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1. PGP Paragraph My School Magazine Every student has creative power but this power cannot develop for want of an outlet. Therefore, my school publishes its own magazine to provide its students with an outlet for their creative power. The name of the magazine is “Swandipan”. It is generally brought out once in a year. It is organised by an editorial board. This editorial board consists of a few teachers and the class-representatives for the magazine. The cost of the magazine is met from the fees collected from the students as magazine fees. If there is any deficit, it is made up from the school fund. The magazine reflects the literary, educational and sports activities going on in the school. It projects the important events celebrated in the school during the year. It also contains news about the school. The students of the school are asked to submit their articles for the magazine. The editorial board sits to consider and select the articles for publication. Some teachers also contribute articles to the magazine. The articles are of different types, such as essay, poem, short story, one-act play, criticism, comment, translation and puzzle. They are written either in Bengali or in English. The magazine is very useful for the students. It serves several useful purposes. The most important of all is that it fosters school patriotism. It helps the students to understand that they are a united body, and teaches them to be proud of their school. More to the point, it inspires the students to practise writing by giving them an opportunity to see their names and articles in print. Above and beyond, the students feel encouraged to perform well in the educational and sports activities to be mentioned in the magazine. Thus, the magazine plays an important role in the development of the latent talents of the students of the school. My School Library Today education is no longer a system of cramming and filling a student’s mind with information. It is now rather a process of self-discovery encouraging him to learn on his own. It is said that what is taught is not caught but what is read remains. In this context a school library has a significant role to play in the present-day educational system. So, a school without a library is quite unthinkable these days. It must have books on various subjects, newspapers, journals and magazines. My school also has a big library. It is housed in a big hall. There are many almirahs in it. Each almirah has books on one subject only. There is a card for every book. Books are arranged according to their numbers. Every student applies for a card and gets it. The librarian issues books against the card. No student can keep a book for more than fourteen days. Defaulters are fined. On one side of the library hall there are long tables and benches. The students sit there and read books, newspapers, journals and magazines. Some students are seen taking down notes. Nobody is permitted to talk in the library and disturb others. Every class has one library period once a week. The students go to the library in that period and study. The library also has reference and text books. They are meant for studying in the library only. The calm and quiet atmosphere of the library helps the students to work attentively. The school librarian is a trained and qualified person. He is also well-experienced. He gives advice to the students on the choice of books. He is an expert in his work. He understands his duty well and is of great help to the students. We find him busy all the time. He advises the students not to spoil books by scribbling in them or tearing off the pages. I have made it a point to visit the school library at least once a day. Whenever I enter the library, words that come to my mind are: “Away from a noise and bustle, \ Just take me \ To the quite sanctity \ Of the library.” A Day Labourer A day labourer is an unskilled worker hired and paid by the day. He is a ragged and dirty man. He lives in a slum with his family. Getting up early, he quickly takes some stale rice and leaves home for work. He usually goes to a marketplace where he keeps waiting until someone hires him for some work. He does bone-breaking toil for his employer from morning till evening. When he finishes his work, he gets his wages. Then he buys food and returns home like a drooping fighter. He takes his evening meal and goes to bed early out of tiredness. On a rainy day he does not often get any work and so he cannot earn money. Then he starves, and so do the other members of his family. Again, he seldom gets the right wages that he deserves for his work. The result is the continuous story of his poverty and hardship. There is virtually no moment of happiness in his life. His life is a true picture of privation and deprivation. He cannot manage his family well. He cannot provide two square meals for the members of his family, let alone other basic needs of life. He appears to be engaged in an endless battle against all odds of life. Day labourers form an 1

2. important class of our society. We should understand the hard toil of a day labourer. We should not be rough and cruel to him. We should deal with him considerately and sympathetically. Early Rising 'Early to bed and early to rise makes a man healthy, wealthy and wise' - this is an age-old saying. It has stood the test of time. Even in this modern world of hurry and worry, this saying has retained its relevance. Early rising is good for health and there is no doubt about it. Early rising is insisted upon in many religions. According to those religions, early dawn is the most auspicious time for one to rise and meditate. This is an act which refreshes both the mind and the body. Rising early, one can go for a walk. Greenery will have a soothing effect not only on the eyes but also on the mind. Doctors advised taking a morning walk as a remedy for many an ailment. Taking a morning walk, one really feels fresh and well prepared to meet the challenges of a new day. Early rising is also good for one's mind. Early morning hours are the best time to study as one's mind becomes ready to act after a restful sleep. One's retention power is also at its peak at this time. To acquire knowledge and become a wise man, one should cultivate the habit of early rising. Early rising makes one wealthy and prosperous too. It is said that the early bird catches the worm. This means that those who take the initiative become successful. The early riser has an alert mind which does not let go any opportunity. He puts his best into every endeavour and comes off with flying colours. Thus, early rising is advantageous in many ways. The modern trend is to sit up late and get up late. But this is not a healthy habit. A Winter Morning Winter presents us with a rather cold and foggy morning. Really there is all-pervasive fog on a winter morning. At times the fog is too dense for the sun to penetrate. Visibility becomes very poor and things at a little distance can hardly be seen. Nature looks gloomy and casts a shadow on every living thing. Bird chirping is not heard and there is no sign of activity anywhere. An early riser gets bitten by cold and wraps up warm. But a late riser finds a winter morning quite pleasant. He enjoys the warmth of the blanket for a longer time than usual. The very first streak of light on the eastern horizon creates a kind of romantic atmosphere. Dewdrops glisten in the grass before drying up. Nature shakes off its gloomy look and infuses a new lease of life into everything. A winter morning is a boon to those who live in plenty but a curse to those who are poor. The poor do not have warm clothes to protect themselves from cold. They are very often seen to make a fire and sit around it to keep themselves warm. That is why they feel a great joy as soon as the sun is seen on the eastern horizon. On a winter morning one can enjoy date juice and different types of homemade cakes. These features are unique only to a winter morning and make it different from any other morning. Load-shedding Load-shedding has become part and parcel of our daily life. Electricity plays a very important role in regulating modern life. So, any interruption in the supply of electricity puts the whole system out of gear and paralyses our life. Load-shedding occurs when the generation of power is less than the demand. And it creates problems of far-reaching consequences in the economic and social development of the country. Mills and factories become idle and industrial production declines. Social order suffers a great damage. Domestic life becomes a painful ordeal. Students suffer in their study and housewives grope in darkness. In tall buildings people get trapped in lifts and gasp for fresh air. Water pumping system fails and there is no water in tanks. People return home after a day's hard work only to enter a dark den. The entire life — domestic and industrial — comes to a standstill. The problem of load-shedding has assumed such a proportion that something must be done to stop this rot; otherwise the whole country is going to face a great calamity. The main reasons behind load-shedding are age-old plant and machinery and poor maintenance. Ineffective administration is making the problem still more acute. Much has been said about the solution to the problem but no effective measure has yet been taken. But we cannot accept load-shedding in our routine life and resign to fate. We cannot put back the arms of the clock of progress. Until and unless we can get rid of load-shedding our future is really gloomy. My Visit to a Book Fair Arranging a book fair is quite a recent tradition. It is a large-scale exhibition of books on various subjects. Unlike any other fair, it caters to our intellectual yearning. The other day I went to visit a book fair along with two of my friends. The fair was organised by Bangla Academy on its premises. When we reached the fair, we saw thousands of people 2

