Straddle-carriers

Sir, This has reference to a news item published in your esteemed daily on April !» 1996 regarding straddle carriers at Chittagong port. It is reported that staff union has protested employment of four straddle carriers taken on rent from private sources. These days It is found that some people working in a public organ! sation feel that they own it and they try to regulate the activities of such organisation the way they feel that will protect their Interest only.

All public sector organisa-tions/institutions/estabrish-ments are owned by the 12 crore people of Bangladesh and not by any individual or a group or even the staff union. The only consideration that should receive priority is that whether an action taken in such organisation is in the greater interest of these 12 crore people. Any Individual in an establishment is only the custodian of that organisation and is to ensure that all actions by that organisation is in the -Sreater Interest of the people, f the straddle carriers In question help In Rasing the congestion in the port area and save the government from making huge investment for purchase of the same, then as citizens of the country we do not find any reason why the staff xinion should oppose use of these straddle carriers. Of course, they have the right to protest if the utilisation of the straddle carriers goes against the Interest of 12 crore people of Bangladesh.

A K Khan

Swamtbagh, Dhaka

Without guns and violence and destruction

Sir. The 120 million people of Bangladesh had to’undergo a painful and traumatic experience in the recent weeks due to the power struggle of the political parties. The poor country and its poor people suffered tremendous hardship and financial loss. It will take years before the losses can be recovered. We are relieved that the trauma Is over. But the question remains: can this happen again? What can we do to prevent the recurrence of such phenomenon? Should there be some safeguards embodied in our Constitution? Should there be some modification in our political system?

We have created history by establishing the provision of a caretaker government for holding general elections In the country. We have done It deviating from the beaten path in response to a national consensus for the sake of a neutral and fair election. The people at large want peace, stability. §rowth and development In a emocratlc body politic which will also ensure justice, fatrplay and a neutral administrative machinery. We should not hesitate to deviate from the beafen path to adopt measures to achieve the above objectives. Something needs to be done to safeguard and protect the interest of the people from the vicious power game of the politicians ana to ensure smooth and peaceful transition of power from one regime to the other without resorting to gun running and violence and without large-scale destruc-

tion of private and public property

I would earnestly request you to open up a dialogue on this subject in your esteemed newspaper inviting your read ers to come up with suggestions and ideas.

Habib Rabbani

Rabbani Manzil. Shantinaqar. Dhaka

"Civil Servants"

Sir. I refer to Hasina Zaman's letter that appeared in your Daily on 7 April 1996 under the title "Civil Servants". When Hasina Zaman says that the 35 senior secretaries' expression of solidarity with the recent movement against the BNP regime "is a reflection on the quality of our civil servants who are a far cry from theii counterparts in India and England.'' she conveniently forgets that neither in India nor in England does the bureaucracy have a BNP-style eovernment sitting over their ead — a government that politicises the administration, builds and supports armed cadres, treats the bureaucracy as its own servants’, holds farce in the name of election and enters the secretariat with armed cadres.

Hasina Zaman should bear In mind that neutrality, dignity and dedication can be expected from the bureaucrats only when the government they serve Is equally or more dignified, dedicated and neutral. May I ask Ms Zaman : was the BNP government endowed with these qualities?

M Rahman

30. KakraiL Dhaka