Letters
Drama Unreeled!
I want to thank SWM for its excellent cover story Drama in Reel Life (January 19, 2007). The country is going through crucial times with confrontational politics eating at its democratic polity. I would like to make an earnest request to the political leaders to kindly take some innovative measures to get ourselves out of the current situation otherwise the common people will need to form strong non-political movements to establish their fundamental rights. Let us not forget what happened in Kansat and Shonir Akhra. The blame game needs to be stopped right away. I want to give special thanks to Sharier for his cartoons (especially for H M Borbaad and the Gang). His cartoons rightly portray the true condition of these two criminals.
Jewel Rana
Faculty of Agriculture, BAU, Mymensingh
***
Last week's cover story 'Drama in Reel Life' was an awesome read. It was so insightful and at the same time so hilariously sarcastic! I was laughing all the way through it. The best thing about this piece is that it was brutally honest about the characters of our political leaders and it told how they lack honesty in their character.
We have enjoyed a very tense, psychological thriller film named 'The Big Mess' over the last three months. Throughout the whole film, these actors have made us frustrated, outraged and sometimes numbed by their dumbness. The sad part is this whole film was made of real life stories and has ruined three important months from our beloved country's life. I just hope and pray that whatever their next film may be (because, surely there'll be more), it's just not as damaging as this one. We so need to look forward and work ahead!
Thank you SWM - for this wonderful cover story.
Umme Salma
Modern Day Slaves
Although slavery has been abolished long ago it still remains in a different form, one of which is the employment of young girls as housemaids whose difficulties at their masters' home we unwarily know and some more we have been informed of by the heart-wrenching write-up 'Work Unto Death' by Hana Shams Ahmed (January 22, 2006).
Actually, the maids work from very early in the morning to late at night and they are the hardest workers in the house but the least appreciated. Rather, they are abused verbally and physically by all members of the family even sometimes are exploited sexually. As a whole, their work hour is 12 to 18 hours a day. Can anyone imagine what a cruel life they lead? On the other hand, they are brutally tortured for simple 'mistakes' and severely beaten up, poured hot water on, scalded with hot iron or injured with sharp objects. The victims are too powerless to get anyone to speak for them. However, who are their masters? Do they lack proper education? Are they unscrupulous? No, they are the Shaila Islams, teacher of Eden College, who murder a hapless girl for making breakfast late; they are Advocate Mijanur Rahmans, who make girls fall from rooftop of five-storey buildings. Furthermore, when a girl like 16-year old Swapna dies from a brain haemorrhage in the hands of her merciless mistress, we cannot imagine what kind of a society we live in. The most depressing fact is that those who commit such malicious acts never receive any punishments for their misdeeds.
M Ala Uddin Ansary
Zahurul Haque Hall, DU
Branding Bangladesh
I would like to share my views about the article Branding Bangladesh (December 22, 2006) by sending a feedback letter (January 12, 2006) to you. I am a BBA Graduate with a Major in Marketing and have been involved in the development sector for almost 4 years.
First of all I would like to thank the author for highlighting such a pressing issue. Being involved in the development sector I have acutely felt the need for Bangladesh as a reputed brand whenever my team and I initiated any export promotional activities. It might be hard to believe and it is very sad that we actually don't have anything unique to offer or at least we haven't formulated anything as such. Yes, we do have a rich heritage but what are we doing with it? Mere publicity in print and electronic media is not enough, it needs an entire brand package, which should be developed, executed and nurtured over time. This is where I differ with Mr. Hossain and people from similar schools of thought. I won't go word by word but the author has presented a comprehensive view, which should be enough to clarify the confusions of Mr. Hossain. The author has identified the issue of brand experience very accurately. Branding Bangladesh is a mammoth task but not an impossible one and we need private and public sector partnership in this regard with constant guidance from brand experts. I don't mean to undermine the capacity of anyone but roses are red, violets are blue and a brand expert is a brand expert. Otherwise misunderstanding will always be there resulting in a negative value addition to the image of Bangladesh.
I sincerely wish the article would open the eyes of our policy makers and make Bangladesh the emerging tiger from the land of golden opportunities
Nusrat Nahid
Business Consultant
Industry & Rural Sectors Division
Swisscontact, KATALYST
The End of the Saddam Regime
One of the most tragic incidents of the last year is the execution of Saddam Hussein during Eid-ul-azha in Iraq. It is a shameful incident for the Muslims worldwide.
At least six hundred thousand Iraqi civilians and three thousand US servicemen died in the last three years. Saddam may be a pariah to some communities in his own country but he is considered one of the greatest pantheons in the Muslim world. Although Saddam continued his dictatorship until the invasion of the occupying forces during his reign, he brought economic freedom and social prosperity in his country. He also curbed all kinds of sectarian violence between different communities of Iraqi people. He established Baghdad as the capital of Arab in his regime. Iraq was famous for its health care facilities in the Arab world.
Imperialist Bush invaded Iraq by manipulating the image of Saddam. Saddam was executed on the charge of murdering 184 Shia Muslims. However, Bush has not been punished for murdering hundreds of thousands of people in Iraq. After the death of Saddam we have lost a brave Muslim leader. It is high time that we protest Bush's brutality against the Muslim world unless we have to sacrifice leaders like Saddam.
Md. Nuruzzaman Khan Hira
Dept. of Applied Chemistry & Chemical Technology
University of Dhaka
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