3. queuing up in a disciplined manner and pouring into it. Publishers and booksellers from all over the country took part in it. It was a rare opportunity for us to assess the advancement made in the publication of books in our country. Hundreds of stalls were set up and all sorts of books were displayed. They mainly included fictions, textbooks, children's books, books on general study, and reference books. Each stall was unique in artistic design and drew a huge crowd. We paid a visit to almost every stall. We were simply absorbed in turning the pages of the books and felt like buying all of them. But limitations of our pockets did not permit that. After careful selection we bought a few ones. The entire area wore a festive look. The visitors were moving about merrily with small packs of books in their hands. There were arrangements for light refreshment at the fair. Food and drinks were served from many stalls where the tired visitors halted for a rest. When we came to the end of our visit to the fair, we also stopped a stall and had snacks and drinks. Then we left the fair with a happy experience worth recollection and sharing. Unquestionably, a book fair is now a popular affair that helps to interest the general mass in books and form their reading habit. A Village Doctor A village doctor is generally a quack. He has not been to any medical school or college. Even he has not had any practical training under a qualified doctor. He depends on the traditional methods of treatment which his father and forefathers followed and which they left behind as a legacy. The villagers have implicit faith in him and they entrust themselves to his care and treatment when they fall victim to any disease. With a thermometer and stethoscope in his pocket, he poses as a qualified doctor. His dispensary is a very simple affair. He keeps a few common medicines in an almirah. There is a chair, a table and a bench for himself and his patients. He sits on the chair while his patients occupy the bench. He feels their pulses, examines their tongues and gives them medicines. The poor and illiterate villagers have full faith in the skill of this quack. His word is the law for them. He takes a nominal fee for his service. Truly speaking, he accepts with thanks what the villagers pay him in cash or kind. He visits a serious patient several times a day for a single fee. He can bandage a fracture and set a broken limb. He knows how to stop bleeding. He uses both ayurvedic and allopathic drugs. Sometimes, he uses homeopathic medicines, too. His patients never find fault with him and hold him in great esteem. There is a great dearth of qualified doctors in Bangladesh, especially in villages. As observed in villages, there are no qualified doctors for miles. The dispensaries are also few and far between. Villagers, in many cases, die for want of a proper medical aid. Qualified doctors for villages are the crying need of the hour. A village doctor will hold his sway until he is replaced by a trained and qualified doctor. Pahela Baishakh Pahela Baishakh is the first day of the Bangla Year. The day is celebrated with traditional festivities across the country. The day is a public holiday. In keeping with the age-old tradition, traders and shopkeepers open halkhata (fresh account books) and offer sweets to their customers and clients. Different socio-cultural organisations draw up elaborate programmes to celebrate the day. The day's first programme begins at dawn at Ramna Batamul. Chhayanat, a leading cultural organisation, organises the programme. A large number of people, wearing traditional dresses, attend the programme. Bangladesh Betar and Bangladesh Television air special programmes on the occasion while national dailies bring out supplements. Students and teachers of the Institute of Fine Arts (IFA) of Dhaka University bring out colourful procession from the Institute premises at late morning. They carry festoons, placards, posters and banners, and wear masks to welcome the Bangla New Year. Bangla Academy holds a cultural programme on its premises in the morning, in which leading artists of the country participate. Shilpakala Academy organises a cultural function on the academy premises. Jatiya Press Club holds a cultural function on the club premises at evening. Bulbul Lalitakala Academy, Liberation War Museum and Bangladesh National Museum also organise cultural functions on the occasion. The mood of festivity prevails from dawn till midnight on this important day. Junk Food Junk food is food that is high in calories and low in nutritional content. It is appealing or enjoyable but of little or no real value. Actually, we eat junk food not for the food value but for its taste. Eating junk food is indeed great fun for its pungent taste. Its look is too tantalising for us to resist our temptation. Its soothing taste results from the added chemicals that it often contains. But it is said that these chemicals are harmful to our health. Varied and many are the food items that come under the umbrella of junk food. Chips, burgers, crisps, cakes, biscuits, sweets and fizzy drinks are a few to name. They are said to contain a lot of animal fat or sugar. Chips, burgers, crisps, cakes and biscuits are 3

4. found to be high in animal fat whereas sugar is highly present in sweets and fizzy drinks like cola and lemonade. When we eat a large amount of fat, we fall victim to obesity. Then again, a large amount of sugar damages our teeth and skin. Junk food lacks the vitamins and minerals that we need to keep in good health. It is acceptable that we occasionally indulge in eating junk food. But we should not prefer junk food to homemade food. Our body does best when it is given homemade food that contains a healthy balance of nutrients. It is sensible that we should avoid relishing junk food for the sake of our health. Traffic Jam Travelling in big cities and towns is rather a bitter experience for anyone because of the growing volume of traffic. At times there is a situation in which vehicles cannot move freely and traffic comes to a standstill. Such a situation is popularly known as traffic jam, which causes a great deal of sufferings to its victims. It kills their valuable time, exposes them to pollution and creates irritation among them. It is most annoying when an ambulance carrying a dying patient is caught in it. It is also unwelcome when a fire brigade vehicle is in a hurry to reach a spot. Main reasons behind traffic jam are the deplorable street condition, slack traffic rules, the corruption of the traffic police, the unruly behaviour of the drivers, and the pressure of vehicles at the peak hour. The digging of roads for the development purpose also contributes to the worsening of the traffic-jam situation. The solution to this problem is a tough task but not an impossible one. The street condition should be improved and traffic rules should be strictly imposed. Drivers should be penalised for reckless driving and corrupt traffic policemen should be brought to book. A computerised traffic-control system can go a long way to solve the problem of traffic jam. Another pressing measure is coordination among different organisations responsible for looking after the traffic control system. Regular commuters cannot accept traffic jam in their routine life and resign to fate. Until and unless they get rid of traffic jam, they are bound to bear its adverse effects. A Street Hawker A street hawker adds colour and variety