Star Diary

Self-Destructive

A few days ago our house-maid went to a nearby general store to get some groceries  including a packet of washing powder. When she got back, she gave the receipt to us and we found that the man took a bit more than what was needed for the washing powder. After knowing about this, the maid went back to the store with the packet in hand as she thought that the shop owner was taking advantage of an uneducated person. However, the store owner reacted very angrily. There was a discount offer on the packet and he claimed that it was for the shop owners not the customers, which was untrue. He rudely returned the money and took back the packet. Customers and shopkeepers have a mutual relationship, whereby they help each other in some way or the other. If the shopkeeper loses a customer for their behaviour, it won't take them long to lose all their customers.
Rayan Rabbani
Scholastica, Dhaka

Photo: Zahedul I Khan

A Responsible Citizen

I was returning home from my college when my rickshaw was stopped by a stranger. I asked him what the matter was and he informed me that he was a policeman and wanted to search my bag. I asked for proof as I wanted to be sure of his identity and asked for his verification documents. He refused to show me any such documents and started arguing with me in the middle of the road. I was scared and so broke into a run to save myself and the things that I carried with me. He chased me and forcefully grabbed my bag from behind. Thankfully, a passer-by had the courage to approach us and ask us what the matter was. I explained everything to him and he immediately call the regional Officer-in-Charge over the phone and asked for immediate assistance. Meanwhile a crowd had formed around us. After fifteen minutes, we saw a police bike followed by a jeep. Three to four uniformed policemen got down and captured the culprit. I personally thanked the police OC and expressed my heartiest gratitude to the stranger who helped me as a responsible citizen, and possibly saved my life.
Muhtashim Uddin Ahmed
Dhanmondi, Dhaka