::: Star Weekend Magazine :::

Star Diary

What will happen on a Rainy Day

Being a Dhakhaite, facing traffic jams is nothing new; moreover it has become an inevitable part of our regular routine. Everyday I go out in the streets keeping in mind that I will have to face traffic congestion. But my whole concept of the every-day traffic jam changed the other day. I got on a bus from Shahbaag to my university, which is an hour's ride. It was like any other normal day other than the fact that there was a heavy downpour in the early morning. When my bus had crossed the Bangla Motor crossing, we had in fact spent at least an hour and 10 minutes, all because of the water logging on the particular road. This is the actual and pathetic scene of the city's traffic situation, which comes to a complete halt due to rain. I did reach my destination though, after three and half hours and an hour late for my semester final exam. I wonder what is going to happen in the rainy season, which is going to hit us very soon.

Nusrat Rashida
BBA, Jahangirnar University

Prank Calls

The other day my elder sister came to me and by the expression on her face, I could explicitly deduce the fact that she was deeply irritated. When I asked her why, she told me that numerous calls from unknown numbers would ring her cell phone disturbing her endlessly. At that very moment, the prank callers called my sister's cell phone. She passed on the phone to me since she was exhausted with the whole charade. As soon as I answered the phone, I could hear a drunken man furiously screaming out dirty words. The telecommunication companies may think that they have achieved a lot by dropping the call rates and attracting a large number of customers, thus enhancing the communication sector. But simultaneously they've also opened the doors for mass criminals and abusive activities. It is an accepted idea - if you are female and own a cell phone, you will be victimised in this way. Then has to stop. Awareness should be raised for the sustainable use of mobile phones to stop such activities.

Waheedur Rahman
Manarat Dhaka International College
Dhaka

A Hapless Purloiner

The other day I went to the Banani mosque after working out in the gym. While entering the mosque, I noticed a group of devotees thronging outside the mosque. Soon after that, I headed to do my ablution. Suddenly, I heard a lot of noise coming from outside, the area where the people were gathered. A shoe thief had been nabbed and was being tied to the pillar. Many were beating him with shoes, belts and even bamboo sticks. The thief was apologising profusely. Seeing this, some of the devotees finally stopped beating the thief. Beyond doubt, unemployment is the prime reason behind this, because of which young people get into drug addiction, robbery, pilferage, snatching, extortion and other kinds of crime. The government should put emphasis on poverty alleviation through eliminating unemployment.

Hasnat
AIUB, Dhaka