Green
coconut-water!
The
other day I went to visit one of my relatives
admitted at DMCH. On my way back I felt thirsty
and decided to take some green coconut profusely
available at the hospital gate. One seller asked
Tk.10 for a coconut while another fellow eagerly
pressed me to buy one from him for just Tk. 8.
Naturally I became happy to quench my thirst at
a cheaper cost and did not even forget to thank
him for the generosity. Finishing my drink, as
I was walking past, that previous seller threw
at me a slice of comment, “Hey babu, at last you
took some contaminated water for Tk. 8!” 'What
does he mean?' I thought to myself. Maybe it's
a matter of professional rivalry. Yet I felt curious
and urged him to explain the matter. He whispered
that a few dishonest fruit vendors absorb water
from inside the green coconuts with a big syringe
and sell them to herbalists at a lower price.
Then they refill the nuts with sugary or even
contaminated water and earn extra money by selling
them again. So beware of having luscious coconuts
while thirsty. It may send you to hell instead
of saving life.
Arun Kumar
Lecturer, Queens University
Banani
What
Would Women Do?
The
other day, in a desperate attempt to go to my
workplace in time, I had to resort to riding the
local buses. But to my astonishment I was told
off by the busboy at the gate, he shouted, “mahila
seat naai…” ( there is no seat for the women).
It was in the morning, and after an hour or so
desperately looking for a CNG scooter, I decided
to opt for the bus. I am a makeup artist, and
I need to go to different places every morning
to serve my clients. But after the government
enforced the regulation that put a stop to plying
of rickshaws and two-stroke scooters in Mirpur
road, everyday I go through an ordeal looking
for transport. I live in Shaymoli, most of the
buses that ply in the Mirpur road are private
minibuses. And these buses refuse to take women
passengers during rush hour. I have seen our male
counterparts taking up the seats reserved for
women. Often when there is no shortage of male
passengers then the buswalahs simply avoid women.
Only the government can change this scenario,
as they are the one who decided to withdraw rickshaws
and two-stroke scooters from the road. We must
have a decent government owned transportation
system.
Shahana Akhter
Shaymoli
When
beggars have a choice
One
of my relatives told me this amusing antedate
which happened with him. A few days ago he went
to a neighborhood's beggar and invited him to
his place for a lunch followed by a Milad. He
also requested him to bring few more fellows with
him. At first the beggar looked at him tentatively
and inquired about food menu. When he heard that
Khichuri would be served he nodded his head negatively
and replied that they wouldn't like to attend
the lunch if the menu was Khichuri, rather they
would prefer Biryani or something similar! My
relative was stumped and when he later related
me the story to me, I had a good laugh. I wonder
if we should change the old adage 'beggar must
not be chooser'!
Mohammed Sohel Hara
Topkhana Road |