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TO THE EDITOR
TV news
It is high time somebody should teach our TV newscasters in all the Bangladeshi channels the difference between the words starting with letters "G", "J", and "Z" and how to pronounce the names and other nouns. They should pronounce General Ziaur Rahman and not Zeneral Jiaur Rahman, Khaleda Zia and not Khaleda Jia, project and not prozect, Kazi Nazrul Islam and not Kaji Najrul Islam, etc. The pronunciation of the names of foreign dignitaries, celebrities and sports persons are even funnier. I wonder how the TV authorities allow such mispronunciation, which sounds ridiculous and sometimes more irritable than funny.
Will the TV authorities conduct a special course on pronunciation for
these newscasters?
Sharifuzzaman Choudhury New DOHS, Dhaka
Stem cell bank
The world's first stem cell bank opened recently in Britain.
Genetic science has great potential for either serving or degrading humanity. Its proper use requires moral reflection and the establishment of moral limits.
There are many uses of genetic engineering, such as "somatic cell" therapy that are morally acceptable. In this instance a genetically determined malfunction in a particular kind of human body cell is corrected using genetically altered cells. The goal here is to serve human life and human dignity.
"Germ - line" therapy performed
on early human embryos is more problematic because it alters the basic genetic constitution of the person and all of his or her future offspring. This type of therapy requires using reproductive technologies such as in vitro fertilisation to produce embryos in the laboratory where they can be observed and manipulated. Here, a relationship of domination of researchers over their embryonic subjects exists which not only opens the door to new threats against life but is contrary to the dignity and equality that must be common to parents and children.
Genetic screening used for the deliberate destruction of human embryos can never be justified because here we are dealing with murder.
All governments have a moral obligation to protect human life in all
phases of its existence from conception to natural death.
Paul Kokoski
On e-mail
We condemn
The shrine blast killed four people and the British High Commissioner, fortunately, escaped the worst. Two bombs went off in Khulna, one at the house cum office of Humayun Kabir Balu, Editor of Janmabhumi, and a valiant freedom fighter. It killed him and wounded his eldest son. People across the country are flabbergasted at the killing. We are disconsolate, dumb and find no word weighty enough to condemn the killing. In our corrupt country, journalists usually endeavour to give authentic news to people. So they are being targeted.
We condemn the killing.
Nasir uddin Roney
Dept of Anthropology
University Of Chittagong
Frustrated with democracy
We are frustrated with democracy. We are tired of listening that sovereignty belongs to the people. We are tired and frustrated of hearing that actual democracy has never been practised in Bangladesh. The truth of the matter is that actual democracy has never been implemented anywhere in this earth and the very founder of democracy rejected it finding it troublesome. Now the power mongers are using this to fulfil their desires.
We people have to find out some other political system. These lead-
ers will never stop talking about democracy as it is the only thing by which they can oppress us and if we are continuously fooled by their words, then we will never be able to get peace and remain frustrated for the rest of the life.
omar
Tajmahal Road,
Mohammadpur, Dhaka
An appeal
I would like request the GrameenPhone management to extend the validity of Easy Pre-paid cards to one month after loading on GP cellphones. This will immensely benefit the low income group and retirees who are subscribers of GP prepaid cellphones. People were very much relieved and thankful to GP when it entered the market
breaking the monopoly of a single cellphone operator. As years went by, we now see all cellphone operators have joined hands as far as call charges are concerned. Number of cellphone subscribers have crossed the 2 million mark, but there is no major relief on call charges. We hear call charges have gone down to less than Rs.1 per minute in neighbouring India, including NWD charges.
I don't know what is preventing the cellphone operators in Bangladesh from reducing the call charges, but they can at least increase the validity of pre-paid cards to one month.
Ziauddin Ahmed
On e-mail
Bikolpo Dhara or
Ekei Dhara?
I congratulate Capt (retd) Shahid Helal for being able to see through the curtain that nearly 96% of us , the educated and literate people, are not able to see, let alone the rest of the educated and uneducated Bangladeshis. The name "Bikalpo Dhara" is actually a window dressing of "Ekei Dhara". Just do a little homework on the backgrounds of the politicians and activists of this "Bikalpo Dhara" and you will find the same old wine in the new bottle.
I was once a staunch supporter of the BNP. Now I neither support it nor the Awami League , because the illusion disappeared as soon as I started to see the real picture.
Sohel Haq
On e-mail