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To the Editor
Oppressed RMG workers
A caption with photo published in the back page of The Daily Star of February 8 has appalled me. I came to know from the story of the report that the female garments workers of a factory at Banani in Dhaka are not allowed to use sandals during their lunch break so that they cannot go far away. It is very tough and tormenting to walk barefoot on the rough pavements. The ( factory; authorities argue that u the workers are not allowed sandals, they will return to their work in time! Such type of treatment is very barbaric and inhuman. We all condemn this strongly. This behaviour reminds us of the infernal days of slavery. We know that the garments workers contribute a lot to national economy. They toil to keep the economy stable. But unfortunately they are treated very badly. They do not get their dues. Their salary is very poor and even they do not get their salary in time. Sometimes they need to take to the streets to realize their wages. The working conditions are not conducive at all. Actually, they work in sweat shops. The owners as well as the government do not address their problems sincerely. They are always neglected. Actually, the owners need to ensure their rights to enhance their productivity that will be a win-win situation for the workers and the owners of the factories. The NGOs and human rights groups should come forward in this regard.
Before concluding, I would request the authorities to probe the above mentioned incident and bring the culprits to book to deter such type of human rights violation.
Molla .Mohammad Shaheen Lecturer in English Leading University, Sylhet
Stinky water
Last week I had to go to Dhaka. As a newcomer to the city, I was able to notice the strange smell of the drinking water. Though I had access to the water supplied by the WASA. I had to drink it with my nose closed. It was boiled water, but it stank! I don't know how the rest of the millions of citydwellers manage to put up with this unbearable stuff.
It has been reported in the media that underground pipes have developed cracks and filthy water of sewer lines is mingling with the drinking water of pipelines. Consequently, the citizens of the capital are made to use smelly water- -a smell that will remind you of stinky insects like cockroach!
Thanks to our apathy to the environment we have done great damage to the environment .The elements--air, water and soil- - are polluted to such a point that is beyond imagination.
We hope the present government will do the needful to solve the problem.
ZabedWali
Pahartali, Chittagong
World order
Margaret Thatcher once asked British Parliament to support the GulfWar and any other US steps unconditionally, because the US was behind them during the Falkland war. Yes, that was the baseline philosophy of western "democratic" thinking. Indirectly she was asking to unite the axis of devils and nullify the UN. Now Sarkozy is joining them, coming from the country of Voltaire. Rousseau and Satre.
Why are we upset ?
Well, you are fighting with your shadows created by you. Both Saddam and Bin Laden were best friends as long they were fighting Islamic Iran and Russia, who are reluctant to give their oil and other commodity to you.
The Kurdistan, Kashmir and Palestine problems have been created by the West. Now they are sermonising them.
Both the WTO and the WB have been created by the West and Asian countries are now on the brink of famine and hunger with per capita protein consumption below 30gm daily. Weak countries like Bangladesh are being pressurised to buy their hybrid seeds, non elected governments are pressurised to withdraw subsidies in fertilisers without any backup plan of helping farmers.
Stop exporting your democracy to poor countries!
The US foreign and economic policies need to be turned 180 degree.
Dr Karim
GRAustralia
Toll collectors at
DU!
Rakib's Ahmed's front-page report on 10 February is indeed a shame for this premier education institution. It represents the low level that we have reached; when criminal activities become part of university life! The Hon. Prime Minister being an ex-student herself should see that such things at the university are stopped once and for all.
As an ex-student (!950-54); words fail me to describe the anguish I feel.
We have really reached the rock bottom when criminals and fake students are enrolled in the university! The government must investigate this matter; and have to remove all such undesirable elements from the campus. One wonders if such things are not being engineered from outside by people out to tarnish the government's image by encouraging such criminal activities and damage the law and order situation.
The matter must be taken in all seriousness at the soonest and the progress of the investigation reported in newspapers.
A very worried citizen
Dhaka
Community radio
I would like to extend my heartiest felicitations to Bangladesh NGOs' Network for Radio and Communication (BNNRC) for bringing out the "Handbook: Community Radio for Good Governance and Development”(in Bangla “Shushashon O Unnayane Community Radio" which is indeed an important step towards initiating and popularising community radio in 'BarigladesK.' If may' be mentioned here that BNNRC hits been playing a pioneering role for introducing community radio in our country.
Community Radio is a modern-day information dissemination, awareness creation, and motivational tool for promoting community education, agricultural extension, and political awareness-building. The community radio can accomplish the following goals as postulated in the Handbook:--Alleviation of extreme poverty and hunger.
-Universal primary education. -Gender equity and women empowerment.
-Lowering infant mortality rate.