to both village life and city life. He is usually a seller, but he can also be either a buyer or a repairman. As we generally know him as a seller, we tend to describe him as such. A street hawker brings the market to our doorsteps. He brings sweetmeats for children, utensils for housewives, and knick-knacks for all. He infests every street, lane and by-lane. Children and women like him very much. He does not like elderly men because they hardly buy anything from him. Various articles that he sells are carried either in a box or on a pushcart. At times he stitches his articles with a rope and hangs them around his shoulders. He declares his articles one by one as he peddles in a singsong manner. He has his individual drawl and musical intonation, which are very funny and amusing. He exaggerates the quality of his articles in rhymed words. He is clever enough to cheat others, but he can never be cheated. He knows well the art of advertising his goods. He gives them out as the best in the world. He knows how to win the hearts of his customers. His manners simply enchant them. He does not always make a very high profit out of his business. A street hawker belongs to the poor class of society. He earns his livelihood by means of hard work. He has to go on his duty in all weathers; otherwise it becomes very difficult for him to support his family. So, a street hawker is certainly a poor man, but he should not be ignored. We should rather encourage him as he is a petty businessman. A Rainy Day Unlike any other day, a rainy day presents a sight unique to itself. The sky remains covered with clouds and it rains almost all day long. Now it drizzles and then the rain pours down. Such a day in the countryside attracts the lovers of nature. It is pleasant and helpful. But the same in a city creates a different kind of sight. For some people the heavy downpour may have a chilling effect, but it has its charm with the roar of thunder and the flash of lightening. On a rainy day the streets look like rivulets, and the entire city is magically converted into Venice. Almost every street wears a deserted look. Occasionally a man tries to plod his way. His clothes are tucked up and he holds an umbrella in one hand and his bag in the other. A sudden gush of wind tilts his umbrella and he gets drenched. If a vehicle passes speedily by splashing muddy water on him, he looks like a pitiable creature. Sometimes the streets become water-logged and traffic comes to a halt. Those who dwell in comfortable houses sit in their cosy rooms and look out of the windows to catch a glimpse of the beautiful sight outside. The howl of the wind and the pitter-patter of the rain constitute a symphony for them and some of them feel a poetic fervour in their hearts. Those who are poor, however, 4

5. suffer a lot. Leaky roofs, rain-soaked floors and choked-up drains fill them with despair. Many people come out of their houses and wait for the city buses because they have the urgency of going to their workplaces. As the city buses do not come in time, they feel irritated. Sometimes, they are disappointed. Boys and girls do not go to school because of rain. Life is painful when it rains in torrents. When the rain stops, the sight becomes more interesting. Small children come out into the flooded streets and float paper boats. They like to splash water. Buses and cars begin to move on the streets. Normal activities of life resume as if a patient recovered from his illness. A Street Accident I often express my opinion that travelling in Dhaka is rather a dangerous business because of the growing volume of traffic. My belief was confirmed by what I saw yesterday morning. I was returning from market at about 9:30 a.m. when an accident occurred to a passenger travelling on a Gulistan-bound bus. It happened like this. As soon as the bus picked up speed I saw a middle-aged man suddenly flung from the bus at a terrific rate. The next thing I saw was a pool of blood on the pavement. I rushed to the spot. There I found the man lying unconscious, with his head bleeding profusely. I think he must have lost his grip on the handle. Soon a large number of people gathered round the man, all looking anxiously at him but no one doing anything. I suggested that he should be removed to a nearby hospital for treatment, but as no one made any move, I personally called a taxi and placed the man inside. An elderly gentleman then offered to accompany him to hospital. Meanwhile, the bus was stopped, and the conductor was abused by the passengers and the crowd. At one time I thought that he would be manhandled. But we have very little time for compassion for our fellow men. After making a show of sympathy the passengers started shouting at the driver to get the bus going, so that they might not be late for work. The last words that I heard from one of them was, ‘Leave the fellow to his fate; it will teach him to take more care next time’! These words are indeed a sad commentary on our selfishness and our lack of feeling for others. This incident has left a very painful impression on my mind. A Tea Stall Tea is as sweet as idle gossip and as adhesive as the prattle of folk-politics. A tea stall, as such, is a place of immense public interest. It is, as it were, the parliament of the common people. In the bygone days, people used to gather at a tea stall in the morning and in the evening, especially in winter. Now, be it summer or winter, a tea stall remains crowded in all seasons alike. In spite of offering a poor show with its few chairs, tables or benches, it is frequented by people from a variety of social strata. It is seen in a tea stall that a kettle is always kept hot on a stove. There is often a boy or two there to serve tea to the customers. The manager sits behind the cashbox and collects money from the customers. A tea stall opens early in the morning and closes late at night. Those who are bored with daily chores seek leisure in a social get-together at a tea stall. They take tea and talk on various issues - political, national and international, and at times they raise a storm in a teacup. There are also some tea-lovers who are in the habit of drinking tea in a tea-stall environment. To them the gathering at a tea stall is more attractive than the tea. There is no denying the fact that the tea drunk at home is different from, or even better than, the tea drunk at a tea stall, but the latter seems to have a special taste. As far as price is concerned, there may be no difference between the tea drunk at a tea stall and that drunk at home, but the value is. Extracurricular Activities of My School Extracurricular activities fall outside the sphere of the normal academic curriculum of any educational institution. They exist in almost every educational institution. They are generally voluntary and not mandatory. My school also offer extracurricular activities which are many and varied. In fact, they are a major feature of my school. They are done mainly after or before school. They include games and sports like athletics, cricket, football basketball, swimming, tennis, table tennis and volleyball. In addition to various games and sports, the school has different activity clubs which include a debating club, a science club, a literary club, a cultural club, a computer club and an English club. Extracurricular activities help the students to gain experience in a variety of areas. This experience will come in handy in their future life. Through participation in sports, they learn cooperation, teamwork and time management. By working in the activity clubs they learn responsibility, problem solving and communication. Extracurricular activities also help them to discover their hidden talents and learn about things outside their own environment. Moreover, extracurricular activities are a good way for them to learn appreciation for new and different activities. Thus, they can acquire new skills, develop a more confident approach towards life and add new colours to their lives. Hence, 5

