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To the Editor
**Letters for publication in these columns should be addressed to the Editor and legibly written or typed with double space. For reasons of space, short letters are preferred, and all are subject to editing and cuts. Pseudonyms are accepted. However, all communications must bear the writer's real name, signature and address.
Of letters and post offices
Sir, I would like to draw your attention to the fact that letters cost different rates at different post offices. My post cards abroad cost me Tk 11 at the Dhanmandi post office while the same cost Tk 9 at the PG Hospital Day and Night Postal centre .
Again, the postal authorities do not always care to read the address and charge you according to their own calculation and fancy. This often arises from the misreading of the address such as Austria for Australia.
Another factor that annoys me is that I am not always given my change in money but in postal stamps which are so tiny that they disappear in my miscellaneous bag for my nine-to-five Job. When I am given spare tickets for Canada, it might lake me a couple of months before I might require them again, by which time I may have misplaced and lost the necessary tickets.
Although I am always pleased to get my letters on my table when I return from work, it sometimes happens that my letters are delivered at the wrong address, despite clear addressing on the part ol the sender. I am again not always lucky enough to get the letters that contain photographs.
1 would be grateful if the postal authorities were a little more careful with their duties.
Mrs. F. de la Harpe Dhanmandi.
Life and hope
Sir. In ' • recent polls, we noticed that elderly people, both men and women and some as old as a centenarian, had eagerly come to the polling centres to cast their vote.
Now, this shows two things, one that although we may consider the old as useless and good for nothing, except perhaps praying and telling tales to grandchildren, they themselves would not want to be all that useless.
Another thing that came out is. as long as there is life there is hope, and together with it a desire to be of use.
A person may be very old. but that does not mean that he or she has tost all interest In life and its myriad manifestations. He or she may still want to be .• worthy citizen of tlr country, given a chance.
We generally tend to think, that once a person becomes old, and is still healthy, he or she should devote more and more time to rest and religious pursuits and somewhat retire from daily-lifd chores.
But this is wrong. The! old can be as useful as the young, and may equally contribute to the society.
Fahim Dewan MunshiganJ
Plastic wares
Sir, It is indeed encouraging to note, that plastic wares are taking over almost completely in the area of household items. More and more plastic goods, mostly for the kitchen, the dining room and other sundry stuff are being produced of colourful plastic.
The positive side of plastic is that it has brought variety and colour as well as innovative designs, which give a chance for Joyful shopping to a bored housewife. Besides, it is light in weight and to an extent fall-proof, which add to it's advantage.
Moreover, the items made of plastic are comparatively cheaper than those made of glass porcelain and metal. So it is economical in these days of hardship.
The best and most important part is that these are locally manufactured, thus we can hope that a day will come in the future, when we won’t have to depend on imported wares al all.
But how healthy these are as alternative to China or glass tablewares: experts please pay a heed to .
Rafiq Ahmed Wari. Dhaka
Nostalgia
Sir. While we admire your column "My World” intensely, and mal^e it a point to read it from the outset to the end on the weekends despite all other preoccupations, we don’t get to the point why do you assume the role of a superannuated grand-uncle who loves to dwell on the past, and simply suffers the present for the lack of a suitable alternative? Why must men in their fifties and sixties act like octogenarians?
We read as treasure every word you care to hammer out on the page, appreciate the psychological insight, integral humour as well as the social impact of whatever topic you care to dwell on. But could you not be looking ahead, telling us also more about the present, mingling as you do it with the nostalgic past? The past is nothing to belittle or brush aside, but there is still a wide world ahead — of mental creativity if not more.
aim
Banani.