'Pollution of a different kind"

Sir. I thank Mr S A Mansoor of Gulshan. Dhaka for his letter under the heading "Pollution of a different kind" published in The Daily Star dated 23rd March. 1997. The problem he has focussed on deserves serious consideration by the government as well as by all conscious citizens.

Manpower recruiting agencies have become lucrative business and centres have been set up in various residential areas by resourceful persons defying all existing laws.

In many such places 'medical check-up centres' have also been set up to facilitate recruiting business. Almost everyday, hundreds of people visit such centres. Rickshaws, baby taxis, tea stalls, food vendors and many others are found crowding the area. Since the potential clients carry good amount of cash, hijackers find a good hunting ground.

Road No. 11 at Banani had earned notoriety in this regard. A huge C I Sheet structure has been raised to accommodate a manpower recruiting centre in one of the houses at Road 11. Banani.

I urge all conscious citizens, particularly Bangladesh Environment Lawyers Association (BELA) to take up the matter with appropriate authorities.

AR Khan

House-32, Road-7

Banani, Dhaka-1213

'Penal Code"

Sir, Nowadays, the code for penalising the criminal offenders is a much talked-about one. Actually, in the official gazette, it is termed as "Penal Code". But in most national dallies, dramas, literature etc., the same is often wrongly termed as "Bangladesh Penal Code" (BPC).

Up to 1947. the code was named as "Indian Penal Code" and during Pakistan regime, it wqs "Pakistan Penal Code". Now the code is barely "Penal Code". This should be informed for kind knowledge of all.

Md Al-Mamun

Probationary Officer AB Bank Ltd.

Agrabad Branch, Chittagong

Hooliganism in the field

Sir, We are ashamed to see hooliganism that had been overwhelming in the last two consecutive hockey semifinals held between our top level hockey clubs on 15 and 17 March 1997 at the Hockey Stadium in the Kamaphuli Garden City Club Cup tournament. Has hooliganism nowadays become the very common phenomenon in our sports arena? Where should we hide our shame?

The other countries like Malaysia. Indonesia and Thailand are developing their rank in each field of sport from once the same position as ours, whereas our players and club officials are still very often being engaged in common practices like disobeying the rules and discipline of games, assaulting the umpires or referees and fighting among themselves in the playground. This is very shocking and disappointing. How can the players develop their match temperament, quality and skill when they neither respect the Judgement nor obey the rules of the games?

Could we urge to the players to be decent in the match so that we can march forward with our country's 'fairplay movement'? We do expect and hope that the tournament committee and Bangladesh Hockey Federation will take exemplary legal action against the players who engaged themselves in beating and assaulting the umpires in those two hockey semifinals.

Dr Tapas K Chakma CDF Hospital Shamshernagar T E Moulvibazar, Sylhet

Leader of the Opposition

Sir. In a civilised and democratic country, the Leader of the Opposition is considered to be the second most important person next only to the Prime Minister. for today s Leader of the Opposition could well be the Prime Minister of tomorrow. All public utterances of the Leader of the Opposition must, therefore, be fully restrained and. in particular, on sensitive international issues and, under no circumstances, such utter-

ances should exceed the boundaries of what is generally recognised as international decency.

As published in February 3 issue of your esteemed paper. Begum Khaleda Zia has reportedly said : "Bangladesh which earned independence through a bloody struggle can never support the suppression of people seeking independence" in the seven north-eastern states of India. Such irresponsible and provocative utterances can only harm instead of fostering friendly relationship with a neighbouring country. What is happening in India is no concern of ours and. similarly, what is happening in our country is no concern of India except, of course, with regard to any actions which affect our respective national interests.

A Qayyum

69 Gulshan Avenue Dhaka 1212

FMDA for world

Sir, Our attention has been drawn to a letter in this regard by Mrs Kaberi Barua. General-Secretary of Human Welfare Society of Chittagong, published in The Daily Star on 6/1/97. It is heartening to know that the "Foundation for Moral Development Approach (FMDA)" has initiated a pro-’ posal to the United Nations on "Universal Moral Development Programme". The objective of the FMDA is to create moral awareness and conscience among the world population through the universal moral development programme. There is no doubt that this approach, as a package-deal programme will definitely help in curbing and combating all the disastrous calamities of the world today like, corruption. AIDS, poverty, violation of human rights, environment pollution, terrorism, drug abuses, smoking. etc.

