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To the Editor...
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First few hours with ntv
The new Bengali satellite TV channel ntv has started its journey on July 3, 2003. Before starting the scheduled programmes, it aired its test transmission for a week or so. The test transmission was aimed at informing the viewers to align their antenna according to their downlink channel. Most of the cable operators provided its subscribers with the programmes of ntv.
As an interested viewer of Bengali programmes, we always welcome new TV channels. One more channel means more option for better programmes. Variety of programmes improves viewers' perspectives, and indirectly help to build opinions on various issues. Without doubt, ntv has begun its journey with a lot of expectations from the side of the viewers.
The one thing that surprised me was that the entire programme that Mr. Hanif Sonket directed for ntv is quite similar to the the previous opening programme that he did for ETV three years ago! This time, the venue was BICC and not the JS building; instead of the previous two singers four singers performed this time; the programme is recorded in day light rather than at night as it was done for ETV; lastly the visual graphics that ntv used is in my opinion a greener version of ETV!
Time has not come to comment on the quality of the programmes yet. So far it seems good. One thing to be noted is that: the commercials breaks are long and that is very irritating. But this is not a problem with ntv only, it was the same for ETV as well, and still is a persisting problem with the other two existing channels: Channel I and ATN Bangla.I think the production houses that were loosing busi-
ness with the closure of the ETV, can now supply their programmes to ntv. We hope all the best for ntv and pray it will fulfil the expectations of the many viewers like me.
Ayesa Begum
Dhaka
A serious allegation
A few days back in the Jatiya Sangsad, serious charge was brought against a minister by a ruling party MP elected from Mirpur of Dhaka city in connection of setting of a CNG pump. Probably the allegation is not a result of personnel friction between the two elected MP's of the ruling party, rather it has some foundation.
It is noticeable that corruption has not been reduced after this government came to power, rather it has touched all time record, although it was one of the main election pledges of BNP to reduce it. Bangladesh consecutively for the last two years have been unfortunately termed as the 'most corrupt nation' in the world as per Transparency International's (TI) assessment.
I don't know if a "parliamentary committee", which will include members from opposition, does not inquire the allegation and if proper action is not taken by the hon'ble Prime Minister, then what title is awaiting for our country to be conferred upon with the assessment by TI in the current year?
Jkobir
Dhaka
Converting Muslims to Christianity
There has been a lot of talk about Time's article on converting Muslims to Christianity. I am the secretary of Tauheed, the Islamic Students' Organisation here at
Ohio Wesleyan University. It shocks me that so many people regard the religion I have learnt to love and respect as some sort of enemy. It is true that our holy book, the Quran, mentions Jihad and, in fact, praises it, but it does not mean that all Islam as a whole represents Jihad and nothing else. In my view, nobody at any point should consider Islam to be an enemy of any form. Instead, one should consider the beauty of this religion - anybody who has heard the Azan or call to prayer has been astonished by the musical quality of this form of reminder to pray. Anybody who has seen a congregation of Muslims bowing down in prayer should not automatically assume that each Muslim is hiding thoughts of Jihad in his mind -instead, one should be amazed at the strength of the people's faith, to be able to bow down in unison in worship of the Creator. Anyone who has heard a recitation of the Quran in Arabic should not be searching it for inner hidden meanings regarding Jihad, but should be amazed by the beauty and poetry of the Scripture.
Although it is true that I am not as strong a believer of Islam as my parents wanted me to be, I can, however, appreciate the subtleties of the religion that have been exposed to me since my childhood. My mother, even when her body was riddled with cancer, kept praying till her untimely death, and that is one of the strongest memories I have of her.
Instead of vilifying the religion of Islam as an enemy, one should, instead try and understand it. As you thoughtfully pointed out, the activities of the missionaries who consider Islam to be the enemy could easily lead to a backlash against the missionaries and their faith. We at Tauheed strive not to convert Christians to Islam, as Muslim student organisations are commonly believed to do, but instead to promote an
understanding of our religion so that people can understand that not everybody who prays five times a day or comes from a Muslim country is a terrorist.
Young Muslims in the US today already faced enough hardship in the form of Special Registration and constant scrutiny by all Americans who fear that we are actually al Qaeda agents, when all we really want is a good education so we can reform our own countries.
Shihab Azhar
Delaware, Ohio
***
I am not surprised at the news, via Shabbir Bashar of California, that 'Time' magazine has highlighted the anti-Muslim sentiments of a minority of American Christians. The 'western' media is largely secular and not averse to holding Christianity up to ridicule and such an extreme view sells newspapers. To respond to Azad Miah's invitation to publicise the opinions of such anti-Muslims would be to play right into the hands of an embarrassing minority as well as those determined to believe they are a majority!
