Our security

What happened on 17/8 was an early warning to all of us. They tried to send us a message that they have become much more powerful than we think. Now, we must think how they have succeeded in building such a huge network and who are the people supporting them by giving aid and raising funds.

Certainly, there is much more to think about. Do our security forces have the ability to protect us from any great danger? Can we rely on them? And the most important question- can politicians solve such problems in their own way? Tahsin Hyder

Maple Leaf International School Dhanmondi, Dhaka

Dhaka Cantt.

Of late Dhaka Cantt has become a nightmare for the civilians. A lot of civilians are living in DOHS Banani and DOHS Mohakhali. But their movements are restricted even to such public places like Rajanigandha Market, Cantt. General Hospital, Cantt. Post Office etc. Military Police obstruct them in the name of security upon orders from the Army Headquarters. People who want to go to Rajanigandha Market from DOHS are asked to go there via Bijoy Sarani, Rokeya Sarani and Mirpur taking a detour of ten twelve miles. People willing to go to Cantt.

General Hospital from DOHS Mohakhali are asked to go via Shaheed Jahangir Gate by taking a detour of a few miles.

Hence I request the authorities concerned to look into the matter and ensure the convenience of the 'civilians'.

Abul Hussain

DOHS, Dhaka

BNP's dilemma

It seems August is the cruellest month for Bangladesh. First, 15 August 1975,then 21 August

2004 and now 17 August 2005. Despite the overwhelming evidence indicating the active involvement of the Jamatul Mujaheedin Bangladesh in the country-wide bomb blasts, the ruling party leaders are steadfastly stating that "a certain quarter" being jealous of its achievements have indulged in such heinous and dangerous activities. They are not blaming JMB directly for these blasts because they are afraid if they do so, it would amount to admitting the presence of Muslim militants in Bangladesh which they want to avoid at any cost as it might bring Bangladesh under closer international scrutiny. This is not the only instance when the BNP has blamed "this quarter " (obviously meaning Awami League) for violent activities in the country. They had done it when Ahsanullah Master, MP, was gunned down and again when ASMS Kibria was killed in a

similar manner. Even after the grenade attack in the Awami League rally on 21 August last year similar statements were made. As a result, the investigations, which were started at that time, got nowhere. In this way the militants felt they were immune under this government. Moreover, the presence of Jamaat ministers in the cabinet strengthened their hands further. But this attitude of the BNP has to change; otherwise, the country will face a grave danger in the future, even our democracy and independence may be at stake. As yet we do not know who are the masterminds behind JMB and other likeminded organisations who reportedly want to establish an Islamic state in Bangladesh. Unless the government remains very alert and refrains from focusing its attention only on the activities of the AL, one day it may find itself attacked by completely unexpected quarters. It may be too late then.

Abul Mohsin

Siddheswri, Dhaka

Intellectual sovereignty

Bangladesh is running a high risk of losing intellectual sovereignty in near future. I just came back from the US with a view to starting a technology movement in this country with the local skilled girls and boys. But I'm shocked and

horrified seeing several anomalies in technology and its implementation. I would strongly request you to propagate my concern to the people of this country. Firstly, people who do not understand technology at all head most of the government and nongovernmental organisations and they pretend to be experts on the subject. Therefore those people cannot guide their technical people in the right direction. Secondly, most of the software firm/companies do not follow any development or engineering process in software development, which results in poor quality software development or no software at all, and that gives a poor impression to local and foreign buyers. I went around many companies at Dhaka in search of skilled manpower for working on a foreign software project, but I was shocked seeing malpractice almost at every level of software development and understanding.

As a result, lots of software engineers from neighbouring countries have been employed in local companies. I can visualise that slowly and gradually the number of foreign technical hands will grow in our local companies and our local skilled people will be deprived of the jobs they deserve.

Delwar Hossain

Gulshan, Dhaka

London bombing

This is a response to the letter by Nur Jahan (London bombing) published on 31 August 2005.

First of all, why should any suicide bomber bother about CCTV camera in the first place ?

The identification paper left on the bus by the bomber simply substantiated the fact that he was one of the bombers and the DNA test later confirmed that he was indeed the bus bomber. On the other hand historical documents show that most of the suicide bombers' intention is to let the people know who carried out the bombing.

The third point seemed particularly naive, especially where technology is so developed and circumstances hardly differ in technologically developed and well-organised London underground system. Everybody knows that there is a train every minute especially during peak hours.

It is in fact a matter of great disappointment that a country which has been a safe heaven for all kinds of people regardless of their race and background is now being castigated by many.

