Star Diary

Quacks In Disguise
On the last day of my SSC exams, my father had a brain stroke. He was taken to a well-known hospital immediately. There, the doctors treated him and after some tests it came to light that he had a problem in the brain but it was not as serious as it seemed. After a few days however, the left part of his body got paralysed. We immediately took the decision to take him to India. We went to India and took him to a neurologist. The neurologist said that he had a tumour in the brain and it should be operated as soon as possible. We were shocked! If we had simply depended on the doctor back in Bangladesh, my father would have died! According to the neurologist, the tumour was quite large and his condition was extremely critical and could give rise to brain cancer. We had, in fact, wasted a lot of time. Finally, he had his operation done in Chennai. The doctor there said he was a very lucky person. Thanks to Allah that He has saved my father. I did very well in my SSC exams and when I grow up, I want to be a doctor and save lives in Bangladesh not become a quack in disguise.
Neha Sabnam
Dinajpur Government College
Dinajpur

Remembering My Faithful Dog
Right before I started primary school, I had grown an attachment to animals, just like children my age back then. I obtained permission from my mother to pet a puppy for myself. I grew very close to the puppy, and would stay busy playing with it and taking care of it all the time. Soon after, I was admitted to a primary school, which was at least a mile away from our home. It was really difficult for me to part from my puppy. So one fine morning, the puppy started to accompany me to school. While I would attend my classes, the puppy would wait for me outside. Finally, he would accompany me back home after school. The routine continued for five long years. By then, he had grown bigger and his instincts had become sharper. One night while he was guarding our house, a few thieves poisoned his food. At dawn we discovered that my dog was breathing his last. I will never forget this tragic incident and have never forgiven those thieves. Even today, I nurture the love I have for my dog and also for all other animals in general.
Faruque Ahmed
Rampura, Dhaka

Watching a Mugging Incident
The other day my younger brother, a student of class 8, was returning from his coaching centre. While walking through the streets of Hazaribag, which are mostly narrow, he saw something unusual happen. A group of shabbily dressed boys surrounded a man and were having a conversation with him. At one point, they began to search his pockets, taking his wallet and mobile phone. Soon my brother understood that a mugging was taking place. As the street was almost empty and silent, he found no other passers by near the place at that time. The muggers quickly left the place. When my brother came home and shared the experience with us, it made our parents extremely anxious and scared for our safety when we step outside out home. I wonder how long we will have to endure this.
Sayeda Mushfika Munira
Jahangirnagar University
Savar, Dhaka

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