-Controlling AIDS, Malaria and other diseases.
-Ensuring environmental sustainability.
-Global development partnership.
The Chief Executive Officer of BNNRC in his forwarding note of the Handbook has expressed his firm hope that the Community Radio will soon start its transmission in Bangladesh as the voices of the rural people. It may be mentioned here that the government of the People's Republic of Bangladesh has already announced the "Com-
inunity Radio installation, broadcast, and managing Policy 2008".
We sincerely hope that Bangladesh will very soon enter die modern ICT arena through initiation ofcommu nity radio network in the rural areas. Let Community Radio emerge as an effective media for information dissemination plus non-formal education for community as well as national development in Bangladesh.
Professor M Zahidul Haque Chairman
Department of Agricultural Extension & Information System, SAU, Dhaka
Roads in bad shape We are facing a lot of problems in our locality. In the rainy season the roads get damaged with mud and sometimes they are flooded with water. And some roads need to be repaired.
But the government is not taking any action in this respect. This is not only a problem of my own area, this is a common problem of Dhaka city.
We, the students of Mastermind, urge the newly elected government to take urgent steps to set things right.
Syed Ishtiaque Hossain Student of Mastermind Uttara, Dhaka
Full moon
Did you see the full moon overruling the blanket of mist in this wintry sky accompanied by flee fleecy cloud? Unlike the sun, the moon is not heavy with masculinity, much less temerity?
The moon of today has passion and affection like a languor queen of a monarch who very rarely tends to come out of her bower in revealing clothes to hand out her diktat. The moon has ruled this night, as it is, not by force but a mutual understanding. The submissiveness of the vast paddy field, consent of the resting woods, stillness of water body, the limitless horizon; flock of nocturnal birds, all of them agree to this goddess of night who seems to have kissed a chunk of land more brightly as she gets brighter and brighter.
I come to be lost in the labyrinth of a land of strangers! At that point comes call of my friend. I can't help but write. The manner she speaks her ebullient words, it resonates like the songs of birds. Roney On e-mail
Transit issue
Before deciding on giving transit to India we should analyse the issue very carefully.
We should realise why India needs transit, our advantages as well as disadvantages.
Why India needs transit:
Firstly, India is isolated from the North-East India because of the location of Bangladesh. Bangladesh stands right in the middle of these two parts. To reach these North Eastern states, Indian vehicles have to travel between 1400 and 1650 km. from West Bengal and if Bangladesh allowed them transit the distance would come down to just over 700 km.
Secondly, to fulfil the growing capitalist demand and to develop the trade market, India needs to use the
resources of the north-eastern states which are rich in natural resources.
Thirdly, India needs this transit for their strategic security.
Finally, besides the economic and military reasons one of the most important reasons of tins transit is the national security and stability of India.
Advantages:
i) If the Indo-Bangladesh transit is established then Bangladesh will get 300/400 crore taka per year from tariff.
ii) By properly utilising Chittagong port Bangladesh may be benefited.
iii) Infrastructure development may occur if Indian investors come here and employment opportunities are created.
Disadvantages:
i) Easy access to these states (seven sisters) through Bangladesh means too much pressure on our weak infrastructure (particularly on roods and culverts).
ii) Transit can cause strategic danger to Bangladesh. If India supplies arms and ammunition to halt the problems of 'Seven Sisters' then the people of those areas may become hostile towards Bangladesh.
iii) There might be a health concern as truck drivers of India will pass through the transit route.
iv) Many environment problems can occur for giving transit to India. The vehicles will cause sound and airpollution.
v) Illegal arms, drugs and human trafficking may increase.
Lastly, Bangladesh will lose a strong market in the Seven Sisters.
Our Commerce Minister Faruk Khan has said that transit is primarily an economic issue, rather than a political issue but Farhad Mazar dismisses the idea that transit is merely an economic issue.
According to, Prof, Imtiaz Ahmed, instead of being reactive, as in responding only when they start taking, we should be proactive. We should call India for a meeting and ask it for transit to Nepal and Bhutan and even Pakistan. We should ask India to reduce cross-bordbr smuggling.
Md. Shariful Islam Dept, of International Relations
University of Dhaka
Gaza situation
As the Gaza issue slowly begins to sidestep from the headlines, one can't stop contemplating over the tragedy that has struck the Ummah. There are some fundamental lessons to be learned from the massacre in Gaza.
Seeing on our TV sets, the catastrophe unleashed by Israel on Palestinians, most of us have undoubtedly had similar feelings. We all felt angered by the atrocities being committed and felt the urge to take immediate action to help those suffering.
