Star Diary

Cruel Intentions

While taking my evening stroll at a park near my house, I noticed a man enter the park with his dog. The dog was on a leash and was walking alongside its master. Suddenly I noticed that it was barking at a bush. His owner stopped and allowed the dog to walk closer to the bush. A puppy walked out of the bush. It was abandoned and was shivering with fear; it looked emaciated and could hardly walk. The man released his dog, and I thought he did so to let it play with the abandoned puppy. However, the dog started biting the puppy savagely while the man laughed to his heart's content. The puppy was whimpering in pain, which caught everyone's attention. After being condemned by everyone for his callous reaction, the dog owner finally took hold of his pet, allowing the puppy to escape. The man, however, looked very pleased and proud of his action. He showed no pity for the puppy even though he too had a pet dog of his own.  
Samiul Raijul
School of Business, North South University

Callous Driving

I was going to Farmgate by bus on a hartal day. Even though the traffic was sparse, the bus was cramped with passengers. However, I managed a seat on the engine cover beside the driver, who continued to hoard more and more passengers into the vehicle. While he was recklessly driving the bus, his phone rang up. As he spoke over the phone, the bus was only about to slam into a roadside pavement. I nudged him immediately and only then he somehow managed to avert a possible disaster. The commuters were screaming at the driver for his carelessness and asked him why he received a call while he was driving. The driver gave a wry, indifferent look in response and kept on driving. I realised that the driver was not trained or of a sound mind. It seemed he knew nothing about the basic rules of driving, let alone the new law that prohibits drivers from answering their phone while driving. I wonder what the authorities concerned are doing to prevent such reckless driving that risks the lives of many. They should arrange regular training and motivation programmes for all drivers of public transport so that they can realise the value of the lives that hire their services.
Md Farooque Hossain
Mirpur