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Dhaka
Diary
The Rumour Virus
The other day a friend of mine sent me an sms saying that we should not receive calls from certain unknown numbers, and if we do, our cell phones will be affected by a deadly virus! When I went to attend classes, my class friends informed me that some people had even died in Chittagong when they received calls. While someone said that cell phones might even explode, others said that it would emit a high frequency sound which was dangerous for our ears. Even the newspapers had a few things to say about this incident. At last the hype ended when I got an sms from my service provider, saying that the whole story which supposedly spread all over the country like wild fire, was nothing but a rumour. It's really a wonder how in this part of the world we can make a mountain out of a molehill in the blink of an eye!
Redwan Islam Orittro
Maple Leaf Int. School
Mob Beating
"Mar betare,” (Give him a good beating!), was being screamed from the street in front of our house. Driven by curiosity, I peered through a window to see what was happening. A thief was caught red-handed while committing a crime and as usual, a small crowd (most of whom were labourers from a building under construction at the end of the street) had gathered. The thief, who to my surprise was no more than fifteen years old, was being tied to a lamp-post, and the crowd was preparing to beat the thief senseless and 'teach him the lesson of his life'. Soon, the 'gono-dholai' began, and the poor thief was bleeding profusely from his head and then collapsed. However, to my utmost surprise, this did not seem to bother the mob, as they continued the beating. Fortunately for the thief, an elderly man passing by came to his rescue. He tried to pacify the crowd, and some others joined him. Shockingly, the people did not want to give up beating the boy and they claimed that if they let him go he would commit more theft, and claimed it was better to maim him! That was a ludicrous thought. However after sometime the mob reluctantly backed-off and the thief was taken to the nearest clinic. I cannot help but wonder how people in a civilised society behave so inhumanly. Beating someone with such brutality actually does not stop the crimes, but pushes criminals to commit more heinous crimes.
Sadat Shams
Maple Leaf Int. School
Walking by the Rain
Something that I don't like about the rainy season is that it makes life very difficult for common commuters. Getting public transport is one of the most difficult things during this season. It was a rainy morning and I was heading towards my workplace thinking of how to reach it safely without being completely drenched. No rickshaws were in sight and I was walking carefully, saving myself from dirty water and mud. Although the weather was cool and balmy, I was irritated because of the sudden downpour that started. It was impossible even to walk with an umbrella. I took shelter near a house, where many more joined me. I was fidgeting uneasily and cursing my luck, when I saw a few street children playing happily in the rain. For a moment I forgot my predicament and enjoyed seeing their merriment. They were so careless, joyous and spontaneous. As if they knew how to enjoy life to its fullest. One cute toddler was having the fun of his life since he was probably experiencing monsoon for the very first time! Feeling their enthusiasm over the heavy downpour of rain, I too began to feel splendour of monsoon. I realised that the monsoon does not only wash away the dust and rustiness of nature, but also poor souls like mine!
Md Sohel Hara
Olympia Palace restaurant
Topkhana Road
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