Star Diary

Changing my Thoughts

One day as I was walking through our local market, I was passing a fruit shop. There I saw a poor woman bargaining with a fruit seller. The fruit seller uttered some insulting words and behaved rudely with the woman. This displeased me a lot. Why should he behave this way with an elderly woman? With great effort, I went my way and tried to ignore what I witnessed. The next morning, I read in the newspaper about a certain shopkeeper misplaced around 50 thousand takas absentmindedly, the previous night, while closing his shop. After reaching home he realised his mistake and ran back to the shop only to find the money gone. At that time someone handed him the lost money. It seems the man had kept away the money, waiting for the shopkeeper to return and take it. The shopkeeper was very pleased with the man. I was surprised to see the photograph of the honest man beside the news - the fruit seller from the previous day! I cold not help wondering but actions actually do define a person better than words.
Asif Islam
Chandpur

Unleashing the Beast

The other day I was on my way back home by the university bus. When our bus approached Mailapota turn, one of the busiest spots in the city, and slowed down for a while, I heard a hue and cry from outside the bus. To my utter shock and surprise, I saw a young man slapping an old rickshaw puller severely. What was more shocking was that the crowd was watching and not uttering a single word in protest against such an inhumane act. Is this the way to treat an aged man, who may be as old as one's father? The young man was well dressed and seemed to be educated. But I wonder what kind of knowledge he has achieved. If our education cannot help us get rid of the beast that lives within us, it is of no use.
Asif Ahmed
Khulna University
Khulna

A Dhaka Day

It was raining incessantly, and I was on my way back home from my university in Banani. The roads were all jammed and not a sign of any means of transport I could hail. As I had no other choice, I strode all the way from Kakoli to Mohakhali on foot in the pouring rain, having forgotten too, to bring my umbrella. As I reached the flyover, soaking wet, I could see a few bus ticket sellers taking refuge under a shed who had no intention to help me out. After a prolonged hour of miserable waiting, I caught glimpse of a bus coming towards me. In spite of the fact that there was no more space for passengers inside the bus, the conductor held out his hand and prodded me to hop on. It was then that I realised that I had no ticket. The destination fare was 10 takas but I had a 20 taka note so I gave it to the helper expecting a change of 10 takas in return. To my astonishment, the man casually replied that since I was without a ticket, I had no right to ask him for the change. Disgruntled, I retorted that if this was the case, why had he allowed me to get on in the first plase? The conductor remained unperturbed. Obviously, the whole amount would go into the pockets of the conductor. But I had nothing to do for I too, was somewhat involved in the crime.
Naome Syed
Mohammadpur
Dhaka

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