Dhaka Diary

A Mere Sport
We have been hearing about muggings where the perpetrators take all the valuables from their victims, and then spray their eyes with a home-made mace-like substance, so as to temporarily blind the victims and ensure an effective getaway for themselves. But something happened to someone I actually know a while back, and it totally chilled me to the core.

Our tailor was riding a CNG home over the Mohakhali flyover a few nights back. As per the routine, the vehicle stopped and was soon surrounded by a group of youths. They dragged the poor man out, relieved him of his cell phone, money and watch, and then applied the concoction to his eyes. Then they took it a step further: they held his eyes open and poured the entire lot into them, and then tied his hands behind his back to prevent him from rubbing his eyes or washing the liquid out. After this, they made the poor man walk up and down the flyover for two whole hours before finally tiring of their game and releasing him. As of now, the poor man is almost completely blind, and his doctors say that even with glasses/treatment, he might never regain his eyesight again.

It makes me wonder what new depths these 'humans' are sinking to; when they could cripple/blind an innocent man merely for sport!
S. Ahmad
Gulshan

Showing Courtesy
This took place a few days ago, near Orchid Plaza in Dhanmondi. Some foreigners were waiting on the pavement for the signal to turn red, so that they could cross the road. When finally the signal turned red, the group of tourists started to cross the road. But to my horror, I saw a local bus and a private car zooming towards them. The tourists got very frightened, and froze on their tracks! Fortunately, the vehicles screeched and stopped right in front of them. The driver of the bus stuck out his head from the window and started to apologise. But what surprised me the most was that instead of apologising, the driver of the private car was screaming at the tourists! They were taken aback, but resumed crossing the road after a while. I don't know about others, but I personally think that we Bangalees should be a little more courteous.
Redwan Islam
Maple Leaf Int. School

Diary from Chittagong
'Lift' culture in Bangladesh
It was a very hot day. I was returning home from college with one of my friends. All the buses were jam-packed. None of the rickshaws wanted to go to our destination. So ignoring the scorching sun over us, we started to walk. Suddenly a car stopped near us and asked me where Chandanpura (a place near my home) was located. I gave him the directions. The driver thanked us and was about to go when my friend asked for a lift. Although all the seats were empty, the smart young driver refused and left. We began to walk again. A few minutes later, an empty van (a fusion of a cart and a rickshaw) was going by when I asked the puller for a lift. Surprisingly, he agreed. It was indeed an eventful journey home that day. Upon reaching home, I offered him some money but he refused and said that his destination was very near and our weight did not cause him any extra effort at all. I thanked him and realised that there are different kinds of people in society who tend to think in very different ways.
Tanin
47th CMC

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