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     Volume 5 Issue 79 | January 20, 2006 |


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Dhaka Diary

Nabbed and Stabbed

A couple of weeks ago, a friend of mine became a victim to the insane reality that lurks around in the streets of Dhaka. He was going home in a CNG at around 8:30 PM when his vehicle was stopped by three miscreants, all armed with sharp daggers. They climbed into the vehicle demanding his valuable possessions. Without any hesitation whatsoever, he handed over his cell phone, his wallet, calculator and his watch to the muggers, realising that there was no other way out of this. But that was not the end. Just before running away with the robbed valuables, they stabbed him twice in the right elbow, leaving him profusely bleeding with a slit elbow. The CNG driver then dragged him out of his automobile and drove away. There stood my unfortunate friend, stranded under the Mohakhali flyover desperately asking for help, which never came, even though the people around could see his shirt soaked in blood. Finally, an elderly gentleman, finding him lying unconscious on the road, took him to a clinic and managed to get him admitted after being refused by several hospitals. My friend, who is undergoing a surgery now, still wonders what he has done wrong and how many more innocent citizens are going to be victims of similar incidents.
Karim A. Sajwani
AIUB

Eid Salami
A few days before Eid-ul-Fitr, one of my friends shifted to a new apartment. After Eid, she came to know that her rich elderly neighbour next doors, gave out Tk.1000 to anyone who would greet her on Eid. All enthusiastic with gleaming eyes, she went to greet the lady on Eid-al-azha. However, my friend had to return home with a packet of meat instead of any money. Her enthusiastic eyes were drooped with sorrow amidst the spirit of eid and friends laughing at her state.
Jafrin Jahed Jiti
VNC

A little help

It was a cold, foggy, winter morning. While jogging in Dhanmondi Road no. 25, I noticed a roadside 'pitha stall'. I could not help myself from having some hot delicious 'bhapa pithas'. It was actually a small van and the stall-keeper was a man in his mid forties. While I was having the snacks, I noticed that the stall-keeper was shivering with cold, wearing just a thin shirt. Out of curiosity and sympathy I asked the man why he was out in such cold. The man answered that he had four sons and a daughter to raise and had to work from six in the morning to late at night. There was another customer beside me, who too was listening to the stall-keeper. This man was a few years older than me. After having the snacks, I paid and was about to leave. Just then a very surprising thing happened. The other customer who hed also finished stripped off the shawl that he was wearing and gave it to the stall-keeper. The man told the food vendor that he needed the shawl more than he (customer) needed it and without letting him say anything the customer left. I stood spellbound in the middle of the road. I realised then, that there are men who really go about and do something for the poor, while others only feel sympathy for them.
Sadat Shams
Maple Leaf Int. School

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