6. extracurricular activities help the students not only to be skilfully equipped for life, but also to become more social and responsible in life. So, they go and find a new dimension in life, add more colours to their lives, set and achieve new goals, and become successful human beings. Sports Day of My School Every school celebrates its Sports Day and every student eagerly looks forward to it. My school also has its Sports Day every year and the month of January is earmarked for it. This year also was not an exception. When the day was about to come, there were a lot of activities on the entire school premises. A week before the Sports Day, the students submitted their names for different events and accordingly started practising before or after school. Studies were put on hold for a week. The school was seen bustling with enjoyment and merriment. All the students, teachers and even non-teaching staff were busy with some work or the other. This was because everyone was assigned a duty to see that the Sports Day would pass off well. At last the day arrived. It started with the usual assembly and then all of us were instructed to go to our allotted places in the field. There were volunteers from the senior students who guided the smaller ones to their respective places and soon all was set as per the plan. As soon as all was settled, the Chief Guest arrived and the Headmaster went out to receive him. The Chief Guest was taken to the dais where he took his seat. Then the Headmaster said a few words to introduce the guest to all and requested him to declare the Sports Day open. The Chief Guest declared the Sports Day open and the events started. One by one, the events took place in a very well disciplined manner. After every event the winners stood on the victory stand. The games and sports lasted for about three hours and then came the most interesting moment of the day - the moment of appreciating the winners by awarding them prizes, cups and shields. This was the ultimate moment of pleasure for the winners when they got their rewards for their good work from the Chief Guest. In fact, the thrill, the excitement, and then the pleasure of winning prizes were all moments worth seeing and enjoying. A Memorable Event in My Life Certain events happen in the life of a man. These events have a lasting impression on his memory. He can never forget them. Such an event happened in my life. I will never forget it. I have learnt swimming very early in life. Our house is very near the Padma. I regularly bathe in the Padma. During my bath I spend some time swimming. I can swim even when the Padma is very rough. Thus I may say that I am an expert swimmer. The memorable event has something to do with my skill in swimming. It was the month of August. The Padma was almost full to the brim. The current was very strong. As usual, I went to take my bath in the Padma in the morning. I was about to plunge into the water. At this time I heard loud cries about a hundred yards away. The people on the bank cried, "The boy is going to be drowned. Save him, save him." At once I went to the spot. I heard that a boy of about twelve had been carried away by the current. Nobody dared to rescue him. I thought that I should save the helpless boy. At once I jumped into the water. I swam as fast as I could. The boy was about fifty yards away from the bank. He was struggling hard, but in vain. I went near him. He tried to get hold of me. If he did, both of us might be drowned. So I did not allow him to get hold of me. But I caught hold of his hand. I pulled him and swam towards the bank against the strong current. In a few minutes I was within my depth. There was now no fear. Had I been late only by a few minutes, the boy would have surely been drowned. Thank God, I reached him on time. Now I reached the bank safely with the boy. He had struggled hard to save himself. So he was very much tired and weak. The people on the bank thanked me for rescuing the boy from imminent death. They said that I had risked my life to save the boy. They praised my courage. I learnt from the boy that he had just learnt the first stage of swimming. He was a novice. He came alone from home. He was caught in the strong current of the river. He was carried away. He could not get himself free by any means. I told him that I would help him to learn swimming within a short time. He agreed to bathe with me. This boy lived very near the Padma but at a little distance from my house, so I accompanied the boy to his house. He was the only son of his parents. His parents learnt how I had saved the boy from imminent death. They expressed their gratitude to me. I told them that God had saved the boy. I had performed my duty successfully. This is a very memorable event in my life. I will never forget it. My Next-door Neighbour We make our friends and we make our enemies, but God makes our next-door neighbour. A bad neighbour is a misfortune, as much as a good one is a great blessing. I am lucky to have a good neighbour living next door. He is Mr Ahmed who is doctor by profession. He lives with his wife, son and daughter. He is good-looking, hardworking, tolerant 6

7. and well-behaved. More importantly, he is a man of head and heart. He is very helpful and partakes of all the joys and sorrows of his neighbour. He has due regard for the likes and dislikes of his neighbour, and never tries to offend his neighbour. He has the spirit of co-operation and accommodation and proves himself a 'never-failing friend' in woe and weal. We have lived as neighbours for the last ten years. During this long period of time I have never found anything objectionable about him. He has rather been found to stand by our family in times of need. He invites us on any family, social or religious occasion. He also cordially accepts our invitation on any occasion. This type of interaction has brought the two families closer. Mr Ahmed takes great pleasure in helping people out of their plights. He has opened a dispensary at his residence to provide people with better healthcare. He takes nominal fees from them for treatment. He is a man loved and honoured by everyone in our locality. A good next-door neighbour is indeed God’s gift. It is, therefore, a happy feeling for me to have Mr Ahmed as my next-door neighbour. Price Hike Today, Bangladesh is progressing towards becoming self-sufficient in many areas. But the main challenge facing its people is the unprecedented price rise of all important commodities. This has affected not only the living condition of the people at large, but also the economic scenario of the nation. Prices of food-grains, sugar, petrol, diesel and medicines have escalated sharply. The common man is hard hit and finds it difficult to eke out a living. Such soaring prices necessitate more members in the family pitching in to earn some money. No wonder there are so many dropouts from schools in the lower income strata of people. What Bangladesh lacks is a good system of procurement and distribution. Increased agricultural production and industrial goods can arrest inflationary pressure and price rise. This is something that the present government needs to focus on. With the price of petroleum products soaring globally, the Third-World countries especially are finding it extremely difficult to keep pace with the others. This leads to poor countries becoming poorer, while the oil-rich countries are thriving and growing richer. Let us imagine the plight of the millions who cannot get even two square meals a day. One does not feel the pinch if the prices of luxury goods rise, but if the prices of essential commodities rise, where does the common man go? Starvation and deaths are quite common in poor countries where so many have no shelter, clothes or food. In Bangladesh, the government needs to ensure that food-grains are distributed through fair shops without the middleman swallowing half of them. Government personnel should carry out sudden checks to ensure fair distribution of these goods reaching the common man for whom they are intended. Black marketers and hoarders should be nabbed and punished. Corruption should be wiped out and stringent measures must be employed for this. Only then we can hope to see economic benefits for the rural poor. The Importance of Learning English English is considered to be the most common and important language of the world today. It is now called the lingua franca of the world. A great number of people understand and use English in every part of the world. In fact, it is the most useful language. Hence, we cannot deny the importance of learning English in the present context of coexisting in the world. Being good at English, we can travel to any place or any country we like. We will not find it hard to make others understand what we wish to say. English also helps us to learn all kinds of subjects. Hundreds of books are written in English every day in every country to teach people useful things. English has therefore helped to spread information and knowledge to every corner of the world. There is no subject that cannot be learnt in English. As English is widely used everywhere in the world, it has helped to make all the countries of the world become friendlier with one another. The leaders of the world use English to understand one another. English has therefore spread better understanding and friendship among all the countries of the world. Moreover, one can get ahead in one’s career when one learns English. If anyone wants to work in a multinational company within his home country or wants to work abroad, he should consider learning English. To be precise, learning English is the key to everything that is required to thrive and flourish in this modern world. My School I read in a High School. It is not a Government School. It gets aid from the Government. It is far away from the dust, noise and smoke of the city. Its building is very grand. It has verandas on both sides of the class-rooms. There are shady trees near the verandas. The burning heat of summer, the biting cold of winter and the heavy rainfall of the rainy season cannot trouble us. Near the gate there are two small gardens in which there are grassy lawns, flower beds, 7

