Rajuk’s bad habit

Sir, Rajuk's alleged plot not to refund deposits on applications for plots (of land for residence. DS 15.12.98) is in reference, and it may be added that usurping others' money is an old bad habit of Rajuk.

The 1986 Baridhara-Banani allotment scheme is still not finalised after 12 years and the deposits in lakhs of taka and dollars are not being refunded or interest paid on same, in case of approved but not allotted cases. The ■government of Sheikh Hasina" is maintaining a golden silence!

Alif Zabr Dhaka

“Freedom at Last?”

Sir, There was a front page photo news captioned as above on 22.12.98 of artist Kalidas Karmakar hugging 3-4 guest birds. The news read that the bird-lover had snatched these birds from a vendor vending in the 'banned' item at the New Elephant Road of Dhaka city.

The very next day. on 23.12.98, a letter on the same subject written by Mr Karim M Iqbal was published. The writer expressed his shock that Mr Karmakar snatched the birds from a poor vendor without, paying him any price, i.e. Mr Karmakar did an injustice to the vendor. Mr Iqbal pleaded Mr Karmakar guilty also.

According to Mr Iqbal If Mr Karmakar were an honest man he would do better by paying the vendor for the birds and by releasing them in public right there at the Elephant Road.

I would like to appreciate both the birdlovers. The first lover artist Karmakar made a news by taking the birds from a vendor and at last freed them at large! If he released the birds ’’right there at Elephant Road," only the nearby people would have been encouraged to do so. The readers including Mr Iqbal and I could not even know of the matter. The second lover Mr Iqbal raised the question of 'human rights' of the vendor along with the 'animal rights' of the birds which is a Very welcome gesture from a Bangladeshi!

MAS Molla Zoological Society of Bangladesh Dhaka

Of banners and festoons

Sir, Dhaka was once famous for its muslin silk and the city was thus known as the 'City of Silk'. Later, hundreds of mosques cropped in and around the city and Dhaka was named as the 'City of Mosques'. Still later, flashy cars, mosquito menace and beggars introduced Dhaka to the outside world perhaps as the City of Cars. Mosquitoes and Beggars. However, today, with all the thousands of old. worn out. tattered, festoons and .banners. Dhaka can proudly boast itself as the 'City of Banners and Festoons’!

The banners include those of pre-cadet coaching, herbal skin care, beauty parlour, community centres, restaurants, invitation to public meetings and what not. These banners nave of late given the city an ugly look. In some cases, even the sky is not visible. This is all the more obvious in Sadar Ghat, New Market, Gausia, Green Road and Shantinagar, to name a few. It will be highly appreciated if the city fathers take immediate necessary action prohibiting this unnecessary display of such banners and festoons.

To stop this menace all they need is a pair of scissors and a ladder and the will to keep the city clean. Lastly, there should be a clear policy regarding the display of banners and festoons.

Anika Mariam Ahmed BFMymensingh Road, Banglamotor

Dhaka- 10OO

Strike mania

Sir. We are practising democracy for some seven years. So we are quite conscious of our social and political rights and demands, and also know the way how these demands are to be fulfilled. 'Calling strike’ is such a policy of which success appears hundred percent. And we call strike being instigated by some political leaders without thinking of its justification. We even get heedless to enormous loss of GDP resulting from such strikes.

This strike mania has affected our doctors too. The recent strike observed by the Intern doctors caused untold suffering to the patients. People have every right to their fundamental needs like medicare. But they had to return home without any treatment.

Is this humanity? Here the government also has shown irresponsibility in serving the people.

I think, the nation's conscience too is undergoing a long-term 'strike'.

Arun Kumar Biswas Dept of English, DU

Free in the free market?

Sir, Our markets are flooded with foreign goods (especially consumer items of least residual value), and the political parties otherwise uproarious even for a trifling matter do not clamour at all or effectively in this regard. I feel its time the DS launches a continued movement against such unrestricted import of goods (for the sake of free market) without which we can live happily and healthy and save our recently-invading imported-vanity of keeping at par with the developed nations. The free-econo-my theories are posing a great threat to our economy and less developed consumer products industry.

I am afraid if such trend is allowed to progress further then all our industries are bound to shut down.

A F Rahman

Dhaka

Plight of tenants

Sir, We would like to seek your help to uphold the interest of the tenants and in particular the retired persons who live in the rented houses or apartments in the capital city. It is noticed that most of them have become the victims of the house/apartment-owners’ whims in respect of the yearly enhancement of house rent without any legal support.

Therefore, we earnestly request the Rent Control Department to look into the matter and help them to provide the guidelines to fix up the house rent as per the rules. We wish that the copy of the ’deed of agreement’ in the form of the governmental proforma on payment of Tk 50 each were made available for use prior to the hiring of the house or apartment as a tenant from the house/apartment's owner in the deed of agreement for 2 or 5 or 10 years depending on the tenant's liking with the house-owners and apartment builders as deed of agreement.

If this term is made as a condition in the deed of agreement, it would certainly help increase government revenues and save the retired persons as tenants from harassment.

Abul Ashraf Noor Uttara, House#9, Road #4

Sector*5, Dhaka