Once, mornings began with the cheerful notes of the postman’s flute. He would trudge along muddy village paths, carrying a bag full of stories and messages tucked neatly into envelopes. For some, he brought joyful news; for others, a long-awaited sigh of anticipation. That world of letters, once the purest language of love, is now slowly fading with time.
Today, October 9, marks World Post Day, a day to remember a time when a handwritten letter was the most reliable way to reach a loved one.
A simple sheet of paper in an envelope could carry poetry of love, updates about children, or messages from family abroad. Eyes would anxiously await the mailbox, listening for the sound of the postman’s footsteps. His arrival meant either good news or sometimes a tearful announcement.
Today, we live in a world dominated by instant digital communication, from emails and messaging apps to mobile phones. Yet, something essential is missing: the warmth and intimacy of handwritten words, the tangible touch of a personal note.
Bishwajit Chakraborty, postmaster of Cox’s Bazar main post office, told Cox’s Bazar Life that modernization has improved many postal services, but sadly, the era of personal letters is gone. Letters now are mostly official, and personal notes rarely arrive.
Currently, Cox’s Bazar postal services include general mail, registered letters, financial services like money orders and postal cash cards, commercial and official services such as parcels, revenue tickets, and postage stamps, as well as agency services like postal life insurance, savings bank operations, savings certificates, prize bonds, and non-judicial stamp sales. The district has eight operational post offices, including Maheshkhali, Kutubdia, Ramu, Chakaria, Ukhiya, Teknaf, Pekua, and Naikhongchhari, which continue to provide these services to their local communities.
In the digital age, handwritten letters may seem like a relic, yet the emotions they carried remain alive. Some still silently hope for a letter from a loved one. Even if a letter never reaches its destination, it still leaves a lasting impact on the heart.
On this World Post Day, we remember with gratitude the postmen who once carried messages of love, connecting us to the ones who meant the most.
By Abdu Rashid Manik
Photo: Abdu Rashid Manik
