***Letters for publication in these columns should be addressed to the Editor and legibly written or typed with double space. For reasons of space, short letters are preferred, and all are subject to editing and cuts. Pseudonyms are accepted. However, all communications must bear the writer's real name, signature and address.***

Ailing Asma

Sir. With reference to the DS news on ailing Asma Begum who is in critical condition at DMCH. there are a number of things that I'd like to mention.

Is there no end to our misery? How can a doctor "accidentally'' remove a human organ, be it a kidney or any other vital organ of the body? All the ministers seem to make meaningless promises as was the case with little Runa. After the headlines had died, the so-called assurance of help also seem to have disappeared.

Not only are we left to mistrust our so-called law enforcement system but also we cannot even trust the doctors with our life! What are we supposed to do then? Go for treatment to them and end up in our deathbed!

The prime minister has decided to set up a 'Human Rights Commission1 in the Jatiya Sangsad. But for what purpose, so that they have something new to argue about?

Asma today is just another victim of our inefficient system — It makes us wonder: is our life so worthless that it has no right to be lived or are we Just victims of the system?

Zeenat Zaman

Independent University.

Bangladesh

Hart (AL)

Sir. When Sheikh Hasina says that Awami League would never resort to hartal. I am really not sure about their sincerity. Because past does not tell us that. What did happen to the announcement during the Er-

shad regime when she told at a Chittagong public meeting that whoever goes to election under Ershad is National Traitor'. The next thing we saw Awami League Joined the elections. And this participation in election prolonged Ershad rule and gave rise to unrest and political violence I. as a student, lost two years of academic life due to this.

There are a lot of examples of their broken promises. What happened to their promise of giving autonomy of state-owned media? So when you are in opposition you will do one thing and while in government you will do different, cannot be the norm of political behaviour.

Md Shams

Dallas, Texas

The third force

Sir, News reports from New Delhi indicate that a third force is being organised in Indian politics to unite the Muslim votes to fight against pseudo secular and Hindu communal politics.

Who are the major players behind these scenes? Further balkanisation of the Indian sub-continent to suit western interests? Not unlikely. Judging from past patterns. The economical clout of India must be contained operating under the non-transparent WTO, as South and the Central Asia are the richest markets during the next century (recent BBC radio documentary on Turkmenistan sitting over the world's fourth largest natural reserves of en-ergy fossil).

Footholds must be established early, now that Moscow has been made impotent, and

Japan is poor in international politics, and some self-cleansing exercises have been imposed on the nation walling with the yen trouble, as her yin and yang have gone wrong. Bangladesh is already a target for western base, and her politicians are busy with in-fighting.

US VP Al Gore gored Malaysian national sentiments with his T-shirt diplomatic tactlessness (why did mis gentlemen walk out of the dinner in his honour?). He was sent to be naughty against mighty Mahathir (the APEC meet failed anyway)? Malaysia is not interested in APEC (a western trap) but became a member Just to spy on it and thrust a spanner into the spokes at the right moments.

US does not like powerful rulers in the third world (remembering Castro and what they did to a Central American Eiresident). She welcomed the all of Suharto, and is openly out to bring down Saddam. Mahathir suspects the US might be using Anwar Ibrahim indirectly to get a hold on defiant Malaysia, after Mahathir, years ago twisted the British lion's tail, forcing Thatcher to fly out of KL on an humble pilgrimage.

The West is seeking new pastures in the Asian continent. and weak regimes are in for doses and antidotes. How is the Dhaka regime bracing itself for the overtures, noting in the background the case in the court on alleged undisclosed contracts or deals with the foreign gas companies?

Senior foreign diplomats have started a shuttle service to bring down the heat between the two major political parties, one wailing with tawba from further hartals (the second tawba from the mighty party), and the other threatening non-stop hartals as and when needed. The foreign powers like stooge regimes to dispense conditional favours. More Monica asexual missiles are being programmed in many parts ofthe wqfld. My 5-year old niece Is happy with the imaginary image of Santa

Claus’ bringing her gifts via her chachas. mamoos and khaloos.

