Hartal for whom?

Sir. The mainstream opposition parties gave call for observing hartal in Dhaka city from 6 am to 2 pm on 24.1.95. According to newspapers this hartal left at least 50 people injured and 18 arrested including Matia Chowdhury and Advocate Sahara Khatun of AL. However, on the same day the two-day International Investment Conference started at Sonargaon Hotel. The conference was inaugurated in the morning and dbntinued when hartal went on.

It Is surprising to note that AL leader Tofael Ahmed and JP leader Moudud Ahmed participated in the conference during . hartal hours. Tofael Ah died . also expressed dismay at the failure of the local organisers tn discuss about the conference with AL earlier.

The very word hartal means a stoppage of work in protest or boycott’. How law makers can be law breakers! Now it is

.an important question whether observance of hartal’ Is for ।

commonman and tokals' only? 1

Is it that there Is a great diver- ' gence between practice and ( theory in the policy of opposition leaders? '

A M Kais Chowdhury Masdhair Gorsthan Road. NarayanganJ-1400

Installing a telephone line

Str, From time to time we come across newspaper reports stating that numerous number of applications for sanction of new telephones are lying pending for want of adequate provision or capacity in the telephone exchanges to accommodate installation of • new lines. Some applicants have deposited their Demand Notes and are waiting for not only days and weeks, but for months for wiring and connection.

While Telephone Department has failed to provide satisfactory services to the subscribers of Analogue phones they have, however, attempted to introduce newer devices and facilities for the telephone subscribers viz. Digital. IS D. Card Phone etc which has .opened tremendous possibilities for the telephone users. These additional facilities would have lieen much appreciated if they were provided after ensuring flawless service to the Analogue Telephone

users.

We sincerely hope that the process of receiving a tele-■ phone Ifne would become much easier and people would not have to go through such an ordeal to get a telephone Installed.

M R /slam

Mlrpur, Dhaka