Biography 286: Borua Sir, always proud of his students

 Three of us, among four sisters, had studied at Kamalapur High School. When I was in grade 10, I attended Matijhil Govt Girls High School. My mother decided to improve my math skills. She heard that a math teacher from Kamalapur High School is very good and he tutors in his home in the nearby neighbourhood. My mom contacted him and secured a spot for me.

I have the address, and after some struggle, I found his place. I entered and saw there were some tables with chairs in the room. Some students my age were doing math. The teacher welcomed me with a smile and asked me to join his students.

Later, we were in a group of three. The other two students, Shyama and Champa, were from different schools. But we had a very good bond. That's a different story.

On those days, my youngest sister was attending Kamalapur High School where Barua sir was working. He knew my sister. When we three sisters studied in this school, we all received many prizes for different competitions. Barua sir noticed that too.

One day I heard he was telling others that these sisters have some unique brains. They are all very intelligent. Their parents must have taken very good care of them, or they also have intelligence in their family. Otherwise, not all sisters could be that good. All of them collect prizes every year because of their talent.

The way he was speaking, I could see how proud he is of being our teacher. I wish I had studied more, just to keep him proud of us. This is another kind of love from teachers to students. When I was a student, I never knew how much my teachers used to love me. I wish I had known. I would have taken my studies more seriously and maybe done better in my scores.

Then I heard he retired. Whenever I met him on the road or at any shop (our houses are in nearby neighbourhoods), he always recognized me. I was his student in 10th grade; he talked with me when I had a boy and still smiled and felt proud of me. I wish I could do more to always make him proud.

He told me he still goes to the school, has teas with teachers, and talks with students. I guess his coaching is still ongoing, even though he retired from the school. Recently, I saw his picture on the school website. He still looks young and strong. I wish him and his family to stay safe and sound.

Neoliberalism

 Neoliberalism is a political and economic philosophy that advocates for market-oriented policies.

The equipment's that not use regularly

 In a family physician's clinic, doctors may have separate rooms for examining patients. In most cases, family physicians don't check up on any emergency patients. For any emergency case, they recommend going to the hospital or calling 911 (emergency paramedics will check the patient first).

In this scenario, doctors don't need to put all the equipment in every single room. The doctor may take or ask someone to bring in a cart if any non-regular equipment is needed. Otherwise, if they keep all the equipment in every single room, it is a waste of money and space. And that equipment becomes unusable after years, as it is not touched, cleaned, or tested.

Biography 285: A restaurant in Karwan Bazar

 I used to take lunch at a Karwan Bazar (Bangladesh) restaurant regularly. It was in a corporate area. Most of its customers were working men. Every noon, I used to take the underground path (it's not available now) to cross a big, busy road and go to that restaurant. Every day, I used to order something new from their menu. I changed my menu every noon so that I wouldn't get bored. At home, I do the same. Every time I try to cook something I haven't eaten very recently.

In this way, I tried different foods every noon. I noticed in their menu that they didn't mention how many people can eat from one order. One day, I ordered fish. They gave me fish curry, which is enough for 4 or 5 people. It became impossible for me to eat it all. I don't like wasting food, but I had to leave some on the table that day. I became very annoyed with the food server; at least he could have told me that the portion would be large. He watched me every day eating alone. I couldn't take food with me because I wasn't going home; the place I was going to doesn't have a refrigerator.

One day, I called a friend for a meeting at that restaurant. The restaurant staff became very curious because they had never seen me with anyone. Anyway, I paid the bill because I asked him to come and discuss buying a cellphone. Back then, I bought my first cellphone from Citicell. My friend helped me financially, and I later repaid him. He is a very good friend of mine. Now he lives in Australia with his family. Sometimes we talk on Facebook.

The restaurant was located at the Karwan Bazaar intersection. In the middle of the road, there was a SAARC sculpture with a water fountain. I don't remember the name of the restaurant.

Knowledge of the climate crisis

Climate crisis is a serious disturbance to the earth’s climate caused by human activities—such as greenhouse gas emissions from burning fossil fuels.

Airplane seating arrangements

The most expensive form of public transportation is air travel. It is kind of a rich people's vehicle. People who are not wealthy often use this transport when there are no other options available, such as crossing an ocean or a long distance.

Airplane services vary significantly across different countries. The best airline services are provided by Middle Eastern airlines.

Canadian airline fares are very high, but the service is very low. It is lower than many third-world countries. I have travelled with Canadian Air and WestJet airlines. I found WestJet's service is better than Canadian Airlines. However, WestJet also needs to improve a lot. All airplanes need a deep clean. Nobody will feel good when they find food crumbs in different places after taking a seat. Window glasses should be very clean so travellers can have a nice view and take good pictures.

Except for the first-class area, all economy seats are designed for very zero figure/slim individuals. If you are a normal-sized person, there’s no chance you will sit in their seat without touching the person next to you. Everyone needs personal space, but you can't have it in economy class. The airline companies seem to follow a system similar to the Muslim salat practice in a mosque, where you stand shoulder to shoulder with others. In airlines, you have to sit like that.

If you are travelling with your group, it might be okay (though not for everyone), but when you are travelling with a stranger, this is very wrong.

To make more money, airlines shouldn't put people in that situation.

Biography 284: Shafinaaz watched the movie.

 Shafinaaz was my best friend in primary school. During those days, I was studying at Kamalapur High School. After a weekend, Shafinaaz said she went to watch a Bangla movie in the cinema hall with her family. The movie was "Banjaraan." The main actress was Shabana. Shafinaaz said she liked the movie. She even used to sing (hum) the song "Amra to banjaraan, dekhabo naach gaan" for the next couple of days. 

I didn't watch the movie or listen to the song, but I guess it must be a good one since Shafinaaz liked it. I don't know where she is now. I hope she is having a great life.

Anti-oppression practice

 Anti-oppression practice (AOP) is a leading social justice-oriented approach in social work that recognizes the structural and systemic roots of oppression. It promotes social transformation by applying various theories, such as feminist, Marxist, postmodernist, Indigenous, poststructuralist, anti-colonial, and anti-racist theories.

Traveling

 I enjoy travelling. Most of the time, I travel with others—such as friends, relatives, colleagues, or groups, etc. Sometimes I make a travel plan and then carry it out with them; other times, they plan and invite me to join, and I go. Very rarely have I travelled alone. 

I prefer to travel without stress. I enjoy when someone else handles all the planning and tells me what my role is, so I can focus on that. When travelling with someone, I always respect their choices, like where to go, what to eat, and how long to stay. Sometimes I share my wishes; if they're listened to, great—if not, I take it easy. I don't expect everyone to enjoy travelling the same way I do. 

When no one invites me to join any tours, I create my own. It might be nearby or farther away—somewhere new and interesting. I mean physically, and if it’s affordable, then it’s a possible trip for me.

Can't speak or speak less

 Can't speak much and don't speak much aren't the same. 

Some people hesitate, fear, or are too shy to speak up. 

Others speak less because of their personality; they communicate only what is necessary, avoiding unnecessary chatter.

Some shut themselves down when they feel mentally low or in anger. 

Some have physical or mental disabilities that make speaking difficult. These can range from minor reasons like bad breath or crooked teeth, to hiding an accent, struggling with a new language, or having physical or mental limits. 

Another group speaks less because they don't know much or have done something wrong. 

So, when you meet someone who speaks less, it doesn't mean they have a problem preventing them from working. Not all employees need to be talkative. You want someone who will do their job honestly; that's the backbone of your company's success.