::: Star Weekend Magazine :::

Dhaka Diary

CNG Hazard

The most common problem on the Dhaka streets we face today is with the CNG driven auto rickshaws. We can hardly find CNG drivers who charge by the metre. Charging extra is second nature to them now, along with making all these excuses, which are to an extent quite believable. However, it is extremely frustrating right now. I go through hell every morning to get to my 8 am class. I start from home at least an hour before, since it is difficult to predict the mood of the CNG driver. Once they agree, I thank the heavens.

Nowadays, I say an extra prayer before getting out of home, just like how I say extra prayers before an examination. A few days ago, after giving the last exam of this semester, I was exhausted and just wanted to go home and sleep. But not a single driver was there to take me home. I had to wait for hours before I got a ride.

I wonder how long this is going to go on for!

Sahely Sarmin
AIUB

Educated Frauds

Standing before the school gate I was amazed with the appearance of a strange figure. He was a stocky man with a striking personality who seemed like a man who could turn people's melancholy into gaiety. The man introduced himself as a software engineer and was talking in English fluently. He told me that he lived in Moghbazar and came to Dhanmondi in search of a house and somehow lost his wallet. It contained his credit cards, some cash and the cheque of his first salary. I had decided that I would help him. I had a thin pocket but whatever it contained was adequate to take him home. Being convinced, I helped him with a hundred-taka note and took my leave. Walking through the streets, towards my destination, I felt good about helping out a fellow human being. Suddenly, I remembered that I forgot to ask his name and rushed to the place where we met. As soon as I reached there, I was shocked to see that he was repeating the same story, which he had told me a while ago, to another person and was asking for help. I realised that he was nothing but an educated fraud and used his talents to trick people around him.

Imran Hasan Siddiqui
Maple Leaf International School

Diary from Rajshahi

'Booked' Children

Recently, I went to one of the government schools of Rajshahi in search of my friend. That was the first time I went to that school and didn't know the way to the classroom. A few students were there in school. As I went inside, I saw a girl standing. I approached her to ask her the way to the particular classroom and started with an “Excuse me.” Before going on with anything else, the girl said.” Sorry, I am booked!” It took me a while to understand what she was saying. She was a student of class six and she assumed that I was approaching her to ask her out or hit on her. It is quite disturbing that many girls want to grow up so fast.

Md. Ebrahim Khalil Milon
New Government Degree College
Rajshahi