Why isn't ~/.profile sourced when I start the terminal app? I have created some busybox aliases in the ~/.profile file, but when I open the terminal app, that script isn't sourced and the aliases aren't available. However, when I manually run source ~/.profile, it is run and then aliases are available. What should I do to source this script automatically each time the terminal app is started.
Jackpal's Terminal Emulator has an option that allows you to set what commands are executed at startup. Go to Preferences - Initial command and put the source command there.

Extra tip: you can't execute more than one line of command from there, but if your command requires su, shortening it with su -c should work.