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To the Editor...
Letters will only be considered if they carry the writer's full name, address and telephone number (if any). The identity of the writers will be protected. Letters must be limited to 300 words. All letters will be subject to editing.
"Vitriol points to dark tunnel"
Lead editorial of The Daily Star on 26th June, 2003 is of course not the first time in which our leaders both in power and opposition have been urged to exercise restraint in order to foster the desired political culture for the good of this nation. The way vengeance/anger against each other as individual or party is going on, every one knows it will definitely go from bad to worse and may end up nothing short of a probable disaster for all of us in the very near future. The contents of the said editorial should hopefully work as chilling reminders to our sane elements/civic society to bring sense in our body politics to prevent anything like what happened to
some of the African nations in the recent past.
Reconciliation and understanding the democratic values by all concerned can transform this unique homogeneous nation to a model of developments for the entire South Asia. The farewell speech by Mr. Frederick Temple, Country Director for the World Bank outlined a picture of our country which is also considered pertinent in this context that our leaders may like to take note of before it is too late. We definitely have all the potentials to change our fate but it is imperative for whoever in power or opposition to realise the importance of an appropriate environment which will enable us to work for the desired goal in the interests of all.
Z. Rahman
Gulshan, Dhaka
Asian Development Bank and gas export
Asian Development Bank's current stance strongly supports sale of our natural gas to India. No problem at all if this is just an advice. But ADB's advice has gone far beyond just an advice as it also adds that Bangladesh won't get any aid if gas is not sold to India!
Md. Mamunur Rashid
Uttara, Dhaka
Telephone bill defaulters
We are simply stunned that some members of the Jatiya Sangsad owe
Bangladesh Telegraph and Telephone Board 12 crore taka bill for their residence telephone. We resent and protest this act and want to know how those telephones still remain working when T&T does not hesitate to disconnect telephone lines of the common people even if a single bill of small amount remains unpaid.
We suggest that the telephone allowance of the present MPs should go directly to the T&T Revenue Office and they should pay for their residence phone bill from their own pocket and their telephone lines must be disconnected if they fail to do so.
As for other defaulters, the government must resort to other ways to make them pay their unpaid telephone bills.
Nur Jahan
Chittagong
Mahfuz Anam's commentary
On June 21, 2003 Mr. Mahfuz Anam wrote a commentary on some current issues regarding journalism without fear or favour emphasising on The Daily Star slogan "Committed to Peoples Right to Know". The commentary was more like an answer to the defamation case filed by Salauddin Quader Chowdhury.
We the readers thank The Daily Star Editor Mahfuz Anam for his thoughts on journalism that we very much agree with. But it is undoubtedly a saddening matter that the PM's Parliamentary Affairs Adviser went to court
regarding some reports on his personal records. As he has been nominated for the top OIC post, it is certainly a good news, but what frustrate us is that he went against only the editors of two particular dailies though the same reports were published in other national dailies of the country.
It is the duty of the media to unfold what is unknown to the public. We don't expect such types of harassment of journalists. The Daily Star is requested to lead its caravan of truth without any fear. MS Ali Saikat
Dhaka University
Government, foreign aids and development
Ours is a country depended on foreign aid and our foreign policy, more or less, is influenced by this fact. It is noticeable that in the last couple of years foreign investment has reduced. We have no strong lobby also. But it is a good news that the World Bank, and after that IMF, have agreed to provide financial for Bangladesh.
However, our previous experiences of development works with foreign loans are not positive. Because the usual practice is the government takes loans and spends the money for its own interest. Now we are in debt. And the situation is quite pitiful for the nation.
There is no sustainability of our so-called development activities. The government talks
about poverty reduction policy by the year 2015, but will our government be able to succeed? There is a large gap between the poor and rich. And the women's position in the society is also vulnerable in our country.
The government talks about many things, but do very little. We have failed as a democracy. The government does not seem at all accountable and transparent to the citizens, as they should be. For such condition it is essential to grow awareness and the government must use a big amount of loan in a sustainable way so that it can meet the present need as well as the future.
Khaleda Nasrin
Dhaka University