The Muslim fundamentals here will certainly be exploited to gain vested interests by unwanted groups including foreign. vide persistent reports in a section of the local press, and tacit official knowledge that some foreign international terrorist organisations are beginning to focus attention on Bangladesh.

A Husnain Dhaka

Arrear telephone biUs

Sir. In reply to a question by an MP. the Telephone and Telecommunications Minister recently stated on the floor of the House that the total amount of arrear telephone bills is now around Tk 450 crores and that, of this amount, about Tk 3 crores are owed by the past and present members of the parliament.

Such a large amount owed by MPs could not have accumulated overnight. The conclusion, therefore, is that the arrears were deliberately allowed to accumulate over the years. As a subscriber, my own telephone line is liable to be disconnected unless I pay up my bills within a stipulated time and the T&T applies this rule rigorously tn all subscribers. May 1 ask the hon'ble minister under what rules and special provisions of any laws the telephone lines of defaulting MPs nave not yet been disconnected?

AQauyurn

Gulshan, Dhaka

T&T and analogue hassle

Sir, My analogue phone under Sher-e-Bangla Exchange went out of order for at least seven long spells in last two years. It is dead now.

1 am fed up with these routine hassles and have given up

lodging complaints, which normally go unheeded on the set-pleas of various technical limitations of T&T department.

A large number of analogue subscribers, bearing starting digits of 32. under dilapidated analogue exchange of Sher-e-Bangla Nagar are bearing untold sufferings for last two years without any apparent remedy.

T&T should take immediate measure to convert these remaining analogue numbers into digital and save us from regular sufferings.

Shamsul Huda 8/13 Block C Dalmatia

Curbing political violence

Sir, The newspapers carry news items daily on arrests of politicians or political workers Indulging in violence, law and order situations and open gunmanship. Such news items have to be polarised, as. naturally, fewer politicians of the ruling party are detained than those belonging to the opposition. The situation becomes sensitive before by-elections. Nobody is happy, and the voters are fed up with the culture of violence practised by the political parties (of course no party will acknowledge). So we fall back on a tested formula: you are fudged by the company you keep!

Normal, peaceful politics cannot be expected when politics is controlled using violent means, directly or indirectly. Finding solutions based on violence is a dangerous trend in any society. The same set of political leaders have to find the Kaceful solutions (we come ck to the basic war-and-peace theory)!

It is beating about the bush, but nothing comes out of the bush, as the tiger comes out during a shikar operation, as we read in the hunters' books. Now both the hunters and the hunted are politicians! Which third party would like to meddle in

this game? On the other hand, meddling will not be allowed!

Comments by political leaders have not provided the solution so far. Whom do we approach for redress? What is this Janatar bichar? Next election, under caretaker government? Funny business, the politicians cannot rule themselves, and wish to rule (or serve) 120 million!

Millions come cheap!

Abul M Ahmad Dhaka

Agri-insurance

Sir. Agricultural insurance is aimed at providing protection to investments in crop production, livestocks rearing and various other farm-related activities through identification of possible Tosses against natural calamities plus other Insurable perils. Agricultural insurance programmes have been successfully implemented in different countries.

In the context of Bangladesh, agricultural insurance can effectively contribute to increase the productivity in agriculture through encouraging farmers to take investment risks as well as to ensure maximum protection of their crops. It can also ensure sustainable agriculture and development. Of course determining which model for agricultural insurance is appropriate in Bangladesh needs research and action-trial. In order to initiate such research activities, sound knowledge on agricultural insurance has to be gathered by the agronomists.

So. agricultural Insurance chapter should be incorporated in the curriculum of Bangladesh Agricultural University and other universities^ At the same time the government may undertake a project to try and examine the effectiveness of agricultural insurance system In the country.

M Zahidul Haque

BAI . Sher e-Bangla Nagar Dhaka1207