***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.***

Stop terrorism

Sir, The law and order situation of the country is deteriorating day by day. But who cares? Instead of helping and redressing the misfortune of the people, all our political leaders, of both the ruling and opposition parties, are engaged in is criticising each other and making hollow promises.

Would our leaders instead of rhetorical promises kindly help solve the manifold problems of this hapless country and do something practical to redress the grievances of millions?

OH Kabir

6 Hare Street

Wart Dhaka 1203

Wanted: More ministers

Sir, One busy minister has been burdened with the charge of two problematic ministries: home and telecoms. Both are not performing well. One has alarming statistics on the law and order situation, while the other Is critically under-developed, hovering

on the poverty line of telecoms services, stretching the waiting period for new telephones to several years: and that too, with the highest installation charge In the world.

Tire Prime Minister has also burdened herself with more Power and Energy than she can handle, use or deliver: resulting in frequent tripping of circuits and power black-outs. It appears we have still to learn about the optimum use of power, with concentration of energy focused on the right target. And in a deltaic region, this could lie a problem.

AZ

Dhaka

Female hostel needed

Sir. Il is known from the DU sources that of about 22,000 students of the University, over 10,000 are girls. The University was established in 1921 as a residential one. But Its residential status could not be maintained for long. The University started with only three residential halls. Now there are 14 hostels of which only three are for females. Recently the foundation stone of another female hostel was laid by the PM. The hostel will be set up near the New Market. Tire establishment of a female hostel is indeed welcome, but its location cannot be appreciated because the Kuwait Maitri Hall (established as an extension of Shamsunnahar Hall) is very near to the new one.

There are only two hostels in the Science Faculty and both of them are for male students. A third one Is being constructed on the eastside of the Asiatic Society. This has also been declared to be a male hostel. This Is sheer Injustice to die female students of the Science Faculty. Science students are to remain busy with their practical classes up to 5 p.m. and after the class, the female students cannot enter nearby hostels although their male classmates can.

Therefore, 1 suggest that the under construction hostel near the Asiatic Society be given to the female students of the Science Faculty. To Increase its size the present Extension! of Shahldullah Hall may also be Included in the female hostel. There Is enough space on the eastern side of the Extension-II of Shahldullah Hall tp build a five storied north-south building (may be larger than the present one) facing the west. And lifts new building could easily be occupied

bv the students of Extension-I.

MAS Molla

Member. BAAS. Dhaka

Corrupt police stations

Sir, Being a resident of Uttara. it is dreadful to think that our police station has been distinct as the second most corrupt police station in the country. Transparency International's report published In your esteemed daily (September 26) has to be taken seriously. The report has put the Uttara residents In a dilemma. Tine report indeed interprets that we should Im? prepared to face all means of harassment at the police station should we have the bad luck to visit the place to lodge any complaint. Our congratulations to the OC of Uttara police station for this unique achievement!

M Ahmad

Uttara. Dhaka

Frustrating indeed

Sir, I\vo news items published in different newspapers have attracted our attention. One Is alx>ut a Bangladeshi athlete, who secured 64lh position out of 65 participants in one of the events at the just-concluded 27(h Olym plc Games in Sydney, ahead of the competitor from Uganda. The

other news item is on the World Population Report 2000 released by Ure UNFPA, which puts Bangladesh second to Papua New Guinea in terms of incidences of cruelty and physical assaults on women by their male partners. It is alleged that 47 per cent women in Bangladesh are at the mercy of their male partners. What cur appalling and sad picture!

In cruelty of other sorts, we must be In a good position, maybe atop the list. Horrendous accounts of crimes occupy the news dailies. Is It not Ironical that Bangladesh Is climbing the ladder in Lliose survey which are despicable and going down In commendable ones? Will tills horrifying trend ever change?

NurJahan Chittagong

Concern for the environment

Sir. Being a citizen. 1 find it my duty to make others around me aware of environmental degradations in Bangladesh. I am a member of a club called the Global Issues Club and our main objective Is to make the country a better to place to live in. We believe in Recycle, Reuse and Reduce.

We want others to believe in this and help us achieve our goal. Bangladesh is our country'. If we don't look after it. no one will. Some of the major environmental

problems that we are facing are: •Use of polythene bags. Polythene bags do not dissolve in the soil and thus pollute the environment. These are also harmful for our health as it has been found that black polythene cause cancer. So. we should discourage ihe use of polythene bags and encourage the use of paper bags orj ute bags.

•The second problem is the wastage of resources. E.g.-paper. Paper Is made from trees. So. if we use more paper, more trees will lx* destroved. Trees are vital for our survival and we simply cannot afford lo destroy more and more trees. Thus, we should encourage reusing, e.g. paper envelopes can be reused or made from old magazines that are found lying around the house.

•The third problem is littering Everywhere we go we see litter all around. People throw litter out on the streets which is very’ much harmful for the environment. Litter decomposes in the open and release poisonous gas which are inhaled by us. This is very harmful. If people are careful enough to through litter only in the garbage bins then this environmental degradation will be checked and the country’ will indeed be a better place lo live in.

Ayesha Ansari

Sunbeams School

Houses 10. Road it 6 Dhanmondl. Dhaka