Once it was found frequently in rural ‘haats’ and bazaars that someone or a group of people show their special physical fit and the spectators spontaneously present a little amount of money as pleasure which was enough for the livelihood of the concerned person(s). The scene was also not rare in city and towns also. Sometimes local homemade herbal medicine producers used to utilise those persons to attract people and then to tell the miracle stories about their produce. Now such scenes are rare. Our photographer snapped this picture recently from the city’s Mirpur area. A young boy is seen showing the fit for flying through a ring unhurt which has some knives tied in its round structure.—Staff Photo

Ershad criticises ‘formalin politics’ of AL, BNP

HM Ershad, Jatiya Party chairman and former president, has criticised Awami League and BNP for making fun with a serious harmful chemical, formalin.

He told a meeting at the party’s Banani office on Monday that, “Formalin is not a matter of joke. It hurts me when top leaders of our country make fun with it”.

“Whenever we open the pages of the newspapers, we see news of murders. But our politicians don’t feel shame while joking about formalin! I get shocked to see that,” Ershad added.

Hussain Muhammad Ershad, also the special envoy to the prime minister, said he could contain the use of formalin in food items within seven days had he been there in power. He also voiced disappointment over the present situation of the country.

BNP chairperson Khaleda Zia has recently said they were giving the government time to get decomposed. In reply, Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina at her press conference on Saturday said her government has kept BNP alive with formalin.

BNP acting secretary general Mirza Fakhrul Islam Alamgir on Sunday said Sheikh Hasina’s rule is the era of formalin.

Ershad described the way the two major political parties are following as a curse for the country and said people are now waiting to get rid of them. — Staff Reporter