::: Star Weekend Magazine :::

Star Diary

Spitting
Everywhere

The other day I was on my way home from my office on the bus sitting on the window seat. The man who was sitting next to me seemed to be a religious chap with a long beard and a 'tupi' on his head. After a while, the man touched my shoulder and with gestures he explained that he wanted to move in front of the window. Suppressing my disgust, I moved over for him. He opened the window wider and spit on the road. The woman behind us, immediately shut the window in a hurry. When he went back to his seat, he explained that spitting was necessary since he was fasting. I in turn told him that fasting has nothing to do with spitting. It is a matter of habit. If you wish not to spit anywhere, you will find that you will be able to control the habit. Moreover, spitting anywhere is against cleanliness, which is very important in our religion. The man was very understanding and he did not spit anymore while on the bus in the one and half hour-long bus journey. May the Almighty give all of us the knowledge to understand the importance of cleanliness.

Tofayel Ahmed
Fareast Finance and
Investment Limited
Dhaka

C o s t l y S l e e p

Being a very health conscious person, every morning I go to Ramna Park to jogging and for morning exercises. After the exercises I usually rest under a tree for a few minutes and then return home. That day I was feeling very tired and fell asleep under the tree. After an hour or so when I woke up I discovered that my watch had disappeared. Not only my watch but my mobile phone, wallet and even my visiting cards were all gone. When I asked the people around about it, no one was willing to say anything, then finally a teenager who was selling sweets told me that while I was sleeping one of the pickpockets took away all my things. I wonder when we will have safe public places. And why are people still afraid to give evidence when they witness these sorts of incidents? If this continues then eventually we will stop stepping out of our homes for even a stroll.

Rahim Abu Ali Sajwani
North South University, Dhaka

Story Behind a Matchbox

In the early fifties when I was attending my primary school, I had to walk about two miles to and from school everyday. One afternoon while I was returning from school, on the way I found a brand new matchbox lying on the ground. Instantly I picked it up and put it in my pocket. With pleasure and merriment I entered our house and found my father sitting on an easy chair in the verandah. I was shouting to inform my brothers and sisters about the newly found treasure on the way and feeling proud to be in possession of this valuable thing. Observing all these enthusiasm of mine, my father called me to him. While I approached him with fear in my mind he asked me what I had found. I narrated the incident of finding the matchbox on the road. With the highest anger and annoyance, my father immediately asked me to run back and put the matchbox back where I had found it. I did what my father asked me to do. The lesson he taught me in my formative years was extremely valuable and I have tried to remember it all my life and also have tried to instil the same in my children and the younger people around me.

Faruque Ahmed
West Rampura , Dhaka

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