8. fruits trees and a beautiful fountain. How nice it is to sit on the grassy lawns on a summer evening! We enjoy the sweet smell of flowers and the dance of beautiful butterflies. Our school has two science laboratories, a big library and a reading room. Besides these, there are about forty class-rooms, the Headmaster’s office, a teachers’ lounge and a clerk’s office. There are fifty teachers in the school. They are all highly qualified. They all work hard at teaching us. They help us in every way possible. They are our true friends and guides. Our results are the best not only in the city but in the district also. All the teachers are sympathetic and kind. They look after our studies. They also take care of our health and character. The Headmaster of our school is an old man. He is very particular about discipline. He keeps the school compound clean and tidy. He is a man of character. He has won the hearts of his students. He himself is punctual. So, he expects punctuality from his teachers and students. He believes in action. He is an ideal for the members of his staff. We are taught honesty, industry and truthfulness by him. Hence, we are obedient, well behaved and mannerly. The best thing in the school is the arrangements for games, debates and scouting. Every student has to take part in debates every Saturday. He has to attend the playground three times a week. I am glad to say that our school team is famous in the district for hockey and cricket. Our scouts get training in band and first-aid. My school is the best of all schools. The school is proud of its good students and the students are proud of their good school. I love it dearly. My Visit to a Baishakhi Mela The Baishakhi mela is a distinctive feature of our time-honoured culture and tradition. Every year such a mela is organised in my village. It is held in a large ground in the middle of the village. It should not be confounded with an ordinary village fair as it is associated with the celebration of Pahela Baishakh. It starts on Pahela Baishakh and continues for a week. This year I, together with my parents, went to the mela on Pahela Baishakh afternoon. We went there on foot because it was not far from our house. When we reached the ground, we found it already crowded. There prevailed a colourful and celebratory atmosphere in the mela and it was buzzing with life. Many people who came to visit the mela were found in traditional dresses. We went around the mela and saw shop after shop. These shops were very different from those in a village market. Here they were more colourful and attractive. The range of goods sold in those shops was also very wide and the goods bore the stamp of rural craftsmanship. There were attractive things for people of all ages, including men, women and children. Handicraft and handiwork occupied an important place in the mela, as most visitors appeared to be interested in them. Special attractions of the mela included jatra, merry-go-rounds and magic show. Food of many kinds was also put on sale. I bought a bamboo flute, rode on the merry-go-round and enjoyed the magic show. But as time was short, I could not enjoy the circus show and jatra. I found the mela very musical as it had many different kinds of human and instrumental noises which pleased the ear. I liked this aspect of the mela most. Before starting for home, we partook of some refreshment in a restaurant opened in the mela. I wanted to spend a few more minutes in the mela, but had to return home with my parents. The mela instilled into me a sense of love for our culture and tradition. A New Experience in My Life Just the other day I had the experience of visiting a Baishakhi Mela. It was quite a new experience in my life as I had never paid a visit to such a mela before. The mela was organised in a large ground in the middle of my village. It should not be confounded with an ordinary village fair as it was associated with the celebration of Pahela Baishakh. It started on Pahela Baishakh and continued for a week. I, together with my parents, went to the mela on Pahela Baishakh afternoon. We went there on foot because it was not far from our house. When we reached the ground, we found it already crowded. There prevailed a colourful and celebratory atmosphere in the mela and it was buzzing with life. Many people who came to visit the mela were found in traditional dresses. We went around the mela and saw shop after shop. These shops were very different from those in a village market. Here they were more colourful and attractive. The range of goods sold in those shops was also very wide and the goods bore the stamp of rural craftsmanship. There were attractive things for people of all ages, including men, women and children. Handicraft and handiwork occupied an important place in the mela, as most visitors appeared to be interested in them. Special attractions of the mela included jatra, merry-go-rounds and magic show. Food of many kinds was also put on sale. I bought a bamboo flute, rode on the merry-go-round and enjoyed the magic show. But as time was short, I could not enjoy the circus show and jatra. I found the mela very musical as it had many different kinds of human and instrumental noises which pleased the ear. I liked this aspect of the mela most. Before starting for home, we partook 8

9. of some refreshment in a restaurant opened in the mela. I wanted to spend a few more minutes in the mela, but had to return home with my parents. The mela instilled into me a sense of love for our culture and tradition. My Parents A child is known by its family. I come of a noble family. My father is the head of our small and happy family. He is forty-two years of age but looks much younger. He is the only earning member of our family. He is a very good person. He takes a keen interest in my studies. He is very pious and kind-hearted. He is always ready to help those who are needy and poor. I am very proud of having such a nice father. He is a much respected person. A certain portion of his income is spent on charity. His love, help and guidance are a great source of inspiration to me. I always pray for his long life and good health. He commands high respect from all others around him. I love him very much. My mother, on the other hand, is the homemaker. To me she is like a living goddess who takes every care of me. Of all the persons in the world, she loves me most, and I also love her from the core of my heart. When I fall sick, she spends sleepless nights by my sick-bed. When I come first in my class examination, she becomes perhaps the happiest person on earth. From my childhood, I have been greatly influenced by my mother. She has always guided me in the right path in every step of my life. She has taught me discipline, manners, and the sense of duty towards others in the family and in the society. I remember that she used to relate to me many oriental and mythological tales when I was a child. She has taught me to love my country and my countrymen. She assists me every day in preparing my homework given by the teachers. My mother is an ideal woman in my life. I consider myself fortunate to be born as her son. She is very anxious about my health, education, and prosperity. I feel that there is no other person nearest to the heart than a mother in this world. An Ideal Student An ideal student stands for all that is good and noble. He has qualities of head and heart which endear him to all. The parents and the teachers love him. His class-mates admire him and try to emulate him. An ideal student has a good personality. He never neglects his physical development and for this he takes regular exercise. He is not a book-worm. He studies while it is time to study. He goes to the playground and takes an active part in the games. This keeps him fit. An ideal student is an early riser. He gets up early in the morning. He takes exercise in the open air. He bathes daily. He prays to God. He takes a balanced