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To the editor
EC's role
Acting chief election commissioner had done well to book a group of election code violators that had created a healthy atmosphere to conduct the Gazipur 2 by-election. The election also proved that should the public servants play a non-partisan role in an election, and army deployed, fair election is still possible in Bangladesh. The immediate past by-election that the EC had conducted was Dhaka 10, which was just opposite of the Gazipur 2 by- election.
The public outrage at the Dhaka 10 by-election was evident from the letters published in the newspapers. Sirajul Islam
Social sciences researcher and consultant
Shyamoli, Dhaka
Too costly
I had read the announcement in the paper of the birth of some glossy addition to our art and literature environment. I borrowed the copy from a reader who can afford to buy it. After one hour's browsing, I would like
to share some superficial first reactions with the readers and the publishers, after a lifetime of reader-exposure of six decades, sampling such magazines or journals originating from different countries , and occasionally dabbling in naive art criticisms as a hobby (including one criticizing a foreign western architect that the design of the Jatiya Sangsad is not suitable for an LDC like Dhaka, situated in a delta region; as also condemning the design of the BTV Bhaban at Rampura by an architect of North Europe).
My hunch feeling is that everything cannot be analyzed in black and white, that is, in writing, i.e. in language, specially written language. You watch a scenery, it touches you but it takes pages to transfer it to another person through a letter or essay; or even verbally. The limitation of the medium has to be recognized. The professional critics ignore this point.
Take the empathy between mother and baby; or between a pair of lovers (man and woman); or even between a master and his dog). It is intuitive,
needs no language or medium. Both human art and language are mediums. Then what is the message?
I liked the piece on time space cubic analysis of the Singaporean mind or personality the first time I had come across such an approach. I had resided near Singapore for ten years, and was a regular visitor to Singapore. It is the island mentality, like the English or the Japanese. Singapore is much smaller with a small heterogeneous population. But too materialistic. Not interested in small talk and drawing room adda (the Bengalees are different). After shopping, what to do in this country of high standard of living? I kept away from the bania mentality. On the other hand, the Malays have the Kampong touch, and employ Chinese managers to look after their business. I also did not like Hong Kong.
The human touch is missing in materialistic societies in the industrial world. In fact, I preferred Asia to the West, after travelling in more than thirty countries. I felt more at home in the Asian countriesthe cradle of
civilization. The strong sense of individualism in the West (industrialized developed nations) is well mirrored by the mobile cellular telephone-the world is at your fingertips (GSM), but the two-way communication is controlled one-way. This system or effect is due to the break up of the society's nucleus, namely the family?
Our son in Dhaka (in his 20s, a senior honors student and working his way through the university) is a victim of this modern malady-cooped up in his room (den) with door shut and lost in his individualistic world of mobile phone, PC, CD and second-hand car. Mind it: I did not contribute to his material acquisitions.
Good photography (capturing three dimensions in two dimensions) is more communicative and can contribute more to understanding than pages of the written word. Some photographs of tribal life were very good. The point is the mood has to be transferred to the common reader or viewer, without technical jargon and high-brow analysis by the critics. The question is now to click without trying
(ion both sides).
Why Indian writers and critics have so much fondness for adjectives? I generally avoid Indian critics (and most writers). They are too sensitive and want to emphasize something more than once in a paragraph. Is it a sign of inferiority complex? Too much hammering. Take it easy!
Anyway, the birth of this "Journal" is to be welcomed-better than nothing. The test lies in the next six issues-click or flop. How to come down to earth-matribhumi.
AMM
Dhaka
Good for democracy
Amid unprecedented destruction by the recent deluge across the county, people's eyes were fixed on the Gazipur-2 by-election where multi dimensional factors coincided along with the fact that the Awami league for the first time participated in an election under this government. The constituency fell vacant after the heinous killing of a very popular leader of this area, Ahsanullah Master.
According to the rule of the constitution, election must be held within 90 days when a constituency falls vacant. People feared a showdown, but the election was held peacefully. People also became de-motivated by the ruling party when Sumon, the key witness o to Ashanullah Master's killing, died in the custody of RAB, which ignited the fury of condemnation .
Actually this victory is a victory of passion and a recognition of the good deeds of the late politician.
We also appreciate the gesture of the defeated four-party alliance candidate who accepted the results without demur.
ABM Shafiqul Islam
Dept of English
Jahngirnagar University
Relation between cousins
In our society marriage among cousins is quite common. But we are suspicious about its benefits as medical science nowadays discourage marriage between cousins from
nearest relatives. Because this couple could give birth to disabled children. Moreover, their children are more prone to be affected by diseases by way of inheritance like blood pressure, diabetes etc. Except those, it has other problems. In many Muslim families, cousins do not feel comfortable with each other. If any young boy and girl, who are cousins, get close to each other , other relatives might not take it easy. Moreover, parents from both families also oppose this kind of association. They believe their son or daughter who are cousins could fall in love which may lead to marriage. But this notion of parents creates psychological problems among the cousins.
Family is the basement for fulfillment of physical and psychological requirements. Free association of boys and girls in family adds to their mental maturity. They come to know the nature of human mind. This experience assists them to face the real world outside their homes. This will reduce the awful result of misunderstanding between a boy and a girl in our society.
So, the parents should change their mind.
Sifat Uddin
University of Dhaka.
Foreign donation
About 30 million people of Bangladesh are struggling to survive as floods have inundated 40 out of the 64 districts. The extent of damage has been colossal both in terms of life and property. The donor countries and many other humanitarian organizations have come to the rescue of the affected people.
I urge the government, political leaders and local leaders to utilise foreign donations properly in the interest of the humanity in distress and also to dispel doubts regarding misappropriation of relief goods.
Md. Shafiquee
Dept. of English Koratia, Tangail