Village Flute -"A Few Words"

By- Andrew Eagle
I don't pay attention to dates. But it is eighteen years since I first came to Bangladesh as a tourist. It was January 1996. ….With an Australian friend, we'd only decided to visit because we knew nothing about Bangladesh and because the visa was free. There was no way to imagine that simple journey could alter a life's course. But I used to try to visit Bangladesh every year thereafter. It's a deeply fascinating country. There is so much for a westerner to learn.                                                   * * * * * * *I have discovered that Bangladeshi culture seems to have no limit to its diversity or depth. I have come some of the way to understanding Bangladeshi thinking, the country's history and values. And in recent years working for The Daily Star has allowed me to spread my wings and explore more of the country. I am still learning. I remain fascinated……
I would take this eighteenth anniversary occasion to express sincere thanks to our editor Mahfuz Anam and to the editor of The Star magazine Aasha Mehreen Amin – a remarkable person and the world's best boss – for their constant support and encouragement. Equally I thank The Star magazine team and our readers.
I hope you can forgive such self-indulgence – this once. You see, it's just that I have the world's best job, one that combines my three passions: travel, writing and Bangladesh. I imagine there are others who feel that theirs is the best job in the world. I can hardly help it if they are wrong! But don't worry – from next week the focus must return to where it should be – on our ever-surprising, always-enlightening, beautiful, soulful Bangladesh. I promise.”
Extract from an article written by Andrew Eagle in
The Star, A Weekly Magazine of the Daily Star: 6 June, 2014 18^th ANNIVERSARY SPECIAL.