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TO THE EDITOR
Drowning incidents Despite an abundance of coverage in our newspapers on the number of drowning incidents, including the rising number of students drowning in Cox’s Bazar, drowning is still an under-recognised problem in Bangladesh.
Recently, a man scoffed at a friend of mine who mentioned the Water Safety Program the Centre for Injury Prevention and Research, Bangladesh (CIPRB) runs to teach children survival swimming skills. ‘But all village children know how to swim!" he exclaimed.
However, statistics reveal the reality, that drowning is the leading cause of death of children in Bangladesh. More than 17,000 children die from drowning every year, which equates to over 46 children each day. The Bangladesh Health and Injury Survey revealed the shocking statistics in 2005 and since then similar surveys have been conducted throughout the region which indicates that this
tragedy is prevalent in other developing countries also.
This man's statement reflects the lack of community based knowledge on what swimming actually is. Swimming is not splashing around in waist deep water, it is, according to international early swimming standards, being able to cross 25 metres of open water by oneself, removing oneself from water without assistance and floating for 90 seconds. This floating activity simulates the likely action in the event of sudden immersion in water, falling off a boat for example.
Swimming is a learned skill that will provide immunity for life against drowning.
Living in Bangladesh, where our rivers and waterways are part of everyday life, it is important to have these skills to keep safe in any environment where there is water.
Dr. Aminur Rahman Technical Director Centre for Injury Prevention and Research, Bangladesh Dhaka
Obama and the future of US
Two of my most favourite Canadian columnists are Dan Gardner of the Ottawa Citizen and Margaret Wente of the Globe and Mail. They are among the most analytical minds who should be read in all journalism schools. Their comments about U.S. presidential race are extremely interesting.
Dan Gardner touches the heart of the soap opera taking place in the Republican National Convention (RNC) when he writes: "John McCain's story is as good as they come, full of courage and accomplishment, but it's also more human than the saccharine confection fed to the family value crowd Thursday night. Republicans would not, one assumes, have gone misty-eyed at the heart-warming tale of a married 42-year-old who leaves his first wife -- a woman who stuck by him through his five years as a prisoner of war — for a 24-year-old beauty queen. And so in the tale told at the convention, the first wife was dropped down the Orwellian memory hole and in her place, the audi-ence was told the charming story of how, when John met Cindy, John told Cindy he was younger than he was and Cindy fibbed about being older."
In this make-believe world of the RNC, everyone lives in a world of fairy tale. As Margaret Wente wrote in the Globe: "It took Sarah Palin to turn the dull old Republican convention into an amazing show. Finally, someone who might beat Barack Obama in the ratings! Who cares about geriatric white men in suits? But who wouldn't tune in to see a scrappy dame sock it to the elites? You can keep your degrees from Harvard, your snooty New York Times and your non-fat soy latte... Sarah Palin eats mooseburgers for breakfast, and she will destroy you! ... Personally, I think we're witnessing the Republican Party in meltdown. The soap opera is sort of entertaining. But it makes American democ-racy look fundamentally unserious."
But there is hope. Polls show that Senator Barack Obama enjoys close to 90% of African-American support and a high percentage of Hispanic support. If this holds, Mr. Obama will need only about 30% of support of white voters to win in a landslide. This is also within his reach as he enjoys massive support among young whites. On the other hand, his Republican rival, Senator John McCain's support coming almost exclusively from middle-aged whites who support him by a wide margin. However, Mr. Obama has galvanized black, Hispanic and young white voters who are likely to turn out in record numbers to hand him a landslide victory come November. Sarah Palin can go back to shooting moose for breakfast. Mahmood Elahi Ottawa, Canada
Traffic jam
These types of writings are very much common in tire dailies (just like the traffic jams on the ways and roads!). On 11 September Shamim Murad suggested timings for the educational institutions and others. 1 agree with him. However, I want to say something more about the permanent removal of traffic jam from the capital city. For this, the first thing to do is that all the garments factories and other such types of industries should be shifted from Dhaka. But will the owners of these Industries allow this to happen? Yes, they will, if they are assured of the smooth transportation system from their industries to Dhaka. I think it is not very easy to launch metro rail service in this unplanned city. Again fly-overs are also very much costly and it will not provide a permanent solution. So if transportation system is developed outside Dhaka, industrialists will find comparatively cheap labour and will establish new firms outside Dhaka. And this disintegration will obviously help the city to remove the overflow of working class. We all have to think about the average speed of Dhaka city at present and what it will be in near future. So the authorities should take necessary steps to construct roads and highways connecting the districts with Dhaka and ensuring smooth and speedy transportation. Is it very much costly?
We should think of a permanentsolution.
Pallab Kumar Hazra MA in English Dhaka University
Benevolent leaders
After the French Revolution, the concept of benevolent leadership emerged! Some of the members of the royal family of France took refuge in the far-away princely states of India for escaping the wrath of the then revolutionary French people.
Our head of the state, government & services must come out of the invisible and valueless shackles and must stand next to the people every day, hour and second and eventually become benevolent leaders and remain in the hearts and minds of the people.
Golam Ashraf
Dhaka
Disgraceful!
The incident that took place on 4 September in Natore was really barbaric. The lives of Sumaiya, Nupur, Runa, Arpita Barua are now almost ruined. What is their fault? The attack that has been launched upon them is sufficient to destroy the country’s image. While they were busy in their peaceful meeting for establishing “Bangladesh College of Physiotherapy", they ■ were brutally attacked. How could it happen in a civilised country?
The government should investigate the whole matter and punish the culprits. What is more important is the compensation. The government and college authorities should ensure financial support for the innocent victims. Otherwise, how will they survive? We want justice.
