BIRDEM affair

Sir, Your analytical review on "the BIRDEM affair" published in The Daily Star on July 27 has hit the nail on the head. It is beyond doubt that we need less government interference to be able to progress. The various NGOs and the donors' confidence in them have proved this beyond doubt. In fact, the private sector in the business has also made great achievements with less interference from the government. In this context, we must learn to get out of the grip of the 'red tape'. And when we talk about the democratic process we must learn to live with opposition and opposite views and opinions. /

Your newspaper has always tried to give the correct perspective at different times on critical issues. It is very encouraging to see you continue to do so. You have our full support and encouragement.

AWcu Chowdhury Banant. Dhaka

n

Sir, I think that Mr. M K Alamgir's handling of the BIRDEM situation has given out a signal. Wrong or right perhaps lies with the Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina to prove.

This is a right signal if ,we think this is the same Awami League showing their own style of handling matters and Interfering anywhere even in the private, independent, nongovernment institutions.

It is not the right signal if we believe AL has vowed not to allow repetition of such acts, which some people during that time labeled as fascist.

Mr. Alamglr had no business going to BIRDEM. He has helped bring down the authority of BIRDEM in the name of solving the problem. He has set off an unhealthy precedence of direct intervention by the government and a bad example for many trade union leaders to start movements to bring down good management practices.

The prime minister may seek an explanation from him and if unsatisfied please take action and set an example of good governance.

Sohail Hassan • Banant. Dhaka.

Audit reports

Sir. Recently the Comptroller and Auditor General has submitted six annual audit reports, two appropriate accounts and nine finance

accounts to President Abdur Rahman Biswas. Accepting the reports, the President has said that proper audit was very much helpful for financial discipline in public sector.

We agree with the statement of President. We also thank Comptroller and Auditor General for the pains he has taken in preparing the reports. We, however, wonder how many government servants read those -big volumes of audit. accounts and finance reports: follow and maintain financial rules and discipline. Moreover, what benefit do the members of the public derive from the leviathan but ipcom-plete audit reports?

There is a general complaint that many facts and figures about income, expenditure and loss are not readily available in Various relevant government offices including the Ministry of Finance. Bangladesh Bank. Bureau of Statistics or even the office of Comptroller and Auditor General and so on and so forth.

We would highly appreciate if the Comptroller and Auditor Genera] kindly furnish us with a yearly statement showing the total of income, expenditure and loss incurred by the government yearwise from the financial year 1972-1973 to the immediate past financial year on the following heads of account tlirqugh a Press Release for information and perusal of the members of the public for the sake of accountability and transparency.

1. Amount of revenue Income. expenditure and loss.

2. Amount of export, import and deficit balance of payment thereof.

3. Amount of ADP

4. Amount of foreign aid/loan received ana repayment thereof.

• 5. Amount of system loss In electricity and waler supply.

6. Amount of expenditure bn pay and allowances of ministers. MPs. government servants and employees of public sector corporations.

7. Amount of loss In public sector corporations and autonomous bodies.

8. Amount of expenditure on TA/DA for ministers, MPs and government servants and employees of public sector corporations on foreign tours,

9. Amount of expenditure on purchase, repair, maintenance and POL of government transports.

10. Other information, if

O H Kabir

6. Hare Street. Wart, Dhaka-1203

The presidential speech and the vote of thanks

Sir. The treasury bench reportedly declared that since the President did not follow their prepared speech in full and read his own modified version they would not bring in the motion of vote of thanks as the President had violated the norm.

When we-first read about the controversy prior to the speech we were a bit perturbed. but later felt relieved when we found that a cqm-promise had been reached between the President and the government -and the President delivered the speech.

It seems now the general public have much to worry about. Are we again going to be plunged into the episodes of non-issues being forced into issues?

It is quite acceptable that government will prepare the speech materials and the President will read the same. But was it morally right to insert in the speech materials which are of controversial nature and even to such extent, as the government party knew well ahead, that the wordings would not conform to the principles upon which the President stands?

It seems now that the government would like the nation to swallow the wording "father of the nation" and they wanted l<> have the wish fulfilled by no other person than the President through his speech. We appreciate the stand taken by the President to have deleted the controversial part.

We like to see our President as a prestigious head of stale (even though he is a titular one) and would urge the government not to divert the national attention away from the real problems which the party in power has been entrusted by the people to address.

Nurul Basher

Riyadh. Saudi Arabia

Bangladesh Betar and Joy Bangia

Sir. The letter under the heading 'Questions bag' which appeared on July 27 in The Daily Star drew my attention. As there were some comments about my letter written on July 22. I think I should say a few words, more.

I am very much aware that before 1975. Radio Bangladesh was called Bangladesh Betar and even before that during the liberation war, freedom fighters set up Shawdhin Bangia Betar Kendra at Kalurghat in Chittagong.

Now the question is. who changed the name? Not any outsider who Invaded our cduntry and had aversion to Bangia words. It was changed by persons who fought for the country's liberation and whose mother language was Bangia May be Radio Bangladesh

seemed to .them more belli ting. For the last 21 years tt had been in practice, so what will be gained by changing it?

As for Joy Bangia'. it was the slogan of the Liberation war, now we are noi at war, and our country's name is Bangladesh not Bangia.' So. would Joy Bangia" convey something special? I think, we should not become too emotional.

Nur Jahan

1390. East Nastrabad. Chittagong.

•Follow the example!'

Sir. Recent news items about Ellada McCord, an American girl sentenced to lifeterm for drug smuggling, being freed from jail under a presidential amnesty, has caught my attention. The visiting US Congressman Bill Richardson has described this as a "humanitarian and noble gesture of the Bangladeshi government."

This incident can be an example for us to .follow. Why can't we take this opportunity ' to arrange for the freedom of many (innocent) Bangladeshi citizens abroad? Why can't WE initiate an International campaign to free our citizens im-Eirisoned abroad, perhaps for ess serious crimes? Are the Eiowers of diplomacy of our oreign missions so poor?

I kindly draw the attention of all the authorities concerned in this regard and hope that tactfulness and courage will be exercised in the speedy release of many Bangladeshi nationals imprisoned abroad. We certainly expect this much from our government!

Farzana Yasmin Mannan 27. Dhanmondi R/A Road No 2. Dhaka -1205

Power of a poetry

Sir. The other day I was going through an anthology of British and American poetry when suddenly a remark by Samuel Taylor Coleridge about poetry attracted my attention. He said: ’A poem is that species of composition which is opposed to works of science, by proposing for its immediate object pleasure, not truth."

But Coleridge's observation is not true In case of all the poems composed by several great poets of the world. There are many poems which provide moral instructions, courage to fight back for establishing moral values, peace, truth and justice in the society. As study reveals, in the ancient times, advice about farmin# used to be conveyed through poetry, e.g. Georgies of Virgil contains a Tot of practical advices about farming, in Bangia. Khonar Bochon' also one can find a lot of practical advices.

M Zahtdul Hague Assistant Professor Dept, of Agric Extension BAI, Sher-e-Bangla Nagar. Dhaka-1207