The vast majority of 'mainline' churches, and indeed, mainline educational establishments in the so-called 'Christian' world, are working very hard to increase understanding and build up good relationships across all religious communities. For some years, I lived near the city of Bradford, Yorkshire, which had the first, but certainly not the last, Muslim mayor in the UK and the Church of England Diocese of Bradford, and other local churches there, have worked very hard for communal harmony. But the media are rarely interested in such
good news. It is much more fun to keep prejudices alive and wind people up!
I think of a young Congregationalist Christian colleague of mine, minister of a little church in
Lancashire. There had been some race riots in his town and he decided to contact the leader of his local mosque. The growing friendship between the two men blossomed and the two congregations met, shared a meal and tried to get to know one another better. In this and a thousand other ways, ordinary Christians and ordinary Muslims are building bridges quietly - but they usually like to keep out of the media for good reason
As Shukla Mirza said, it is good for religious people to study their religious writings and world history and pray - but I would wish also for more dialogue, including here in Bangladesh, but maybe it is happening but quietly among those who do not want it publicised and so spoilt by the intrusion of those who do not understand its motivation and might misinterpret it. I hope so.
As for those who think that Christians (missionaries or not) could take pleasure in fingers being chopped off, or in the tragedy of war - I give up!
Angela Robinson (Rev Mrs) Dhaka
"Government, foreign aids and development"
I refer to the letter entitled "Government, foreign aids and development" in the Daily Star 6th July.
Your country is by no means realising its full potential and indeed instead of being taken forward into the 21st century by an active government you are being held in 20th Century.
I am sure that if your government opens up and makes more easy investment opportunities for foreign companies, investment will increase rapidly and vastly.
But there are so many hurdles at present for the companies who are keen to invest. And for that the foreign investors lose patience and interest in investing very quickly; and eventually turn to other countries (that have much convenient foreign policies) to invest in.
I am sure that there would be no need for foreign aid, or at least limited, if the gates were opened to foreign investment.
Al Fulani
One e-mail
DUTP, Car Fair, and traffic congestion in Dhaka
If you live in Dhaka, and own a car, then you know better than me about the traffic congestion every day on the road. The traffic congestion was a hot topic for discussions, as well as suggestion, even a few years back; and then came the DUTP to ease this situation. Actually nothing much was done. The DUTP prompted introduction of costly air conditioned buses, most of that are second hand vehicles brought from other countries and not environment friendly, and started a corruption blemished fly-over at Mohakhali and Khilgaon with traffic mismanagement. The plights of citizens multiply when a diversion road through the Cantonment remains closed for hours during the peak traffic movement time. DUTP could not deal with this. Their only success so far is banning two-stroke three-wheelers from the city roads.
The government provided easy remedies by introducing cheap cars in the name of taxicabs. And are we sure that these cars are friendlier to the environment than the two-strokers?
Our urban planners probably
do not pay any heed to the requirement of the inhabitants of the capital city. I learned that a city or town should have 25 per cent of its area as roads. That is why, every time we visit a foreign country, we find that their towns and cities have plenty of roads. The result is less traffic congestion. In Dhaka, there are only 7 per cent, of the area are roads. What I think, if every year there was at least ten kilometres new roads constructed in last ten years, the present Dhaka city would be better for vehicular movement. The urban planners have the data for the future growth of the city, and they should have planned accordingly. But the present situation tells that they did not do the right planning.
The communication minister told that Bangladesh needs 20,000 cars each year. So, Proton of Malaysia, with their bumper sells during the latest Car Fair held in the city, inspired to set up a production unit in Bangladesh.
I hope, with no increase in the length of the roads, all those Proton cars shall line up on the road according to the output serial number of the factory, and thus adding more spice to the traffic congestion.
SajjadWaheed
Independent University, Dhaka
We should know our Constitution
The Constitution is the supreme law of the land. The entire legislative, executive, judicial activities and other laws of the state are guided and regulated by the Constitution. It describes the fundamental rights of the citizens' and also narrates the fundamental principles of state policy. Most of the people of our country are unable to take legal shelter to ensure their fundamental rights because of their ignorance of the
Constitution. Taking this chance of ignorance the executive authorities often violate the fundamental rights of the citizens.
In most of the countries around the globe where constitutionalism prevails, ordinary man and woman are more or less aware of their constitutions and quite conscious to preserve their constitutional rights.
But in Bangladesh the scenario is different. This situation must change. We should not leave the Constitution only in the hands of the lawyers, judges and academicians. We should all know our Constitution in order to defend it, so that it becomes impossible to make an open breach of it.
Md Shahadat Hossain
SM Hall, Dept of Law, University of Dhaka