PradlpDasAkash Lecturer in English Bangladesh Health Professions Institute, CRP Savar, Dhaka
My dream government While the national election Is looming with uncertainties, I figured why not just fantasise about a government that I think will win it all. I hope all the readers will join in and share their dream.
In my dream/fantasy government, I wish to take great leaders from all parties or background I wish to see the following in the cabinet:
Cultural/Religious affairs/Human Rights minister: Sheikh Hasina: I think Hasina can speak for all the minorities and ensure equal rights. She should also be in charge of sustaining our culture.
Education minister: M Zafar Iqbal : Someone with so much knowledge about science should be in charge of our education.
Finance minister: Dr. Yunus -not because of his microcredit invention or the Nobel Prize, but because of his vast knowledge of economics and genuine sympathy for the poor, he should be in charge of building our economic backbone. He is well travelled and can convince the donors well.
Home Minister: Dr. Kamal Hossein - someone with integrity, yet no fear to voice opinion, should stand against corruption.
Foreign Minister: Khaleda Zia -She has great relations with the Middle East and China and so can resolve lot of the migrant workers' crisis and convince China for investment.
Prime minister: Fakhruddin Ahmed- with a background of finance and recent experience with our broken and dysfunctional system and with an unaffiliated political stance, he will excel as the ultimate leader.
President: B Chowdhury - the BNP removed him. I would just give that position back to him. Mohammed Rashed
One-mail
Same politics, same people
In the western world when there is election defeat, the head of the party resigns & the new leader comes with fresh ideas. In our country, we want some change but it's not coming. Still the people are running behind the motorcade of the politicians who betrayed them for so long. Most of the time the ’’chamchas' are running their motorcade. We never think how much money, power & wealth these “chamchas' have.
If you look how the media is controlled in a developed country, there is a rule. For example if you have a TV channel, you can't run a newspaper in the same city. Very strict law. Otherwise, one or a few people would control everything. In our country ifyou want to own a TV station, what qualifications or fitness do you need? If you are from the party which is in power, you don't need any qualification. How long will this continue?
Shafiq Rahman Sydney, Australia
Battle of minds
The mega venture titled 'Battles of Minds' of 2008 is going to start soon. Recently, the British American Tobacco Bangladesh (BAT) & the Department of Business Administration jointly organised a workshop to prepare the contestants of Shahjalal University at the 'Seminar Room' of the department. It was an excellent arrangement.
Such type of ventures should be continued by other corporate bodies as well.
Md. Abdul Hamid Assistant professor Dept, of Business Administration Shahjalal University, Sylhet
In response...
The government's initiative to start all the schools at 7.30am is indeed commendable. As a resident of Dhanmondi, where most schools (English Medium) are located, 1 would definitely stand up for this new rule. This redirection will certainly help to curtail the horror morning traffic scene in Dhanmondi, where the roads are populated mostly with the vehicles of school goers. It is ridiculous that a lot of time and effort are wasted being stuck in traffic early in the morning every'weekday.
Many parents may lament at the idea of getting their kids up as early as 6.00am to prepare themselves for school, however, in the longer run even the kids stand to benefit from this rule. It is nothing unusual that most children in our country are well adopted with the habit of going to bed late, sometimes as late as 12:00am. This late bedtime put the kids at a disadvantage in their development and behavioural disposition. Furthermore, the children will be able to commute in traffic-free roads at 7.30am. So, the "mean physical and mental agony for the little innocent children” can be averted, if parents can help children to beat the bedtime blue, switch off the TV and go to bed early.
Rezwana Mannan Dhanmondi, Dhaka
Ropeway to solve traffic jam
Ropeway can be designed and established using the high storied buildings in Dhaka city. In this process in each area of the city certain multi-storied buildings will be selected and the ropeway will be established in between them. Thus the whole city will be covered. This can be very effective to solve the existing traffic jam and transportation problem in the city. The government as well as Dhaka City Corporation may think about this seriously and engage a consultantin this regard
ShipluSaha
On e-mail
Police enquiry
The caretaker government has done an excellent job by separating the judiciary from the executive immediately on assumption of
power, which the political governments failed to do even after decades of promises. This is yieldinggood result
But some loopholes still remain in the judicial system. When somebody files a suit in a CMM Court quite often cases are referred to thana for preliminary enquiry. A long time is given to the DCs of police stations for enquiry and they take advantage of it for bargaining with the parties and they-, mint money in the process. Some officials of courts are also involved in the process. So the police should be given a minimum reasonable time for enquiry if a fair report is to be obtained. If a survey/enquiry is conducted into the matter by the Supreme Court/Law Ministry this will be crystal clear.
I therefore urge the caretaker government to delve into the matter and bring some reform in the interest of speedy enquiry and dispensation of justice.
Momtaj Jahan Mirpur, Dhaka
Harassment of female students
The issue is intimidation and teasing of the female students by teaching staff. It is an offence allegedly committed against the innocent girls students who are captivated under the cover of education. If allowed to go unpunished, this
might lead to criminal offences in future.
It is surprising to watch the indifferent attitude and inaction on the part of the university authorities and the education department high ups. We do not know what is their expectationleave it for time to heal up? But the movement against it is getting more and more moral support from society, and soon it may turn up to be a general issue of dignity and safety of women at workplace and in the educational institutions.
We know what happens when a car, private or public property, is set on fire or damaged by the rowdy mob . Immediately after that, the law enforcing agencies go on action including filing police cases against the known or unknown offenders. The process and the results are no secret to us.
The example of two classical cases are drawn here just to put emphasis on the issue of the girl students of the JU and to ask the relevant authorities to play a responsible role to punish the alleged offender/predator through the process of law.
I think all private and public universities shall have a committee on ethics, if it does not exist already, to deal with such cases quickly and judiciously, rising above any petty political consideration or pressure. A reader
On e-mail