diet. He avoids taking too much of food. He follows the rules of health and personal hygiene. An ideal student is very honest. He is intelligent. He has very pleasing manners. He respects his elders. He never talks disrespectfully of his teachers but seeks their guidance in whatever he does. He loves his friends. An ideal student is always good at his studies. He prepares his lessons well. He helps his classmates in their studies. He tries to gather as much knowledge as possible. He is regular and punctual at school. An ideal student form good habits. He is truthful. He never deceives others. He never does anything which might degrade him in the eyes of others. He has perfect control over himself. He is never a slave to his senses. He avoids temptations and follows the path of duty. An ideal student takes an active part in all the extra-curricular activities of the school. There is not an item in the school programme in which he does not take an interest. He is a good speaker. He takes an active part in the school debates and declamation contests. An ideal student is a good organiser. He arranges matches. He captains his team. He organizes picnics and outings. There too he is the moving spirit. He commands influence over all. His classmates look upon him as their leader. The teachers seek his help in their routine class work. An ideal student never loses his temper. He is never angry with other. He has a smile on his face. He gets his work done by others through love and friendship. He is thoroughly responsible in all that he does. My Home / House My home/house is situated in a small village near Dhaka. It is a spacious one-storey building made of red brick. It stands right in the middle of a large piece of land with a hedge on all sides. In front of the house is a well-kept lawn with tall graceful trees and flowerbeds. At the back there are a small lawn and a vegetable garden on one side and mango trees on the other. In the corner of the lawn there is a well which we use for watering the trees once or twice a month. The house consists of two rows of three rooms each, all square and spacious, joined by a corridor. The verandas on the front and back sides of the house protect it from rain or sun. The walls of the house are so thick that the heat of the summer sun never manages to penetrate them. In winter they become rather cold. The front veranda leads to two rooms: one is the drawing room and the other is my father’s room. My room is just behind the drawing room. Other rooms are occupied by other members of the family. My father does not like modern furniture which, in 9

10. his opinion, is fragile, ugly and uncomfortable. He has furnished the house with large solid chairs, tables and beds. My room is perhaps the most modern part of the house. My father allowed me to buy a sofa set and a bookcase with a glass front. My home/house is not a very big or magnificent building but it is not like other houses I have seen. It is different. It has a strange charm for me. I have become so used to living in it that now I do not really feel comfortable anywhere else. I have a lot of attachment to it because I have spent my childhood and boyhood in it. Life of a Rickshaw-puller A rickshaw-puller is a useful member of our society. He earns his living by pulling a rickshaw. His service is in equal demand in cities, towns and villages. It is the rickshaw-puller who takes us to those places where other means of transportation are not accessible. His life is one of hardship and misery. In our country those who work hard suffer most. A rickshaw-puller is an example of this social rule. He lives in a slum. There are some who do not have any roof overhead. He often spends his night on platforms, in parks or on pavements. Sometimes he crawls up in his rickshaw and spends his night in it. The average rickshaw-puller does not own his carriage. He hires it on rent from the owner. That takes away much of his freedom because he has to work in shifts, sometimes at noon and sometimes at night. He has fear of accident and also of the police. He has no holidays. The day he does not work he must starve. His labour is inhuman. He works in all weathers. The sun and the rain test their strength on him. He suffers from serious diseases, but cannot go to a doctor. Passengers, whom he carries on his rickshaw, think that they may be cheated by him and so they haggle. This is very natural considering the fact that the rickshaw-passengers themselves are not very rich. But the puller is among the most exploited persons in our society. A rickshaw-puller is an active man. He is also very mobile. As he carries people of various types and talks with them, he is a more informed man than many of his own class. Rickshaws are slow, and there is no doubt that they should be withdrawn. But a rickshaw-puller must be given an alternative means of livelihood before that is done. An Ideal Teacher An ideal teacher is like a candle which consumes itself to light the way for others. Everybody holds him in high estimation. A teacher becomes an ideal one by dint of devotion and dedication to his profession. He leaves a profound influence on the intellectual and moral character of his students by his knowledge, character, and day-to-day life. Such a teacher is Mr AKC, our English teacher. He is my favourite teacher. He is a man of great personality with a profound knowledge of his subject. His presence in the classroom enchants all his students. Each student in the classroom listens to his lecture with rapt attention. He presents any lesson to his students in an interesting and understandable way. Even the backbenchers among the students find it easy to understand. The students do not need to work hard at anything that he teaches in the classroom. It appears that he is gifted with the art of teaching. Outside the classroom, he encourages his students to take part in extracurricular activities and social services. He has a unique organising capability that binds his students together in any academic or social activities. He sets himself as an example for his students to follow through his selfless social services. The students cannot but look upon him as their guide, philosopher and friend. He is therefore inspirational for his students to tread on the path of progress. Not that he is free from all human follies. Sometimes he appears to be choleric when anything goes wrong. This folly apart, he is a teacher with a difference: he can easily find his place in each student’s heart. My Last Birthday Celebration A birthday comes only once in a year and I celebrated my last birthday the way I wanted to. My parents were gracious enough to ask me for anything on that day and I asked them to arrange a grand party for my friends. The party was held in the evening. I invited about twenty school friends and neighbours. I was very happy and excited on that day. I wore a beautiful dress. At about 4.00 p.m. my friends started coming to my house. They brought many presents for me. There were storybooks, boxes of chocolates, pretty handkerchiefs, cute-looking toys and game sets. After wishing me a `Happy Birthday', they gave me their presents. Then they ran into the garden to play different games arranged for them. It was a picture of joy and happiness as they ran about laughing and screaming. The winners of the games received many things as prizes. I enjoyed the privilege of giving away the prizes. Just then, my mother called all of us to sit around a gaily decorated table. There were a lot of delicious food items on it. In the centre was a pretty birthday cake. It had pink icing with fifteen pink candles and flowers on it. While my friends sang the birthday song to me, I cut the cake. My father was busy taking photographs. Then all the guests were treated to a sumptuous meal. At 6.30 p.m. 10

