Star Diary
Careful Monitoring of Traffic Signals
Nowadays, I feel scared to get on a bus, particularly at the Kawran Bazaar traffic signal. I recently had a bad experience at that particular signal when the bus started moving, as someone tried to steal my cell phone by grabbing at it from the open window. Many bus passengers are regularly harassed at traffic signals, as thieves take the opportunity to steal ornaments, cell phones and wallets from busy streets such as Farmgate, Kawran Bazaar, Gulistan, Motijheel and others. Thieves take the advantage of stalled vehicles at traffic signals to carry out their misdeeds. I think that the traffic situation could be improved to relieve passengers of such unwanted worry. The government could transfer or relocate CNG stations and petrol pumps to lesser crowded areas of the city. There are at least 10 petrol pumps on the road from Agargaon to Mirpur, which I find to be completely unnecessary. Frequent illegal U-turns should be stopped at bus stops and traffic sergeants should be appointed to ensure this. Electronic signals should be instated to ensure proper and timely flow of traffic.
Md Imranul Habib
Via E-mail
Education – Not for Sale
Many busy parents rely on house tutors to help their children with their studies. And for many university students, tutoring is a way to earn some extra money. I was teaching a student from a renowned English medium school in Dhaka. Ideally, a good English medium school would refer to a school that offers quality education bought by parents who are ready to pay a bit more for the sake of their children's future. Until recently, I was of the opinion that all schools with a good reputation must be offering good education as well. However, I was proven wrong when I discovered that not all schools are interested in quality education. Some schools, like the one my student studies in, are more interested in providing an 'English education flavour' rather than focussing on the education itself. The schools recommend very good books on a wide range of topics, but to my utter surprise, they don't use any pedagogical approach prescribed in the books. Instead, they rely on providing the students with a set of 'notes' which the student is expected to memorize and reproduce in the exam hall without the student understanding anything. For example, my student can define 'archaeology' but can't explain what that word actually means. One may argue that this is the common picture of our educational system but I wonder if parents are really aware of this deceiving character of these so-called 'high quality' English medium schools.
Amio Galib Chowdhury
University of Dhaka
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