A CHANGING WORLD

When I was about 5 years old, my favourite activity was to stare out of my window. There was so much greenery, kids playing, open space and I lived on the 2nd floor of a small building. Now, I am 65 years old and when I look out my window, I can barely see the sky. All I see is tall concrete buildings and the inside of some apartment or the other through someone else's windows. My children were able to see some part of what I saw growing up, but my 6 year-old-grandson witnessed and mugging followed by a brutal knife attack from his window. It saddens me to think that progress and modernisation is taking us backward rather that forward in this life.
Zia Ahmed
Eskaton, Dhaka

Photo: Prabir Das

SELF REALISATION

On my way to work last week, my car broke down under the Mohakhali flyover. Unfortunately, that is when it started pouring down hard and I had to get out to find alternate transportation. I was getting soaked to the bone when I finally found a CNG and in my desperation to get to work on time and get out of the rain, I agreed to pay the driver a fare of Tk400, which is quite a lot. When we finally reached my office in Gulshan 2, the driver started demanding Tk500, and the smart thing for me to do would have been to pay it and get inside, but instead I lost it and refused to pay more than the agreed fare. The CNG driver started swearing and threatening me which goaded me further and soon we were in a screaming match. When I came to my senses finally I threw the Tk400 at him and walked inside. Then it hit me, I had just spent 5 minutes screaming over Tk 100. That is what dealing with Dhaka traffic will do to you. 
Auyon Hossain
Dhanmondi, Dhaka