However, if we are to look back, this is not the first time Muslims have shared these sentiments. Our sentiments were alike, when Afghanistan was being bombed, when Iraq was being invaded, and when Lebanon was being torched. In fact it is not the first time that the sufferings in Palestine have sent shivers across the Muslim world.
Whenever such incidents occur, we find that Muslims realize their personal obligation towards helping their
brothers in distress, and this often translates into many types of actions. For example, appeals are made to the United Nations, marches are done to express solidarity, and calls for boycotts are made with full vigour. Unfortunately, as days roll by, a usual decline in this eagerness is witnessed.
It is of utmost significance, therefore, that Muslims direct their efforts towards a path that provides a permanent solution to the issue. Otherwise, sincere efforts, if directed towards a path that gives no lasting solution, will serve as mere channels for releasing the pressure on Muslims, and are likely to end up being wasted.
Before we dwell on the solution, it becomes imperative that we identify die problem, and subsequently the barriers that prevent the solution.
The Ummah today is blessed with abundant natural resources, oil, natural gas, gold and uranium etc. Its geography covers many of the world's strategic locations. In terms of numbers its strength is self evident. And collective emotions resonate throughout the Ummah, on all issues that have Islamic significance. Moreover, there is an abundance of self-less men, who dedicate their lives to the betterment of others. Furthermore, it has the military might, which has the potential to face any other power in the world.
In short we must realize that the problem is not lack of resources or technology.
Coming back to the Gaza issue, we witnessed, that while Israel unleashed its reign of terror on civilians, Egypt's ruler ordered ceiling of the borders, preventing even medical aid to cross through. All this while, Egypt’s army, as well as the armies of the rest of the Muslim world were kept stationed in their barracks by the Muslim rulers. A stark contrast indeed to the fact that these same rulers eagerly send troops - under the
umbrella of UN - to serve the interests of western imperial powers in Congo or elsewhere.
So, what prevents the liberation of oppressed Muslims in occupied lands is the present status quoffortified by UN) which keeps the Ummah divided into petty nation states, and the present rulers, who blatantly and shamelessly side with the oppressors.
Muslims have to unite to face the oppressors.
Engr. Sharique Naeem On e-mail
Those
Bangladeshi-Americans
I’m writing in support of what was written in The Daily Star recently about the ex-U.S. president George W. Bush with a little caveat. It is true that Bush left the office not only with the lowest approval rating, but also with a lasting damage done to the United States and the world community, in general. Particularly, he has done more damage to the Islamic countries including Bangladesh than any other US president, except, probably, Richard Nixon opposing our liberation war in 1971. Ironically, it is the US Muslim community that brought Bush an arrogant, unintelligent and ignorant individual - to the White House. It is still debated among the American Muslim community that had 537 Florida Muslims including Bangladeshi-Americans, not voted for this mediocre Texan, the US Supreme Court could not have made him the president. After a series of flawed recounts, 537 votes separated Bush from Gore, but we may never know the actual number. Although the Democratic party contender Al Gore won the popular vote in spite of the Muslim rejection, he lost the presidency due to a controversial loss in the electoral college votes resulting from a number of unfavourable and unfortunate events including the 20,000 or so discarded
butterfly ballots, the irregularities in counting the votes through entire Florida and, ultimately, the refusal of the five supreme court justices to recount the controversial Florida county votes. In the aftermath of the election, the first independent recount was conducted by The Miami Herald and USA Today. They found that if all votes where the intent of the voter was clear were counted properly, Gore would have won, using any consistent standard for 'clear intent of the voter'. That’s a different story.
The main reason that the US Muslims voted for Bush was Al Gore's running mate Joe Libermann being a Jew, although officially many Muslims deny it. The Muslims were motivated more bv anger -and hatred towards the Jews than reason and historical evidences including the fact that Bill Clinton and Al Gore had almost achieved a treaty between the PLO and Israel. It's not quite clear why the US Muslims voted overwhelmingly for Bush, whose precampaign speeches were full of pro-Israeli views. In his Florida pre-campaign speeches, in order to woo Jewish votes, Bush vowed to move the US embassy from Tel Aviv to Jerusalem the day he is sworn in. He would never let Jerusalem be divided, as he promised wearing a scalp cap at the West wall in Jerusalem during a pre-campaign trip to Israel. He also expressed his disgust for the PLO and vowed never to meet Arafat, a promise he kept to the utter dismay of the Muslim community.
In retrospect, many would agree, particularly the Muslim community, that the world would have been a better place without Bush in the White House and, perhaps, 537 Bangladeshi-American living in Florida could have made the difference if they were not motivated by prejudice and hatred, but by reason.
AshrafZ Khan, Ph.D Morrisville
USA