Sady Mirza

London

Generic names of drugs

Thanks a lot to Dr. M. Karim Khan for expressing his views about generic names of drugs on Sunday August 28 in the health page. As a patient when I go for buying medicines, sometimes the drug dispenser tries to sell different brands of medicines, which the doctor had not prescribed. So at times I feel confused. Therefore, if all the companies name their products as generic names then it will be understandable to all and it will take out the additional burden (memorising brand names) for doctors, medical representatives, employees of the pharmaceutical companies, drug dispensers and occasionally the patients.

So it's my expectation that

appropriate authorities (like the Drug Administration, Drug Manufacturers) will soon take a decision on the matter.

K.M.Shamim Hayder Dhaka

Bombs

So far we have witnessed three major bomb attacks in the western world: 9/11 attacks in the United States, railway bombing in Madrid, Spain and recent subway bombing in London. Just before the last US presidential election, Bin Laden himself claimed the responsibility of 9/11 attacks. After 9/11 attacks, many people were arrested in the US and almost all of them were Muslims and the majority of them were from ME countries. The al-Qaeda group claimed responsibility of Madrid bombing and the arrested individuals were Muslims from the ME. Similarly, after the London bombing, al-Queda claimed the responsibility and again the arrested people were Muslims.

In all of these bombing we cannot see involvement of any non-Muslim. From racial perspective, we see that no white person was arrested for these incidents. It is difficult to believe that all these countries intentionally avoid arresting non-Muslims or white people since the government of these countries must place security of their own people above anything else.

It seems Muslims are being held responsible for everything going wrong.

Wasim Haider

Toronto, Canada

SSC syllabus

Many of you already know that our education system is about to undergo a change. From the next year, the students of class IX will study a common syllabus. There will be no separate groups i.e. Science, Humanities, Commerce. If this change is done, the students, no doubt, will lag behind and will face problems in their higher education. If the education ministry wants to bring this change in order to match the international standard, then I think the attempt will be a failure and the students will become guinea pigs again.

If we consider O level (equivalent to S.S.C) as the international education system then we need to know about the whole system to compare it with the change our education ministry is willing to go for. An O-level student has the option to choose from more than one hundred subjects taking English as compulsory subject. Then they sit for exams by registering with "University of London Board & Examination Council" with the assistance of "British Council" here. Bangladeshi students generally take 6-8 subjects and can sit for their exams twice a year (Jan & May). They don't have any optional subject. They can sit for exams more than twice as well but then it is not well evaluated in future education. Their syllabus is upgraded from that of S.S.C.

If a change is what the ministry wants then they can do one thing keeping a few subjects like Bengali, English and Religion compulsory. They can open all the subjects of Humanities, Commerce and Science for the students to choose from and make the grading system similar to that of O-level. The students will happily study subjects of their choice

keeping in mind what they want to study in the future.

Nusrat Rashida

BBA, Jahanginagar University

Why don't we listen?

Kausar Islam Ayon's article "Jatka ban effective on papers only" -covered all the aspects to paint a grim picture of destruction. Most importantly, he mentioned that the plan to increase the production of hilsha also includes awareness campaign on radio, television and newspapers, holding of rallies at district and upazila levels and providing alternative employment to affected fishermen in 18 jatka-rich districts. So why don't we listen?

I have also learned from a lot of people that Jatka is not exactly a culinary delight. And that it is also possible to find other fish rich diet within the price range of Jakta.

So it seems we are really indifferent to the future of fisheries in this country.

Sazzad Hossain

On e-mail

Another wake-up call One after another, incidents like August 17 are happening, and we are letting them go without nabbing and bringing to justice the real perpetrators. The Ramna bomb blast on Bangla New Year should have been a wake-up call for us. Possible links to extremists were suspected, but no one was brought to justice. There were bombings at cinema halls throughout the country, the Bangladesh-born British High Commissioner was attacked in Sylhet, a well-planned grenade attack was carried out on the Leader of the Opposition - not a single incident was resolved with any degree of satisfaction.

Although it is not known for certainty if all these and other incidents in recent past were linked or whether the same or like-minded groups perpetrated them. But clearly there is a pattern emerging. August 17 simultaneous bomb blasts throughout the country only proves that the people behind the bomb attacks are growing in sophistication and may have already gained capability to create destruction on a much wider scale. Perhaps it is only a matter of time that we will have our own national tragedy like that of 9/11, Bali bombings, Spain blasts or London bombing.

Establishing Muslim rule of law was alleged to have been the motive behind the August 17 bombings. Nothing could be more un-Islamic than killing innocent people could or creating panic among ordinary people. I don't know how the so-called 'Islamists' could adhere to such un-Islamic acts and pretend as if they are serving Islam.

We simply ignored all the wakeup calls before. Maybe it is time now that we wake up and do something to get rid of this growing menace. Maybe it's already late, maybe a greater tragedy is already in the making. That would be so unfortunate for the ordinary Bangladeshis.

Zubair Sadeque

Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, USA