Letters
A Lasting Void
We are profoundly distressed at the sad demise of our beloved poet Shamsur Rahman. He was an asset for our country, contributed much to our treasure of literature. His affluent manoeuvring in the litery arena is making us feel the vacuity of a great poet. His dedication, conviction, commitment to society has laid down the footsteps for us to follow.
But sometimes I feel that we did not care for him the way he deserved. Why couldn't we take him abroad for further treatment which may have prolonged his life? Why did the government not respond in time? Was it not the least we could do for a person who had dedicated his total life for the betterment of our society?
K Hasan
Jalalabad, Sylhet
Should we blame them?
Sarah Mahmud's article (A day in the life of a sex worker August 18, 2006) was an excellent piece. It gave a very clear view of the life of the sex workers and the reason why they are in this trade.
The thing that troubled me most was that in all the cases the culprit responsible for making their lives like this was a male or a group of males. In this patriarchal form of society women are always oppressed by men. When Hasna, a garment worker of only 14 was raped by 15 men, the society was unable to protect her, yet when she became a prostitute after that the society only loathed her. Isn't the society responsible for her safety?
Pulok Kanty Chakraborty
SUST
New Voter List
The last date of the voter list ended last Sunday, but there were still many citizens who couldn't get into that list because the so-called ''mat porjayer kormi'' didn't even appear in some areas where they were in charge which disrupted the chances of the younger generation of becoming a voter.
But the surveys show that 2.2 MILLION VOTERS have increased since the last election, thus excluding age rise, deaths, marital status, etc. I think that the CEC should take this job more seriously because these people, who are being neglected hold the key to selecting the next government.
Nafis Ali
Jafrabad
Another Aid to Dear Chintito
I must thank Chintito for the very chinta proshuto article entitled 'An Aid to Our Identity' (August 25, 2006). He tried to put every 'Bangalee' under his microscope but it seems that he forgot to see his own face in the mirror.
As there is no mention about our beloved 'somajer darpon' journalists name on the list, I have a thought in my mind that, they (the journalists) are either more than perfect or must be 'Non-bangalee'. Is it not partiality? Or are you trying to prove that, "crows don't eat crow's meat"?
I want to thank the writer for the article. I hope to see more of such articles but a little more impartial ones perhaps.
Syed Riaz
Mirpur
Praiseworthy article "Cruel Consequences of Negligence"
The cover story entitled "Cruel Consequences of Negligence"(August 18, 2006) by Louise Russell is an outstandingly informative article. The heart-breaking condition of the rural children in our country has come to light.
Because of lack of first-aid knowledge many rural children die from drowning, bruises, scrapes, grazes, scorching, boat capsizes etc. This must cannot continue. Often the initial injuries are not severe but the after effects rare devastating due to lack of first aid, poor care and negligence. With the help of different NGOs and international organisations the government should take proper steps to educate the people about safety issues that can save many lives.
I want to thank the writer for her extraordinary contribution. I hope SWM will do more such comprehensive cover stories.
Fatick Nath
Dept. of Mechanical Engineering
BUET
****
I would like to thank Louise Russell for writing such an in-depth and informative cover story 'Cruel Consequences of Negligence'?
We know that only about 28% of the people of the country live in the urban areas. Rural people lack education and knowledge of safety issues. For this reason children like Lima, Hassan, Hossain and others are dying.
In urban areas too many children are leading very hazardous lifestyles. Those who are working on the streets and have no shelter at night have a cruel end to their lives as a consequence of negligence. There are many child workers who are working at unsafe tasks in the industrial region. We have an 'Industrial Law' for child labour which strictly instructs that children not be used in dangerous jobs. What are our employers really doing?
Towfique-Al-Rahman
Department of Management
RU
Love for Motherland
I was very impressed with the cover story “A Summer Homecoming” (August 4, 2006). We foster a misconception about expatriate Bangladeshis that they only belittle our homeland by pointing out the negative sides of the country like corruption, pollution, political conflict and so on.
However, this is our beloved motherland that we have to revere no matter what. But expatriates like Nadia, Saira, Pamela or Rabi have expressed their infatuation and homesickness. They described their likes and dislikes about Bangladesh very colourfully which proves that no matter how far you go or stay you are bound to feel the pull of the string like a kite. The writers of the article must have a great affection for Bangladesh. Our love and respect towards this country also increases whenever we appreciate such feelings.
M A Swift
Dhaka University
Technology facilitates spread of pornography
An alarming number of our teenagers have found the world of pornography very attractive. Many youngsters buy pornographic videos while others carry such images in their cell phones.
Videos/photos can be easily transferred from one cell to the other, now that technologies like Infrared and Bluetooth are available. Some people go to websites which provide pornographic images and download them. Some students even bring such images to coaching centres where they sell them.
Parents and guardians will not perhaps believe that their children are involved in such activities. But it is not uncommon to find a group of teenagers huddling outside their school or coaching centre looking at pornography. It's high time that guardians check on their children's habits for their children's own good.
Md.Shahanur Rashid
Salimullah Road
Mohammadpur, Dhaka
The Test-match Fiasco
The incident at the Brit Oval during the Pakistan England match was a clear indication that racism is still a factor in world cricket. Umpire Darrel Hair is renowned or rather ill-known for his role in the Muralitharan case (the chucking controversy); and he did his reputation no justice by accusing Pakistan of ball-tampering and awarding 5 runs to the England team. The funny thing was that the batsmen present on the field were seen choosing the ball to play, which is the umpire's job!
Also, when Pakistan were delaying their arrival to the field after tea, both the umpires should have talked with Inzamam before making any decision (as written in the By-Laws of the ICC) to forfeit or close play.
Had it been Australia or New Zealand in place of Pakistan, Mr. Hair wouldn't have dared take such a decision without cautioning the bowlers and the Captain of the accused team first. This is the reality that we are still living in a world where skin colour determines privileges!
Faisal Khair Chowdhury (Bobee)
Eskaton Garden
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