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     Volume 10 |Issue 20 | May 27, 2011 |


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Star Diary

Devoid of Decency

It was the first day of the MA final exam that started from the first week of this month. The room was set silent and the invigilators seemed on their guard to avert any awkward experience. All of a sudden, one of my departmental seniors heard some sound. Being disturbed by the vague noise, he looked around but found nothing. He then resumed writing. Within few moments, he sensed that the sound was coming from the next candidate sitting just behind him. The man, posing as a deeply conscientious candidate, was clad in a full-sleeve shirt and was writing his answer script leaning on his left shoulder. Finally, my brother discovered that the sound was coming from a headphone of a cellular phone, tied up with his left arm under the long sleeve. The examinee was communicating with the other party to get help. Surprisingly, those watchful invigilators failed to catch the technological manipulation!

Though the modern communication technology has been contrived to provide privileges to the people for the fair, decent and best communication, a section of derailed students, with their abysmal mindset, are turning the wheel of this wonderful invention towards the pit of moral corrosion and gnawing away at its blazing rank.

Ashim Kumar Paul
Government Edward College, Pabna


Intolerance A Vice

A few days ago, a friend of mine posted a link on Facebook; the link was of an article by a prominent columnist for the Prothom Alo where he wrote about how lucky we were for being separated from Pakistan, as Pakistan seems to have failed as a civilised nation. Many of my friends, like me, 'liked' the link and commented our satisfaction for being a free nation and for not being like Pakistan. Some of my friends even posted about their frustration towards Pakistan. Out of no where, a senior student of my university, who happens to be a very bright student, posted a comment that disturbed many, if not all, of us. He said that he loved Pakistan as a cricket playing nation and as a nation. I don't mind that but what bothered me was what he wrote following that line. He said that all of the people who liked the post, who posted the link and who wrote anti-Pakistan comments on that thread were 'irreligious, dumb, sick and Awami' people. I felt nauseous reading his post. Pakistan has failed as a nation, it is a harbour for terrorists; the dark age we, Bangladeshis, went through up until 1971 was caused by them. So, I find it quite natural to criticise Pakistan. I don't understand why one has to be irreligious, dumb or an Awami League supporter to dislike or criticise Pakistan as a nation!

Sifat Tarin
North South University, Dhaka


Corrupt from the Core

Photo: Star File

I was already late for work and had to rush towards the bus counter to get a ticket for Dhanmondi from my home at Mohammadpur. As I had expected the bus fares had increased, I asked the grumpy man at the counter what “his” newly demanded fare was. He replied with much confidence that I had to give him an extra 5 taka which I readily handed to him. As I managed to get a seat in the bus anxious to reach my workplace at the earliest, I saw the bus helper shutting the door. There were few people outside trying to get in, some were even swearing at the bus driver for refusing to let them in without a ticket. Though the bus authorities were collecting unfair fare, they seemed to be very strict about not letting anyone in without tickets. As the bus drove away, now at a distance from the ticket counter, it slowly came to a halt and the helper opened the door again. To my surprise I could see people without tickets rushing in. The helper without a moment's delay got engaged in collecting indiscriminate amounts of fares from them. I was shocked at this behaviour and soon realised that corrupt people will never change in our country. The shutting of the door was merely an eyewash to baffle the ticket authorities, who too were charging fares illegally.

Naome Syed
Mohammadpur, Dhaka

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