Dhaka Diary

Reacting to actions
Nowadays, people hardly react to the shocking behaviour occurring around them. I became aware of this on my way to office last week. Near Mouchak crossing, everybody was hurrying to get out of the traffic jam at the intersection. Within a moment, we had to become spectators of a feud between a rickshaw puller and a car driver. Their abusive wonds, and above all the ferocity were quite unexpected before so many onlookers. But there was no help whatsoever to stop the fight until both of them were covered in blood. Along with few others, I had to struggle to separate them and stop their fighting. The traffic police played a silent spectator to the whole incident. The other passengers were curious, but didn't react. Later on, I pondered upon the happenings and wondered about the reality show that the spectators enjoyed that day .
Saad Jubok Phone

The need for security
It was 17/8 (another red-letter day!) when I was going towards Gulshan1 with my friend. Walking by the side of the American Embassy, we took the footpath as usual but suddenly one of the security men rushed to inform us that it was not permitted to walk on that very footpath for "security reasons". "Why can't we walk on the footpath?", my friend exclaimed.
Just minutes later, bombs exploded not more than 100 yards away from that very place, on the over bridge on Rampura Road. We later had a discussion about the so-called security system which is there merely to harras public movement, ignoring the role that it's supposed to play.
Mashfique Habib Departmentof English, JU

A mysterious couple
A few days ago, I was returning from New Market to my hall at around 9:00 pm. When I entered the campus, I heard someone getting slapped! This scared me for a moment, since I could not see anyone around me in the dark. I walked ahead and found a couple arguing and fighting, while a rickshaw puller was looking on. The young man slapped the girl and was screaming out brutalities like, "I will kill you!" to which the girl gave replies with equal aggressiveness. In fact, she was calling him vulgar names. This went on for 10 minutes when a group and I approached the couple and tried to rescue the girl from getting beaten up further. Seeing us, however, they became very cool as if nothing had happened. They then started to scream at us. They asked us what we wanted and told us to leave. The girl then called us vulgar names she had called her boyfriend. Taking the rickshaw, they went away, probably searching for another place to fight and slap each other to death.
Md Kamrul Hasan Regan Department of English, DU

Copyright (R) thedailystar.net 2005