Where East meets West
I read with interest the article written by Ms. Milia Ali titled "Where east meets west" published in The Daily Star on 26th June, 2011. The writer tried to compare the eastern and western life styles and their values in social living. It is pleasing to know that she and her friend are contended to find the caring nature of the western friends in the neighbourhood. I did not live in the west as long as she lived but have a little exposure to their way of life and I go through a lot on these in social literature and wide discourse with friends and family.
Ms Ali's generalisation seemed to be naive. It is true that the westerners could institutionalise many of their social needs as services which are available with money. But the eastern way of life with strong social bond is missed in her view. Compare their old homes and our family care for the old, our support and sharing of stress when somebody is sick, the support extended by mothers and aunts in rearing children.
The joy of seasonal return of working people from Dhaka to their town and village homes to share the religious festivals with near and dear ones are just incomparable. The beauty of visiting neighbours and relatives on Eid days and other cross cultural festivals has no parallel in the west.
I shall not agree that the west can still overtake the values of social bliss that we have in the east though they had advanced much materially.
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