Star Diary

Photo: Star File

THE CORRUPT SQUAD

The CNG-run auto-rickshaw I had hired was stopped by a policeman at a check-post. He asked the driver for his license. I had thought that the driver had a driving license but to my surprise, I was proved wrong. The policeman asked the driver to accompany him. After a few minutes, the driver was released. I later came to know that the policeman had staged all this drama only to demand a bribe from the driver and nothing else. I can't understand what our society has turned into. If the police force – a squad responsible to ensure our safety – is contaminated by corruption, how can we hope to develop and improve our country?

Elham Ali
Manarat Dhaka International College

IRRATIONAL PUNISHMENT 

I was at a shopping mall in Mirpur when I saw a few underprivileged children walking around the top floor of the mall.  Suddenly I saw a guard catch hold of two of the children and take them to a corner room. The third kid was left behind and so he tried his best to save his friends, but he was pushed down to the floor by the guard. I could hear him beat the kids possibly with heavy sticks. I rushed to the scene, went up to the guard and took the stick from him before throwing it away. I couldn't control my rage. The guard looked at me in anger while the kids ran for their lives, tears streaming down their face. Instead of feeling ashamed of his behaviour, the guard started to scold me. He claimed that the children were extremely naughty and they deserved this punishment. However, I had only seen them stroll around the mall. If I or some other child from a higher strata of society had acted in a similar manner in front of the guard, would he have dared to beat us or even raise his voice against us? We should stand up for these children and instead of chiding and beating them, we should inspire them to be good people.
Rayan Rabbani
Scholastica School, Dhaka