Letters
Fake Copies of Constitution
Nader Rahman definitely deserves appreciation for his cover story “Our Constitution, In Whose Hands Is It?” (December 8, 2006). I would like to thank him for writing on such a fundamental issue.
The constitution is for the people and the general people deserve the right to have and read it. Because of high public demand, fake copies of the constitution are being sold in the market. It is the government's duty to make available copies of the constitution in the market. I would like to remind them that the officials who work in the government offices including the ministries are public servants. Their responsibility is to safeguard public property and fulfil public demand. If the copyright for printing and distribution of copies of the constitution lies with the government then the government is solely responsible for ensuring its availability in the market.
Shyamal Krishna Mazumder
Student of Chartered Accountancy
On 'Tirish Bochor' and Our Freedom
Hyder Hussain, the melodramatic music composer and vocalist, has created a massive sensation among the general public with his remarkable song 'Tirish Bochor', which was also written and composed by him.
The song reflects Hyider's quest for liberty, his thoughts on living in a democratic country for 30 years after its liberation and whether freedom is only an unpracticed concept now. Every sentence in the song questions us morally and emotionally about what our duties are as citizens of a free country and what we are actually doing. He has put the 'spitting-image' of our society up in his poetic lyrics. Sticking 'Joy Bangla' labels on our cheeks on Independence Day and doing the absolote opposite the rest of the year does not symbolise our hard-earned liberation at all.
The music video (aired on Channel 1) has conquered my heart. It openly portrays the double-standards in our society. Two other songs from the album, 'Gonotontro' and 'Sorkari Officer' are equally impressing. Hyder Hussain, who is a professional aircraft engineer, has rightfully been labelled 'the singer of democracy' for his creations. I'm wishing him all the best for providing us with such a masterpiece.
Zihad Azad
Kalabagan, Dhaka
Insult to the National Flag
In the Nobel Prize giving ceremony held in Oslo, the cultural group of Bangladesh dishonored the national flag during their performance when a dancer tore the flag of Bangladesh! Is this a way to pay homage? Ripping a flag shows extreme hatred for that country. The dancer tore down the middle of the flag and showed a water lily to express homage. I strongly object to an act like this.
Sabina Siddique EMBA Student,
University of Liberal Arts
Dhaka Diary - Fact or Fiction?
As a regular reader of your magazine I was puzzled to see one of the entries in the Dhaka Diary section.
"An Enchanted Encounter" by Abeid Hassan was very touching indeed. And we can learn from the honesty and dignity the young street urchin showed. But the information which really puzzled me was in the 17th line of the write-up - "As soon as she handed a 30 taka note (which was handed to the little boy for the popcorn he sold) the signal turned green." A 30-taka note? First I thought it was a printing mistake but reading further I saw that the boy had returned 20 taka as the price of the popcorn was 10 taka. I'm not criticising Abeid Hassan for his story because the message it projects is what matters most.
Iftezar Sayeed
Student
Discrimination!
I am not a regular reader of your magazine but whenever I read it, I do it very seriously. Most of the articles are interesting and very well written. SWM is Perhaps the most well written English magazine in the country.
But I want to know why you print some of your female writers' photo along with their articles? To the best of my knowledge, you never did so with your male writers. I think the notion behind this is to underscore some articles with the pretty faces of the writers. I don't know whether it disturbs or helps some readers but it disturbs me. I think a good piece of writing is self-sufficient.
Naharin Jannat
Pallabi, Dhaka
What party spirit!
During the countrywide blockade programmes by the Awami League-led alliance, some incredible scenes were observed in the city. I went to a drug store in Eskaton Garden and while I was about to cross the main road, a procession made everyone stop their work for a while.
The scene which engrossed the people was someone dancing in front of the procession and the workers of a party following her. The lady was performing a very vulgar dance. Everyone in the procession was enjoying the spectacle and even the onlookers were enjoying at the cost of the dancer. Are the political parties so unsure of themselves and so weak and lacking in spirit that they have to take the help of a vulgar dance display to motivate them?
Shanjida Halim
Darul Ihsan University
Failure of the Package Programme
The whole nation is distressed at the present political situation of the country. Free and fair elections have become uncertain. Four important advisers have resigned due the failure of the package proposals for a free and fair election, which has stuck at two significant points. One is the deployment of army in some districts and the other is not withdrawing the two disputed commissioners. The president and chief adviser agreed to help the advisers at any cost. But it seems that he cannot keep his word. Isn't it a shame for the nation? After all, he has just drawn all the efforts of the advisers to a dead end. He is depriving the nation from political stability.
Twinkle
Eskaton Gardens, Dhaka
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