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To the Editor...
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Protect the mobile telephone industry
Tile Bangladesh budget recently passed in the IS did not reduce the high tax (comparatively speaking, judging by the average mid-level earning power) on mobile telephones, which is showing exponential growth rate every year: and the MNCs are rushing in to invest. This sudden brake is inexplicable (when laundering of black money is allowed!).
This Is a budding and nursing period for this new ICT industry in this fast developing country (with the highest of population ratio in the world). Perhaps the Finance Minister could have been incorrectiy advised from the technical professional aspects, to tap this lucrative sector for quick milking of easy government revenue, thereby retardingthenursingperiodofrapid growth of cellular/mobile/wireless telephone system, for at least the next five years. The systems loosed in the revenue collection are tardy (corrupt practices), but why punish
themobileusers?
Even the middle and lower classes of households were keen to acquire such wireless telephones, boosting fast communication in the rural areas, where 80 per cent of the population lives, or have bases. It was unimaginable a couple of years ago that (non-earning) students would be carrying mobile sets. The GrameenPhone (GP) experiment of hawking mobile telephone calls by women peddlers in the villages drew global attention. It is still being treated asa luxury item?
The percentage of revenue collection from mobile telephones is microscopic (percentage-wise) but substantial. Initially a holiday period should have been allowed for the base or foundation to be established, before tapping (in the near future) the branches and other technical services of this network for additional regular revenue. Telephoning is no longer a luxury. In contrast, the poor fixed-line telephone service by BTTB has to be takeninto consideration.
It is suggested that the Prime Minis-
ter might be pleased to call, as a public service, foruspecial reviewof the situation, and bring some cheer to lakhs of new mobile phone users. It is good for rural business, and plays a silent and indirect background role in poverty alleviation.
AMawaz, Dhaka
Adoption law
I am very happy that KM Rasheduzzaman Raja, joint district judge. Sirajgonj has underscored the need for Adoption Law. This is indeed on outcomeofhumanitarian attitude as well as courage. The response to this idea by Mohammad Zahidul Islam is the one expected in a closed and backward thinking society (response published on Sept 10 in The Daily Star, Law and Our Rights supplement). In support of Adoption Law I would draw the attention of the readers to the fact that the prophet of Islam (pbah) had an adopted son. Circumstances under which the status of this adopted son had been changed are
all recorded in various texts. Now the ground reality in Bangladesh is that every year orphans in large number are taken away from the country after being adopted and those orphans lead a high quality life under care of family in advanced counters. Had there been an Adoption Law and adoption was encouraged thousands of children would have lived in families in love and care. It is sheer inhuman and cruel to raise untenable issues against Adoption Law. I only hope society would be more liberal than fri the past and have compassion for unfortunate orphans.
Ahmed Shah
Dhaka
Bad effect of dowry system
Now-a-days whenever we open the pages of newspapers, we see women are tortured by their husbands for the worst reason of dowry system. Usually in our society female children are considered inferior to male
children. They are thought to be of no use to the family. So, during marriage ceremony a section of greedy people claim much wealth or money from the guardians of the brides. Generally, the poor and illiterate girls mainly become the victims of dowry. If the guardians fail to fulfil the demand of their bridegroom. they misbehave with their wives and sometimes torture them seriously. As a result, many of them commit suicide or are killed by their husbands.
This evil system has affected our whole society. At present father can't think of marriage of his daughter without giving dowry to the bridegroom. I am dead against this evil system. This scourge should be uprooted from the society immediately. This social curse can be abolish by changing the outlook of the people, especially the male members of the society, and by taking strict legal measures against the persons who take dowry.
Mir Mofajjnl Hossain
Dhaka
Tornado in Kuakata
We the expatriates living in New York, USA are extremely depressed and worried about the newsofdevustation by the tornado in Kuakata. Wfe understand that hundreds of fishing trawlers have been vanished in the sea because of die tornado. Nearly one thousand fishermen may have lost their lives. VA: convey our deep sympathy to their families. Wfe are equally shocked like them when we got the news. We hope the local administration and concerned govt officials have alreadyvisited the area or going to visit immediately. We request the concerned Ministers and their staff, as well as political leaders taking initiative to provide shelter for those who have lost their homes and establishments. Immediate initiative must be taken by the govt to rescue the fishermen who have not yet returned to their homes.
We on behalf of all the brothers and sisters of Barisal division living in USA want to appeal to the Hon'ble Prime Minister of Bangladesh to take following steps imme-
diately to help the victims of this terrible disaster. We have been observing for last two weeks the devastation made by the Tornado in thestatesofsouthern bay of USA.
1. Permanent rescue team for the coastal area i.e. for the communities living along the Bay of Bengal
2. Communication system in the coastal area to contact the govt, authorities in Dhaka as well as with the localgovt offices
3. Immediate reconstruction of the barrage In the spots where it has been washed away
4. Placingwaterpump in the rice fields to save the crop otherwise people in these areas will suffer from famine
5. Provide shelter to those who have lost their homes and belongings
6. Start immediate relief work to provide food for those who have nothing to eat
In addition to the GovL initiative we urge the NGOs and local associations to organise volunteers and send them to the devastated
areas with food and clothes.
MoluLShah Alam (President)
Dr. Rashidul H. Khan (ScniorAdvisor) Greater Barisal Division Association NewYorkUSA
Fresh and healthy foods!
Now-a-days a lots of steps have been taken to standardise the foods of the renowned fast food shops. Now. when the'behind the scenes' factsof the fast food culture is revealed, we have been totally dependent on those shops which are inspected. But actually there are a lot remaining - on which the ordinary people have to depend much. What about those? Should we abandon those till inspections’We should be eligible to determine the quality of foods by ourselves. Some sort of training or technology may be helpful in this regard. For anytime we may take toxic materials with the food. It's die government's duty to make people conscious about die toxic foods they take, and also to ensure supply of proper food everywhere.
Diba
Mohammadpur, Dhaka