STAR DIARY
Not for girls
Since my childhood I have always been interested in sports, which, in essence are ‘not for women’. I used to play cricket with my brother and friends from our neighbourhood. Being a girl, I was never appreciated for my involvement in outdoor sports while my brother used to get praised for his performance. I was always told to show my interest in something more “girlie”. Growing up, as I told my parents about my wish to be a cricketer, they laughed at me.“Our society faces hard time recognising women's cricket as a fully professional sport where a woman can make a living from it,” my father opines. I have been criticised in so many ways for my career choice, that I decided not to take up cricket seriously. However my interest in cricket never ceased. It would really help if there were other places where female cricket enthusiasts could learn to play recreational cricket. Women's cricket in Bangladesh needs to grow and more girls should be given a chance to play in school.
Rinia Hussain, Dhanmondi, Dhaka
The Corrupt System
On a trip to Banani from Shahbag, my car stopped at the signal in Mohakhali. I noticed that a motor biker was stopped by two traffic policemen as he was not wearing helmet. After a heated conversation between two parties, the policemen asked the driver to accompany him. After a few minutes, the driver was released and the policemen were seen smiling. I later came to know from a friend who also rides a motorbike that the policeman had staged all this drama only to demand a bribe from the driver and nothing else. I can't understand what our society has turned into. If the police force – a squad responsible for ensuring our safety – is so much into corruption, how can we hope to develop and improve our country?
Samiul Ali
North South University
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