***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.

"Road and Wa tery Deaths"

Sir, Like many of your timely and appropriate comments. your editorial of 29 Aug. "The Road and Watery Deaths," will go unfortunately unheeded, and untimely unnecessary deaths shall continue to occur.

Your consciousness In saying, "The journals tend to condone the unnecessary road killings ," Is appreciable. Add to those expressions. " The reason for the murder is Ije lieved to be.rJL...?" The reason for the suicide " It 1st a consolation that- murder, suicide and so many unaccepta ble social and leg^l wrongdoi ng have -indeed ver^r acceptable reasons! Furthermore. I'm often intrigued by reading, "carrying of arms, explosives and other harmful/leatiial weapons Is banned." on su-ch and such dates at .specified places — when and where a re they permitted?

I am hopeful that at lea.st The Daily Star shall be more choosipg and balanced in Its reporting.

M Haque

DOHS. Dhaka

Repatriation of the ,stranded Pakistanis

Sir. My attention has been drawn to the news item pub ■ lished almost in all the na tional dailies of August 12, 1994 about the press conference held by Alhaj M Nasim Khan, leader of Stranded Pakistanis at National Presu Club on August 11. 1994. He: had to narrate the woes and!

wails of stranded Pakistanis in a chocked and emotional voice even after 22 years of independence. I myself could not control my tears after reading in newspapers. However. I am extremely thankful to the national and international press media for extending their all-out support and wide coverage to the grievances and sufferings of stranded Pakistanis.

What made Alhaj M Nasim Nasim Khan hold this press conference despite his sickness and weakness? Besides the delay in repatriation the illegal and Inhuman demolition of shops by city corporation at the Geneva Camp. Mohammad-pur on August 7 had prompted and necessitated the urgency of hqjding the press conference to draw the attention of world conscience And he has successfully attained his objective. It was indeed a day of horrors on the 7th instant when city corporation authorities with heavy contingent of armed police forcibly demolished shops at Geneva Camp where poor. Innocent and oppressed stranded Pakistanis had been conducting their petty business since inception of the camp in 1972. The corporation authorities Including the Honourable Mayor did not bother a little to consider the socio-econo conditions of this suffering community even on humanitarian grounds. All families of the affected stranded Pakistanis have been turned Into street beggars, they have no option but to face starvation and death. They have lost their only means of survival as well as what they had earned for the last 22

years were destroyed in moments.

So far we are concerned we strongly protest and condemn this unilateral action of the Mayor of the City Corporation because he has done that within 22 minutes which could not be done for 22 years, even by the previous autocratic regime. On the other hand, we fully appreciate and endorse the timely and appropriate action of leader of stranded Pakistanis M Nasim Khan to overcome the crisis created Intentionally by the vested quarters. We also express our sympathy and solidarity with the poor stranded people who have lost their sources of livelihood.

The general meeting of stranded Pakistanis on Sunday. August 14, "94 at the North Gate of Baltul Mukarram Mosque in Dhaka and overwhelmingly attended by more the 50,000 stranded Pakistanis from all camps of Dhaka city, Adamjeenagar and Narayangonj is a clear Indication and demonstration of their unity. Integrity and total faith in the experienced, able and sincere leadership of M Nasim Khan, it was a remarkable occasion which also witnessed the presence of Mohtaram Janab S Hassan Shareef. General Secretary. Citizen's National Committee for Repatriation of Stranded Pakistanis, Karachi. The meeting ended with a fresh vow to go for action programme including enmass court arrest, self-immolation, etc. if their demands were not met within a reasonable time limit.

