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To the Editor...
Letters will only be considered if they carry the writer's full name, address and telephone number (if any). The identity of the writers will be protected. Letters must be limited to 300 words. All letters will be subject to editing.
"Thai visa"
I refer to a letter published in The Daily Star on 24 April 2005 titled "Thai visa". In this connection, I would like to express my views and also clarify some points in the matter.
Recently, we upgraded our visa system and introduced new policies with the aim of delivering timely visa for Bangladeshi citizens who wish to enter Thailand, as well as to create a stronger check against counterfeit applicants. However, no matter how strictly our rules have been incorporated, the Embassy does not refuse to grant visa to any applicant until all the possibilities have been tried and ruled out. From past experiences, the visa chief may wish to be convinced further about the eligibility of the applicant, in which case the applicant is asked to bring more
papers of guarantee or support. As a result, such applicants automatically get delayed but happily enough, most of them end up getting the visa by cooperating with the Embassy.
But it is a pity that even after further opportunity given to them, a number of applicants fail to show the supporting documents required to obtain urgent visa as they may have requested, or to obtain a visa at all, and have to be denied after all the time they spend at the Embassy,
apart from wasting our time and efforts as well. Furthermore, we
have put on notices at the visa section on how to contact the
Embassy for any inquiries or
requests. It is unfortunate how such irregular applicants make unreasonable claims on the Embassy.
Vorrassri Sriboon
Consul
Royal Thai Embassy, Dhaka
Watching for pleasure!
Entertainment and politics are not the same thing, time has come to realise this simple difference.
Who does not like the way Pakistan play cricket? And tell me who does not like the way Brazil play football?
Who does not like continuous 4 and 6? And who does not like watching fastest century
in a few minutes? And who does not like watching an ordinary team defeating strong teams such as Argentina or France despite poor defence? This is called the fun and enchantment of game!
There are many Pakistani cricket fans in Bangladesh. Everybody loves entertainment,
It is not blasphemous. No one can blame them for this because their heart does not ache when Pakistan loses. It's all over when the game ends. There is nothing wrong with chilling and whistling. There are lots of things that we should have clear idea of.
Patriotism is not such a cheap thing that you have to learn from some blockheads.
Cantara Wali Ruhi
BBA, Dept of Mgmt, DU
Perspective -national unity
This is regarding Mozammel Khan's writing in the 'opinion' column, which
came on12th April, 2005 in The Daily Star. The writer rightly pointed out a sitting minister's previous and recent anomalous stance on declaration of war of independence of Bangladesh. I could not restrain myself to add one thing in this regard. On 26th march, 1999 in an interview with BBC Bangla this minister (wasn't a minister at that time) told that there should not be any debate on proclamation of independence by Bangabandhu Sheikh Mujib. He also added that the real task of proclamation of independence had been done by Bangabandhu on 7th March, 1971 at Race Course ground before a grand rally as he (Bangabandhu) told that 'this time the struggle is for independence, this time the struggle is for emancipation.'
If the stance of then one of the close
aides (obviously junior) of Bangabandhu could change so ridiculously then national unity may remain an illusion forever.
Omar Faruque
Mymensingh
Bangladesh not safe!
The British government has now decided to remove Bangladesh from the so-called 'white list', as the country is not safe! This has come into effect from 22 April 2005. Earlier, Bangladesh was included in a list of 24 countries which were considered to be generally safe. The implication of this inclusion was that any Bangladeshis claiming asylum or humanitarian protection did not have a right to appeal from the UK if the Home Office rejected their cases. They had to go back to Bangladesh
and appeal from there. Removal of Bangladesh from the list will mean that now they will be able to appeal from the UK.
The change in law has been prompted by a recent High Court case R (on the application of Zakir Husain) v the Secretary of State for the Home Department. The court held, "... when it (Bangladesh) was added to the list, or at any time since then, no rational decision maker could have been satisfied that there was in general in Bangladesh no serious risk of persecution of persons entitled to reside there or that removal of such persons thither would not in general contravene the UK's obligations under the Human Rights Convention." The decision suggested that it was wrong to include Bangladesh in the list since it
was never a safe country because of the failure of the state to provide adequate protection to its citizens.
This decision will further tarnish the image of Bangladesh and act as a big boost for those who are actively campaigning to portray Bangladesh as a failed/ unsafe/fanatical state. The government of Bangladesh must realise that despite taking some measures there is something very much wrong in the administration of law and order in the country and take seriously the criticisms levelled against their failures instead of brushing them aside.
Tuhin Reza
London