Postal letter flavours recalled
There is something magical about receiving a letter from a postman, riding around the block on his cycle, while ringing the bell.
A letter from a loved one or a family member or from a father to a son or vice versa, these are not just part of some misplaced nostalgia, they are forever etched in our hearts.
When it comes to sharing true thoughts, sincere sympathies, ardent love, and deepest gratitude, writing and receiving letters will always offer an experience that modern technology cannot touch, since sending a letter is almost as close to personally meeting someone.
These were the sentiments shared at a two-day fifth National Letter Festival, which ended on Thursday evening in Kushtia.
“I used to wait for the postman's bell,” said 64-year-old Atoar Rahman, a habitual poet, adding, “Those days are gone now.”
Like Atoar, many became melancholic as they said the legacy of hand written letters was on the wane.
“Whenever we saw the postman, we used to run up to him asking if any letter has come or not,” said Rakhi Rani Paul, a housewife of Aruapara area. “It used to be an exciting experience,” added the 66-year-old.
Rakhi brought her granddaughter Puja at the festival, who smiled after hearing her nostalgic grandmother, since the concept of hand written letters and waiting for a reply was almost alien to the 14-year-old.
“Our parents taught us how to write a good letter. It improved our handwriting and writing skills. The present generation is deprived of all this,” said Hafizur Rahman, a retired school teacher.
Writer and columnist Dr Rashid Askari of Kushtia Islamic University inaugurated the event, where, Anwar Ali, mayor of Kushtia municipality, was the chief guest.
The speakers said it was imperative to save this forgotten art.
Local organisations, Science and Literature Society, Voice of Youth and Kalpurush organised the event held in Kushtia Municipality Auditorium, which included letter writing and hand writing competitions for around 600 students of different schools and colleges in Kushtia and adjacent districts.
Dr Amanur Aman, editor and publisher of local daily the Dainik Kushtia and weekly the Kushtia Times, Oahad Sabuz, principal of Srijon Public School, and Maruf Rahman, president of Voice of Youth, also spoke.
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