Star Diary
Photo: Zahedul I Khan
DISRESPECTED
My family and I had planned to go to our home-town by train during the recent Eid holidays, due to the tremendous traffic on the highway. It was the day before Eid and we reached the station on time. The train was late and so, my aunt and I went to the station master to inquire about the train. The station master was an elderly person and he was really polite and seeing us asking him about the arrival time of the train so many times, he asked us to sit at his office and that he would tell us about the train. The man was quite humorous and he talked to us for some time. He even asked us to have iftar with him in case the train couldn't make it in time. This was a surprising change from the indifferent attitude of government staff nowadays. After some time another middle-aged man came to his room to ask him about the train, and the station master, polite as he was, asked him to sit in his office as well. As the train was near to the station, the station master told us that since it was the day before Eid, we should get in our compartment and sit in our designated seats right after the train arrived at the station, so that we wouldn't lose our seats to those travelling without tickets. Hearing this, the middle aged man became furious and asked, “What are you doing in the office if our seats will be taken by other people? Why do you even get your salary?” We were quite shocked by the man's behavior since the station master only wanted to give us an advice and he was of the other man's father's age. The station master did not reply to anything the other man said and quietly sat with a sad face. It really saddened me to see that the man, who looked quite educated and from a good family, shouted at an elderly man disrespectfully about such a small issue! I have seen this before as well where a young guy cursed an elderly man of his father's age just because the elderly man bumped into him in a crowd, where as the elderly man did not even say a word because it was the month of Ramadan. If such are the values instilled in people, then what's the use of the education and degrees that we have?
Arshi Siddiqui
Maple Leaf International School
***
Feats of Courage
The other day, while I was crossing a road in Mohammadpur, I noticed a rickshaw puller slowly pulling along his cycle. He did not seem to be like other rickshaw pullers and then I noticed the difference! The rickshaw puller had only one leg. Moreover, the other leg was missing its foot. However, he rode the rickshaw smoothly without complaints. I was stunned seeing the honest rickshaw puller who does not want to be a burden to society or at the mercy of people's kindness. He could be a beggar by choice leaving the tiresome job.I would like to salute those people who, despite all odds, want to live an honest life earning an honest livelihood.
Md Zonaed Emran
Janata Bank Ltd, Dhaka
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