11. the party was over. Before going home, all my friends received presents from my mother. Each of my friends was given a storybook and a balloon. They were delighted. After saying farewell to us, they went home happily. I then thanked my parents for holding such a pleasant party to celebrate my birthday. A Moonlit Night Of a moonlit night Keats wrote: “……… the Queen-Moon is on her throne, / Cluster’d around by all her starry Fays.” It indicates that a moonlit night is different from all other nights. Nights are usually dark and generally fearful, but a moonlit night has its own characteristics. It is neither as bright as a sunny day nor as dark as an ordinary night. It has the advantages of both. In Bangladesh we have moonlit nights particularly in spring and autumn. These two are moderate seasons when days and nights are almost equal in length. On a moonlit night the moon shines gloriously in the sky and sends out its silvery rays to the earth below. Darkness hides itself in shame, and everything looks silvery. The world appears to be restful and full of silent joy. In the sky sometimes clouds play hide-and-seek with the moon, creating a net of light and shade. A moonlit night is a charming spectacle. Few things in nature are more charming than it is. In towns we do not always see such nights or feel their presence. But in villages one is always aware of their appeal. Beautiful poems have been written on them. But it is not the poets alone who respond to their charms; even the common man feels a joy when he sees the moon illuminating the night. A moonlit night is one of the blessings of nature. It is a pity that many of us who are town-dwellers fail to enjoy the joys that a moonlit night offers to us. My Favourite Television Programme The television is part and parcel of many households. Therefore, watching television is a culture of today’s modern society. It is a favourite pastime of many people, cutting across the culture, creed, gender and age. I must admit that I too enjoy sitting glued to the television as mother often laments. Since I watch television all day long, I do not blame mother. However, whenever I watch my favourite television programme, she does not complain. In fact, she often sits beside me to watch the programme, the National Geographic. The National Geographic is a well-known documentary programme focusing mainly on the ever-changing world, Mother Earth, Nature, peoples and creatures. Pressing a button brings the whole world before me and I savour its beauty and wonders. I like this programme because it is very educative. It is a ‘window to the world’. By watching it, I can travel, explore and discover the four corners of the world. I have trekked up the highest peak and conquered Mount Everest. I have dived down the deepest trenches. I have walked through the wilderness and been amongst the wild beasts, big and small. Thus, this programme has helped to expand my horizon and improve my knowledge and experience. I can proudly say I am no more a ‘frog in the well’. I also enjoy watching the National Geographic because it is entertaining, interesting and stimulating. I get a chance to enjoy the kaleidoscope of sights, sounds and colours of the world and its different peoples, all in the comfort of my own home. In addition to that, this programme is of very high quality and it is produced by a team of expert. The photographic footage is extremely breathtaking and inspiring. Besides, the narration is very accurate, informative, vivid and descriptive. Thus, I have never felt restless, distracted or bored watching this programme. The National Geographic is my favourite programme as it has helped me to ‘grow’ and ‘mature’. I have watched it since I was a seven-year-old boy. Now, I am more sensitive and aware of the world and Mother Earth. I learn to be more appreciative of Mother Earth and its beauty and wonders. I am more concerned about the preservation and conservation of the world not only now but also for posterity. In short, the National Geographic has converted me into a more responsible citizen of the world and a caretaker of Mother Earth. It is a touching and heart-warming television programme and I will not hesitate to recommend it to others so that they too have a chance to savour amazing moments and appreciate and care for the one and only world we live in. A Railway Station Rabindranath says in one of his later poems that the railway station shows that this world is the handiwork of a painter, and not that of a blacksmith or artisan. A railway station is one of the features of modern civilisation. It is a place which helps railway passengers to get on or off a train. Every railway station is provided with a time-chart for the arrival and departure of trains. It has its staff including the station-master. The porters help passengers with their luggage. Railway stations differ in size and importance. If anyone waits on a platform of a railway station for some time, he will experience many strange events and interesting scenes happening before his eyes like a movie. Usually the atmosphere is quiet and even sleepy when trains are off. But with the arrival of a train the station suddenly bursts into life. Passengers walk about, porters hurry forward carrying loads of luggage, and hawkers shout their wares in 11

12. various tunes. The ticket-checkers and the guards become busy doing their functions. And then the train leaves, and the station again becomes quiet. A railway station exercises a strange fascination on all of us. Children gaze with wide-eyed wonder as a railway engine puffs its way into the station as did Apu and Durga in 'Pather Panchali'. Grown-up people, particularly in the country-side, gather on the platform to greet the incoming passengers or see off the out-going passengers. It is great fun to visit a railway station where one can have a sight of the multitude of men and women that crowd the platform. Some alight from the train and others get into it for a journey. What a busy scene it is and what a rich variety is offered to our sight! A Bus Stand The regular stopping-place for a bus is known as a bus-stand. A bus stand presents a very lively and interesting scene. There is always a lot of hustle and bustle. The hawkers fill the place with their singsong voices to sell their goods. There are queues of men, women and children eagerly waiting for the bus. The queues get longer and longer every minute. The passengers wait patiently and discuss the burning issues of the day. Some women have babies in their arms and look tired. It is very difficult for them to wait for the bus which sometimes takes hours to come. Children become restless and trouble their parents to buy them something. A bus stand is a museum of human faces coming from different strata of society. They are in their peculiar dresses and speak different dialects. The scene changes all of a sudden with the arrival of the bus. The queue often breaks and the passengers start hurry-scurrying to get on the bus. The old and the women suffer most in this confusion. When a jam-packed bus arrives, many passengers cannot get on it. The strong can board it while the weak are left behind to wait till the next bus comes and picks them up. It generally happens during rush-hours. In fact, a bus stand can be incredibly crowded during morning or evening rush-hours. People are often required to go by bus in order to save money. Since buses happen to be one of the cheapest modes of transportation, a bus stand is an important place for many regular commuters like low income-group employees, students and ordinary workers. When morning or evening rush-hours are over, a bus stand does not remain crowded. Still a few buses stop for some passengers to get on or off. In the late night when buses go out of operation, a bus stand takes a deserted look. It seems to be in a slumber in order to get ready for another busy day. The Life of a Farmer Being an agricultural country, Bangladesh is mostly inhabited by farmers. They are the backbone of the nation. They mainly grow food crops, oil-seeds, vegetables, fruits and cotton. They also produce some raw materials for our industries. Hence, they are the life-blood of our nation. A farmer is busy day and night. He works in all weathers. He ploughs the land. He sows the seeds. He keeps watch over the crops at night. He guards the crops against the stray cattle. He guards the harvest against thieves. He reaps the crops and carries them home. Bullocks are the precious possession of a farmer. He takes care of his bullocks. His wife and children help him in his work. A farmer is poor. His poverty is well-known to the whole world. He cannot get two full meals a day. He wears a piece of coarse cloth. He cannot give education to his children. He cannot give fine dress to them. He cannot give ornaments to his wife. His wife has to manage with a few pieces of coarse cloth. A farmer is harassed by the village touts. He is harassed by the money-lenders and the tax collectors. Hence, he cannot enjoy his own yield. A farmer does not possess a suitable residence. He has no good house to live in. He lives in a thatched cottage. His room is very small and dark. A farmer celebrates a social function in the simplest manner possible. He celebrates a lot of festivals round the year. He celebrates the wedding of his sons and daughters. He entertains his kith and kin as well as his friends and neighbours. He goes to visit his relations. He attends the open-air dramas and the folk-dances in his locality. The condition of a farmer should be improved. He should be taught the modern method of farming. He should be made literate. So, night-schools should be opened for him. He should be assisted in all possible ways by the Government because upon his well-being depends the welfare of our country. A Street Beggar Clad in rags, a street beggar can be seen everywhere begging in the name of God. In ancient times a person took to begging only when he had been very hungry for days together and had not been able to get hold of a job. Nowadays begging has become almost a profession in our country. Wherever we go, a street beggar stares us in the face. We cannot escape him. Like the God Almighty, a street beggar seems to be omnipresent. There are some street beggars who are able bodied. They can work to earn their bread but they have taken to begging simply because it is very easy. They at times get more money than many honest workers can earn. The street beggars virtually loot money in the name of religion and God. They do not deserve pity. There are other street beggars who are crippled. But it is no 12

