***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 pre 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.***

Turkey

Sir. While Belgium is the cockpit of Europe since WWL at the crossroads of Asia and Europe, where stormy Bosphorus strait separates Istanbul from Ankara, the progressive Muslim nation called sickman of Europe, strives to carve out a major role in a diverse region beset by post-cold war turmoil. Like a wrestler reaching for his opponent in a time-honoured contest called yagli gures. Turkey — 301000 sq. miles with 60 million people at once ancient and modern. democratic and aUthori-larian. Muslim and secular — is fighting to find its place in the world.

Ever a cn "sroads of turbulent pohia ' and intrigue, it scrambles to reconcile its internal differences while defining its position amid unpredictable neighbours, the vast black sea and Turkic republics of former USSR, volatile Iran. Iraq and Syria.

Late Ozal Is the architect of |ts economy. In 34 years, three coups seized control and the era is over now In this land of

ancient Greeks and Ramos, heart of Byzantine and Ottoman empire of 1923 shaped by Turkish father Kemal Ataturk, leading a new economic domain stretching into Central Asia. Now its first woman Prime Minister Tansu Ciller has reformed civil rights as women still handle menial chores. Discrimination is em-' bedded in the culture, religion. profession. HR development. HDI. However, for us boosting Turkeys image abroad, success of galatasary team against Euro rivals is a point of pride from Adriatic to China Wall.

Ghulam Murshid DRA. Dhaka

Something more is wrong

Sir. I am pleased to refer to the article captioned "Full convertibility of Taka ..."(DS 19-08-94) written by Mr Nitai C Nag. And earlier I had some misgivings which was proved accurate vide the report 'India okays US $15 billion foreign investment' ( DS 20-8-94).

What Mr Nag claimed

regarding the bias of foreign capital investment towards the stock market, citing India as an example, the newsreport of 20-08-1994 amply proved it to be wide off the mark. The entire foreign investment there has been done in the Industrial sector as whatever investment pertaining to the stock market had long ceased with the exposure of the notorious security scam, perennially raging at regular intervals. And one of what Is holding back the foreign investment in Bangladesh, is the cost of utilities, which is one of the highest in the world. This is especially a fact in the power sector, wherein are the unbridled Increase in the system loss and the nosedive in the collection rate, vide. again, The Daily Star (first page) 14-08-94. captioned 'WB for total reform in the PDB.’

With the repeated negative attitude of the WB and other lending agencies to the power sector from. 1989 onwards reaching to the end result of perennial load-shedding and with the unbridled increase in naked plunder in the name of system loss, and then with the sword of Democles hanging as threat for further rise in the power rates, will any sane element venture to invest? This includes both the local and the foreign variety, especially when the Japanese trade delegation on both their visits not only tasted a massive

breakdown in power grid but also dawn to dusk hartals which literally brought the nation to is knees.

Today our entire banking sector reportedly is bulging with unutilised funds, due to the unwillingness of our entrepreneurs to invest. Hence, it becomes merely wishful thinking that, increasing facilities and reforms will fling open the floodgates of foreign investment. Above all else, if we still negate the political aspects of a consensus with the opposition parties, all our efforts will be frustrated. And we can perhaps never proceed with the administrative reforms which also includes the salient features of an investmentfriendly bureaucracy. Today, as we see, almost the entire bureaucratic structure is either on strike or on the verge of Joining the fray. Is it conceivable in any democratic society that the bureaucracy will indulge in such Indiscipline and/or insubordination?

Sir, something more Inherently is wrong than meets the mind's eye.

Salahuddin Jamal

Firozsha. Chittagong

Smuggled Indian eggs!

Sir. According to reports in a section of press, the poultry industry of the country has been facing serious threat due to unabated inflow of Indian poultry products In our

markets. The allegedly smuggled Indian eggs, it seems, have already captured the market obviously ousting local poultry products by resorting to the policy of "cheap price".

A good number of local poultry Industries reportedly had to close their business after failing to attract the customers In the competitive market. However, some poultry owners allege that the eggs smuggled from the neighbouring country are not only inferior In quality but also small in size. And it is also alleged that a section of .unscrupulous traders are trying to monopolise the poultry business by giving an Indigenous colour to these eggs by dipping them In potash solution. What an Irony! If it is the state of affair, one may well ask what the sentinels at our border do? And one may pessimistically surmise that the burgeoning poultry industry would be only adversely affected If the alleged smuggling continued.

NH Sufi

Mohammadpur. Dhaka

Out of sight

Sir, It took only one year for them to forget.

A senior ex-student of the Department of Architecture of BUET. wrote a letter to a weekly. In that he stressed the importance of natural beauty in our dally monotonous urban life He wrote about the bill

boards standing proudly by the side of Dhanmondi Lake. The Ixiards, hbwever. fell apart under the impact of some natural calamity. They were left in that condition for some time.

Now. we again see those bill boards obstructing the beautiful views of the Jake. The poetic harmony of green and water is again out of sight. A new link road has been constructed. This connects Green Road with Mirpur Road. The axis of the new link road blends with the natural view of the lake. The smooth natural beauty, green trees, silvery water Une refresh our urban life. Why are we after destroying these with our own hands? There is also no need to fence the lake with rusty six feet grill. Vandalism cannot be resisted by this alone.

At the early stage only two bill boards were erected — telling everyone to contact something that read like Hamllon'. Now. the flute player of 'Hamlion' has gathered more and more signs overriding the natural view. And I can guess the future of this area — full of sign boards — big. small, tall wide — a bunch of tin structures only radiating glare and heat.

Now. isn't ft lime for the authorities to put away those crampy structures and save the nice environment?

Naser Nazrul

Deptt of Architecture. BUTT, Dhaka