The Parallax View: A Collection of Critical Essays

This is the third volume of Crosstalk published by the University Press Limited. The two other collections of this popular column were published in 2004 and 2008. Crosstalk has been appreciated by readers for its lucid language and thought-provoking bold commentaries on matters close to their hearts. Each of the essays contains interesting facts, critical information and convincing insights that weave together compelling arguments on contemporary issues. The columnist invokes a moral world where right and wrong coexist but people fail to be accountable for their actions. His fundamental assumption is that Bangladesh has lost its innocence; accountability has been frittered away in exchange for political convenience. It started the day the first freedom fighter certificate was sold for the price of a pack of cigarettes. After that came the mad rush for licenses and permits, followed by the festival of fictitious academic certificates: when education turned into a pay-per-view privilege and leaking question papers was the logical conclusion. From the narrow lanes of condoned aberrations, this nation eventually embarked on the highway of gross violations.