13. excuse for begging. A self-respecting person — whether handicapped or not — always tries to stand on his own feet. Of course, crippled people should be helped, but they should not be given alms. Begging can in no way be justified. A street beggar, who is healthy but lazy, is very clever and cunning. Some street beggars go about in saffron clothes, carrying bowls in their hands. Some street beggars form singing parties and beg in the name of a charitable institution. Some sit by the roadside and pretend to be blind or deaf. They try to rouse the pity and sympathy of the passers-by. Most of such beggars are fit to work and can earn their living on their own. Sometimes the street beggars even do the great crime of kidnapping little children and later training them in the art of begging. While giving alms to any street beggar, one should always keep in mind that giving a little money or food will not end his poverty. If one wants to really end his poverty, one should give him work instead. Charity may be given but it should not be given without consideration. Misplaced charity is good neither for the one who shows it nor for the one to whom it is shown. It rather encourages idleness and inactivity. It produces parasites and wastes a sizeable amount of manpower. A Religious Festival Eid-ul-Fitr is one of the biggest festivals of the Muslims. It is celebrated on the first day of Shawaal, the tenth month in the Arabic calendar. It marks the end of a month-long fast during the month of Ramadan. It is celebrated with great enthusiasm and with great fervour throughout the country. Eid is perhaps the only festival that lays great importance on sacrifice and purity of life. It teaches us the value of love, brotherhood and sympathy. The Muslims keep fast for a month so that their souls can be purified. They pray five times a day and give alms and food to the poor and the needy. They cherish a belief that Allah has given them health and strength to fulfil their obligation of fasting and other good deeds during the month of Ramadan. The day on which Eid falls is a day of great merry-making. It is a day of love, affection, harmony and brotherhood. The Muslims wear new colourful dresses. They go to the mosque first to offer their prayers and seek blessings from Allah. After that they visit their friends, relatives and neighbours. They embrace each other forgetting old grudges and ill-feelings. They wish each other Eid Mubarak. Sweets are prepared and shared with friends, relatives and neighbours. 'Semai' is a popular dish made on Eid day. Guests are served with this dish. All the Muslims are seen happy on Eid day. A spirit of brotherhood prevails in every heart. There is no distinction between the rich and the poor on this day. All are equal. Eid-ul-Fitr upholds the principle of universal brotherhood. In a world marred by communalism, fanaticism and parochialism, a festival of this type can bring about much social harmony and feeling of brotherhood among people. My Mother It was rightly said, “God could not be everywhere, so He created mothers.” Of all the persons in the world, my mother loves me most. Her love for me is like nothing else in the world. It knows no law or pity. It dares all things and crushes down remorselessly all that stands in its path. I also love her from the core of my heart. To me she is like a living goddess who takes every care of me. She understands what I do not say. Her arms are made of tenderness and I sleep soundly in them. When I fall sick, she spends sleepless nights by my sick-bed. When I come first in my class exami-nation, she becomes perhaps the happiest person on earth. From my childhood I have been greatly influenced by my mother. She has always guided me in the right path in every step of my life. She has taught me discipline, manners, and the sense of duty towards others in the family and in the society. I remember that she used to relate to me many oriental and mythological tales when I was a child and did not know how to read and write. She has taught me to love my country and my countrymen. She assists me everyday in preparing my homework given by the teachers. My mother is an ideal woman in my life. I love my mother as the trees love water and sunshine - she helps me grow, prosper, and reach great heights. I feel fortunate to be born as her son. She is very anxious about my health, my education, and my prosperity. I feel that there is no other person nearest to the heart than a mother in this world. I need my mother as the trees need water and sunshine - she helps me grow, prosper, and reach great heights. Life of a Fisherman A fisherman depends for his livelihood on fishing. He lives in a community in the neighbourhood of a water body. He uses simple and traditional fishing equipment. Usually he belongs to a group of fishermen fishing together. They use a non-motorised boat and a traditional net for fishing in an inland water body. But, while fishing in a sea, they use a motorised boat and a modern net. Fishing may be a group activity but fishing equipment is often owned by one of the fishermen of the group. He takes the other fishermen of the group as his working partners. Sadly enough, they do not get the right price for their catch most of the time. As a result, poverty has been an ever-present spectre in their life. A fisherman is usually ranked very low in the social hierarchy. Although fishes are highly valued in our country, those 13

14. who catch them are generally despised. A fisherman wears a piece of coarse cloth. He cannot give education to his children. He cannot give fine dress to them. He cannot give ornaments to his wife. His wife has to manage with a few pieces of coarse cloth. A fisherman has no good house to live in. He lives in a thatched cottage. His room is very small and dark. A fisherman celebrates a social function in the simplest manner possible. He celebrates a lot of festivals round the year. He celebrates the wedding of his sons and daughters. He entertains his kith and kin as well as his friends and neighbours. He goes to visit his relations. He attends the open-air dramas and the folk-dances in his locality. The condition of a fisherman should be improved. He should be taught the modern method of fishing. He should be made literate. So, night-schools should be opened for him. He should be assisted in all possible ways by the Government. Water Pollution Water is a vital element of the environment. It is the real elixir. It is essential for human, animal and plant life. We cannot think of life without water. Life is said to have originated in water millions and millions year ago. As long as water is clean, it is safe for use. But if it is polluted, it is very harmful. Water pollution is second to air pollution. It occurs in many ways. Firstly, man pollutes water by throwing waste into it. Secondly, farmers use chemical fertilisers and insecticides in their fields. Rain and floods wash away some of the chemicals. They come to be mixed with river water, canal water and pond water. The water gets polluted in this way. Thirdly, mills and factories throw their poisonous chemicals and waste products into rivers and canals and thus pollute the water. Fourthly, water vehicles pollute the water by throwing oil, food waste and human waste into the rivers. Finally, unsanitary latrines standing on the banks of rivers and canals allow human waste and filth to fall into them and pollute the water. We cannot keep water clean without preventing its pollution. If we wish to preserve good health, we need to use good water. Good water is clean water. By preventing pollution we can keep natural water clean. And by drinking only pure and clean water we can live healthier and happier lives. 14