Taking the continued sufferings of stranded Pakistanis into account 1 would most earnestly appeal to Govt of Bangladesh to abandon the programme of demolition of shops/camps of stranded Pakistanis till their repatriation is completed and demolished shops/camps be kindly reconstructed at government cost and help the victims to

earn their livelihood for their survival to show atleast minimum of respect to human rights. At the same time, both Govts of Pakistan and Bangladesh should come forward with firm determination, will and courage to implement the contents of Joint Declaration of August 12. 1992 and resolve this long-lingering issue of repatriation of the stranded Pakistanis, after all, they are also human beings and creatures of the Almighty Allah. I hope if the government applies the same spirit, courage and determination as applied with Chakmas and Rohingyas, there is no reason why the issue of repatriation of the Stranded Pakistanis will not be resolved. It is the high time to think, decide and react.

Abdul Mannan Convenor

Citizen Committee of Pakistanis Stranded in Bangladesh Saldpur, Nilphamari

Reforming the Civil Service

Sir, Recently. I represented my Institute at an Employers' Forum programme organised by the British Council. Dhaka under the auspices of the Ministry of Establishment. Two papers on "Reform and future trend in the British Civil Service: Implications for the management of a reformed service" and "Management for the millennium" were presented by Ms Diana Stanley and Ms Janefer Braines respectively.

Ms Diana in her talk described how the British Civil Service has been undergoing changes as per the demand of the time and how the Civil Service personnels are actively working to offer better services to the people. The main features in the present reform in the British Civil Service are: reduction tn the size, more ac

countability, decentralization of power, increasing involvement of the private sector to provide services to and on behalf of the Government.

Ms Janefer in her delibera tion stressed on the need for creating more facilities for the woman managers and employees In the organizations. She presented the findings obtained from the "follow-up" session of the Bangladeshi lady officials who have availed training under the British Technical Assistance programme. It has been revealed that the woman personnel need more cooperation from their male colleagues in discharging their organisational responsibilities. Women also need facilities like separate toilets, common room etc in the offices for them.

- The Establishment Secretary of the Govt of Bangladesh.-Mr Habibur Rahman in his speech informed that the government is contemplating to bringing about changes in the civil service. The areas of changes as stated by Mr Rahman Includes: recruitment, transfer. ACR. promotion, cadres, coordination, audit and accounts, human resources development etc. He said that the government is actively working for introducing a result-oriented management system by clearly defining the role <5f the government and Its affiliated agencies.

It is sincerely expected that the civil service in Bangladesh will be reformed soon keeping in view the greater public Interests and ignoring petty group interests. Let Prime Minister Begum Khaleda Zia take a bold step to bringing about reforms in our civil service as it was done by the former British Prime Minister Madam Thatcher.

M Zahidul Haque

Asstt Prof. Deptt of April Extension Bangladesh Agrtcul tural Institute. Dhaka

ADP implementation

Sir. In a National Economic Council (NEC) meeting held in Dhaka recently our State Minister for Planning Dr Abdul Moyeen Khan has said that of the Taka 9.600 crore revised ADP. Taka 8.983 crore has been utilised and the ADP implementation for the fiscal year 1993-94 stood at 94 per cent.

We would be grateful if our State Minister for Planning kindly let us know a minimum of 20 projects, showing public money spent against each, for our information and knowledge and accountability of works and performances of various relevant government Organisations.

OH Kabir Dhaka Pollution of the Surma

Sir. The "Surma Is a very well known river of our country. For the last many years it has been observed that a kind of strong chemical is drained into the river as waste from the Sylhet Pulp & Paper Mill, Chattak. The gravity of the pollution is not noticeable In rainy season due to high volume of water flow and flooding, but in winter when the water flow is low. the fish of the river become unfit for human consumption due to heavy pres ence of the waste chemical

Last year I had been to the Mill in Chattak and saw how they manage the waste which is from a strong chemical already used to decompose bamboo and other raw materials in a process which ultimately turns the raw material into soft pulp. I personally cannot accept the way waste is grounded and drained. I do feel that our country's environmentalists should look into this serious matter and suggest the concerned authority how best they should take up a proper waste management policy' without polluting water and the environment as well Modus Samad Chowdhury Phultola Tea Estate, Sylhet