Write to Mita

Dear Mita,
I am a student of BSc. Engineering in Leather Technology. I am a chain smoker. I have tried to quit several times but failed. I am unable to concentrate on my studies because of this bad habit, the health hazards of which I am well aware. But I know it is not possible for me to give it up. Please help me.
MM

Dear MM,
You should get in touch with people who were chain smokers like you. It is always helpful to join a support group where people help each other to get out of bad habits. However, the most important thing is willpower. If you are determined to break the habit then you will succeed however difficult it might seem.

Dear Mita,
I am a 4th year student of Occupational Therapy. This is a very new subject in Bangladesh and most people don't know about it. It takes five years under Dhaka University. No one in our country has an Msc. or Ph.D. in it but I hope to get these degrees. There are, however, no government posts for the profession. My family can pay for my education until I graduate but what should I do after that and how will I pursue my higher studies?
JA

Dear JA,
I do not know much about the subject but it sounds interesting. Perhaps you should get in touch with some organisations in the private sector and find out what scope this has. Perhaps you could convince some organisation to create such a post.

Dear Mita,
I am a student of Shahjalal University of Science and Technology (SUST). I went to school in a village and am not a very good student but with a lot of hard work have achieved reasonably good results throughout my academic life. After admission into SUST, however, I have become very frustrated. I used to think that professors were not only good scholars but good and upright members of society. Now I see that they are involved in politics; they favour students with similar political ideologies to the point of appointing them as assistant teachers at the university. What will become of those who are not involved in politics? All my hard work is beginning to seem meaningless. Please help.
N

Dear N,
I know all this is very frustrating but you must continue to work hard no matter what. We have to continue to believe that hard work ultimately pays off. What you say is true, everything in our country has become politicised and our young people are suffering. You will have to use all your determination and get good grades in your exams. Nowadays, there is also scope to get jobs in private universities and perhaps you will qualify for that.