English medium schools

Sir. So far enough have been written on this sullen issue however yielding no result from any quarter. In a society like ours, such muteness or apathy toward a common cause doesn't take me by surprise anyhow. At least, when we see far more pressing or burning issues failing to generate enough public outcry or call for a remedy. The so-called English medium schools have always been my cause of concern from the day one of my son's schooling.

Leave alone the rip-off. unjustified school fees that we dish out every month to fill the coffer of 'school traders'. Along with it come charges and fees in every disguise too often to dent our already dented pockets. Ceremoniously fleecing off the parents begin right from every January session, when these schools start charging you admission fees, new session fees, school development fees, and so forth They prescribe your kids' textbooks that are often out of the local market or menacingly waited upon to be sent from lii-dia. Most books that are found here are counterfeits done by semi-literate copy-cat printers, where you have smudgy' printing that are not readable even with magnifiers (or be at the mercy of eye specialists again)! But the school authorities give a damn about It.

Now a days 1 even find these schools contracting British Council to teach our wards English language through BC's set exams, and they are as a mandatory doing this, levying us a huge sum without even discussing with us. Wonder why these schools are for then!

These 'school traders', cashing in on poor or no government monitoring at all. have long been enjoying quite a hay day. And hapless, poor parents like us send their wards to these school-like centers where money minting seem to be the only cardinal objective and we

are barely left with any other choice.

How I wish some divine force had showered some justice and wisdom on this country', at least once!

Mushtaque Ahmed Development Consultant 1 7, Lake Circus

Dhaka

BD left smarting by Indian Internet leap

Sir. The news item in the Business page of the Dally Star (1.6.2000) on the mushrooming of ISPs (Internet Service Provider) in India was a welcome jar to our own Internet culture. We are still a lot behind In terms of infrastructure and setting up of a suitable environment for promoting Internet usage. 1 am sure we can also Justify a much higher number of local ISPs and plunging online costs. It is interesting to note how, right after privatisation; charges in India came down to around 25 paisa per minute. And here we currently have charges around 10 to 12 times higher! It Is high time that our Ff planners brought to their hi-tech projects a bit of practicality and accessibility for the people of Bangladesh

A conscious Internet user Dhaka

Will the situation ever change?

Sir, How long will we have to see heart-rending photographs in the newspapers where distraught relatives are seen walling over the dead bodies of their dear ones? On May 26 2000. we had to see another photograph of that sort. It was of a young businessman, Iftekhar Ahmed Shipu who was murdered at the UAE market of Bananl on May 25. 2000, shot from close range.

Now a days, these sort of in-

cidents have become very common in our country but the government seems totally indifferent to it. Will it go on like this, while the government remains busy with unnecessary projects like cutting trees of Chandrima Uddyan at the dead of night for building power substation for the NAM convention center?

Regarding Shipu murder case what is all the more painful and frustrating is those who are alleged to be involved in the killing have not been arrested till date. Is it because one of the accused Is the son of a ruling party MP?

It is really frustrating to note that our policemen are expert in arresting Innocent persons and they seem to be very knowledgeable about when to act and when not

Nur Jahan Chittagong

Dearer calls to dearer people

Sir. The recent decision of cellular telephone operator Sheba Telecom to raise its unit call rate to a 30-second slot is sure to send waves of concern through thousands of users. Telephone bills will no doubt soar considerably as the time frame for one call unit has been doubled. For example under the new system. If I make a 1 minute 10 second call it would cost me 6 taka; under the older system it would cost me 5 taka So I am charged, in effect. 4 call units of the previous system and 2 taka where It might have cost me one taka In the older system - and that is Just double! the reason Sheba gave was another dubious one -- why these sudden problems in the billing system aftri more than 2 years? This measure can only have contradh iu\ effects on customer >n n\ relations.

A Worried fiber

Dhaka