusting.
There is a nursery by the lake and a little boy was watering
the plants with water from the lake. He was using some form
of container through which the colour of the water was a deep
grayish blue. I am sure that the plants will be able to survive
the chemical compositions in the water but what of all the
people who live on the lake and drink that water? The government
is least bothered about the pollution level there and about
the people who dwell in the surrounding areas. I am sure that
the fish and other life in the water have already died by
now. The authorities must do something about this immediately.
Farhana
Alam Banani
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