Star Diary

Bonnora Bone Shundor
(the wild are beautiful only in the wild)

Photo: Zahedul I Khan

A fortnight ago, we went for a study tour to the Rajshahi zoo. Zoos are supposedly places for entertainment by displaying various species of wild animals. It can also teach us about many animals with which we are unfamiliar in normal settings. In the zoo, we came across various animals like monkeys, bears, hares, deers, different species of birds like white peacock and so on. But looking at the animals imprisoned in the cages, I felt very upset. They were looking very sick and hungry. The lion especially seemed to be very hungry and helpless.

I realised that an animal's place was not the zoo but the wilderness. They are an important part of the ecological system too. Alternative methods should be sought out if we want to learn about these beautiful creatures or enjoy the spectacle of wild animals. Under such circumstances I request the government and the general populace of this country to take some steps for the protection of wild animals.

Nishat Farzana Toma
Meherpur

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Marijuana Festival at Park Areas

A few days ago, taking a stroll through Ramna Park, I noticed many young people smoking marijuana. In Ramna Park and the adjoining areas when one goes out after Maghrib prayers, especially for jogging, s/he gets disgusted with the repulsive smell of marijuana. People from all over Dhaka come to Ramna Park area to smoke marijuana whenever they feel like, especially after dark.

Law enforcers do visit the areas occasionally but it does not work. The government has banned smoking in public places, but not only is this law flouted openly by everybody and anybody, some are even taking the liberty of smoking marijuana in public places. When one goes top parks such as Ramna Park, Dhanmondi lake and especially the Suhrawardi Udyan, a festival of marijuana smokers can be noticed.

Mohammed Jashim Uddin
Purana Paltan, Dhaka

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On the Platform…

The last whistle blew. The wheels of the train started to move. And then it left leaving a huge number of students stranded in the platform. They will have to look for alternative modes of transportation, such as CNG, Bus and so on. That is not only problematic but also costlier.

As the Chittagong University stands 22 kilometers away from the town, we are provided with shuttle train services free of cost. A lot of students come from the city and attend their classes by this train. But it becomes difficult to get into the train due to the acute shortage of space. The students even ride on the roof of the train ignoring the risks such a journey poses. The numbers of compartments are noticeably less in comparison to the number of students who require this service. I want to draw the attention of the concerned authorities to help us by attaching new compartments.

Mahmudul Hasan Hemal
University of Chittagong