Dhaka Diary

Blind Beggar?
The other day, I was returning home in my car which stopped at a red light at the Farmgate Khamar Bari traffic signal. And immediately, a number of beggars began to run to every vehicle and beg for alms. A young beggar came towards me and started knocking at the window begging for money. He was claiming to be blind. Suddenly the light changed to green and all the vehicles started to move. The beggar in his attempt to stay safe, crossed the road hastily, dodged all the moving cars and plopped onto the footpath. He then began to walk hurriedly, and swerved around a light post so as not to hit it on the way. Both my driver and I were stunned to see a blind man perform such feats. Or maybe he was not blind at all.
Sk. Imran Aziz
Boro Maghbazar, Dhaka

Diary from Chittagong
The little things that matter
Recently I, along with a friend of mine were out roaming about the city sight seeing. I only had a 500-taka note with me and desperately needed some change. I felt helpless because getting change is a very difficult process indeed. However, my street-smart friend assured me that he would take care of it and took me to a stationary shop. Entering the shop, he asked for some chewing gums. The shopkeeper took out a packet of gum and handed it over to my friend. However, my friend just took out one and remarked about how he had just decider for one smiling sweetly. He even unwrapped it and put it in his mouth to start chewing in all glory. When it was time to pay, he gave the shopkeeper my 500-take note, still keeping his sweet smile pasted on his face. The shopkeeper looked helpless and was in a fix. However, now that he had nothing to do, he handed over 499 taka as change. After coming out of the shop we burst into laughter and I can't help laughing even now thinking of the shopkeeper's expression!
Preeam Shankar Ghosh
CUET, Chittagong

Mugging Update
A few days ago, I was coming back from my coaching at Gulshan-II. I couldn't find a rickshaw that late at night, so I was walking towards home. It wasn't more than 10 pm at night, when suddenly two people stopped me. At first I thought they were my friends playing a trick, but later I realised that they were muggers. One of them demanded my mobile. I was at a fix. The place was remote and there was hardly any presence of people or visible light. I couldn't think of anything and unwillingly handed over my mobile. After few minutes, the muggers returned the mobile to me and moved on! I was so shocked at this that I called on to them and asked them to explain what they had just done. They replied, "We don't mug mobiles from students, we just transfer money from yours to ours. FlexiLoad, you see".
I was dumbfounded and couldn't help thinking as to what the future had in store for us.
Sajjad, Dhaka

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