In fact, these are the genuine by-products of immoral numan activities of multifarious types. The unique programme of the FMDA will certainly pave the way to ensure sustainable peace and justice for human beings for all time to come. We believe

that the FMDA will be a propel "common platform" for the world people irrespective of colour, religion and nationality to work for global peace through universal moral development programme.

So. we appeal to all the foreign missions in Bangladesh to convey the message of this universal benevolent programme of FMDA of Bangladesh to their respective governments and peoples for their information and valued consideration.

We really feel proud that such a universally moral issue has emerged from our Bangladesh. Now it is becoming crystal clear that today or tomorrow. the whole world population. for the sake of their peaceful and meaningful existence. will have to follow the guidelines of the global moral development programme of FMDA.

We whole heartedly congratulate the Founder of FMDA for propagating such a noble idea in the greater welfare of mankind at all levels of all times.

Shaikh Mahbub Ahmed

Final Year (History) Dhaka University

Dhaka-1000.

Long live Nelson Mandela

Sir. On the august occasion of Silver Jubilee of our Independence. we in Bangladesh were honoured to have Nelson Mandela amidst us for he is, today, a unique figure in history, an apostle of peace, the like of whom grace humanity Very rarely. Mandela's fight has a universal theme; it is a fight for freedom, freedom to be himself, a fight for justice. Even a small grain of knowledge of the practice of apartheid in South Africa could invoke a sense of outrage and injustice in anyone. regardless of colour or creed, who calls himself a human being. It was a unique situation there and cannot be judged by any other standard as other freedom struggles elsewhere. Chamberlain's behaviour towards Hitler proved that to some rogues Of history one Just cannot afford to turn the other cheek.

When democracy was spreading fast across the world, white South Africans allowed to carry on with its primitive, barbaric apartheid policy. Local Africans numbering about 25 million were enslaved in their own homeland by about four million of white South Africans.

Mandela after coming out from Jail, where he was imprisoned for long 28 years,- did not start hate campaign — he preached love instead of hate. He did not want any repression on those who tortured nim and black the South Africans.

We have to rise above our petty political moorings to get a perspective of a complex world which, however, is not easy. There should be freedom for ourselves, our families, our communities; and ultimately freedom for all mankind. We should try to know where we are in the ladder of moral evolution. Is freedom for one necessarily at the expense of another? Mandela's greatness is that he is committed to real freedom that all of us aspire to deep down within our selves.

Long Live Mandela

A M F Quadir Dhaka-1207

Mining engineering institute needed

Sir, We are really grateful to the Almighty that the Dinajpur has been blessed with bounties of Nature. With the excavation work of coal mining the name of Bangladesh has been recorded in the mining history of the world. Two more coal fields with >uge quantity of quality stocks have been discovered in Dinajpur. These reserves are located at a reasonable depth and viable for excavation.

The reserve of coal has also been found in Khalashpir of Rangpur. The work of lime stone project in Jaypurhat started long before the indepen dence. but the work could not progress due to dearth of capital. The hardrock project of Madhypara. Dinajpur, has been startea after a long pause Pan-chagarh has immense deposits of stone and thick sand. The

Patgram of Lalmonirhat 1district has huge quantity of stones.

Dinajpur has been identified as one ot the most valuable districts as far as mineral resources are concerned. The district is also very important as a surplus producer of food grains.

There was a Mining Engineering college in Lahore. Pakistan. Our boys used to obtain degrees from this college in the past. At present, the BUET is imparting some education on the subject.

But we need to establish one full-fledged Mining Engineering college/university to use our boys/girls in our mine fields. The Education Minister recently indicated that 12 technical colleges' or universities will be set up in different districts. Northern Bangladesh has already undergone a considerable amount of mining work. There should be one Mining Engineering college/university nearer to the fields. The authority concerned should look into the matter.

Mahbubul Haque Choudhury Dy. General Manger Sonali Bank. Head Office Dhaka

Why politicians should run broadcasting?

Sir, Referring to a Star report, it is not understood why a JS Committee should run broadcasting, as speculated. How and why it is the Job of politicians? Why the JS should come in the operation?

The implications may be far-reaching. Why such a unique system should be adopted, not seen anywhere in the world?

The present Commission" or Committee is supposed to be independent, and its' recoin mendations should be in public interest — not forgetting minimum controls in the democratic spirit. Including freedom from over-control by the politi-

A 2abr Dhaka