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     Volume 4 Issue 75 | December 16, 2005 |


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Dhaka Diary

A narrow escape
It happened on the morning of my Buet admission test day. I along with my mother set off by rickshaw early in the morning for the exam. My mother was carrying a shopping bag, in which I had my pencil box and a few books. But I had my calculator in my pocket, which is a must-have for the exam. I don't know exactly why I didn't put them in the same bag, but in the moments to come it proved to be a wiser choice. On the way, my mother suddenly lost the grip of the bag and it fell on the road, just to be overrun by the rickshaw behind ours. When I looked inside the bag after that I saw my pencil box totally unshaped; fortunately my pens, pencils and other important accessories were not damaged. The very first thing that came into my mind was, what could have happened if I had put my calculator in it! Now that is what I call a narrow escape!
Farhan Rahman
Buet

Carton Phobia
A few days back I was heading towards Dhanmondi on a bus. When our bus reached Press Club stop, a young man with a medium sized carton drew my attention. He was forcing himself through the entrance despite the continuous loud protests of both the driver and the helper. They were shouting that no cartons are allowed on the bus. I was a little surprised since many passengers would fill the empty space beside the driver with their belongings never arousing objections whatsoever. The man, however, had already managed to get himself in. There was a hullabaloo from the passengers against the carton and its owner. The man claimed the carton to be containing medicine. He had bought a ticket like everyone else did, so no one had the right to bully him to get off. Then he placed his valuable possession three feet ahead of me. The stiff-faced man was looking again and again at his wristwatch. Everyone got nonchalant and I was frightened! I was confused as to what to do. I wondered if I should I wait until Dhanmondi and make a run or should I get off the bus to take a rickshaw for the rest of my way? As the bus slowed down near Shahbag, I chose the second option. Later I mused over what I represented at that moment--a coward, an escapist or only a common Bangladeshi citizen?
Sabrina Mostafa
Department of English, Dhaka University

A coconut story
MA few days ago, my friend's cousin was returning home by a local bus from Gulistan to Farmgate. In Gulistan, a coconut vendor came up to him and requested him to buy his last coconuts for the day so that he could get back home early. At first, he was reluctant to buy one but the man who sat beside him bargained and bought two coconuts and offered him one. Out of courtesy, he took the coconut and sipped from it. After a while, he lost his consciousness and the disguised vendor and passenger took everything they could from him and escaped. The moral of this story: Think before you sip!
Md.Shamiul Haque
Dept. of English, DU

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