What a farce!

Sir. Recently. 1 saw a newspaper notification by RAJ UK that called upon the owners of residential houses in Gulshan and Banani to desist from using their houses for commercial purposes. The RAJUK also gave a listing of such holdings which are being used not in terms of lease with RAJUK.

So far so good. I was delighted that soon our travails may be over and the most notable disrupter of Banani tn terms of traffic, noise and nuisance will have to find new quarters. But alas! that was not to be. The expected establishment escaped listing. I have no idea how the most disruptive business managed not being on the list. May be the concerned person of RAJUK who notified the list knows. If he does not, 1 invite him to take a

walk in the vicinity of the building which is a school during opening or closing hours on any day. He is advised to leave his car about two blocks away. Even on one's legs the going is rough as well as tough.

May we expect that by bold action on the part of RAJUK, our peace will return.

A Resident

Banani. Dhaka

Hartal and dictionary

Sir. The word Hartal' is now internationally known. For its rapid global popularisation credits goes to two lady politicians.

However, it is surprising to see that this word hasn't yet found its place in English-Bengali dictionaries published locally. On the other hand, I found this

word in a dictionary published twenty-five years ago by university press. London which defines It: "Closing of Indian shops as political gesture."

Even the much talked-about English-Bengali dictionary published in early-1993 by Bangla Academy doesn't contain this word

Last but not the least, almost al) dictionaries published from Delhi. Lahore and such places contain thousands of Hindi. Urdu. Persian and Arabic words and each new edition Includes some more new words I wonder how and why Bangladeshi compilers and publishers are not Including words like Hartal In English-Bengali dictionaries. Are they suffering from some sort of complex?

KR Zakhmi

Khulna