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TO THE EDITOR
Indian democracy Success of Indian democracy stands in stark contrast to the bloodlettings taking place in other nominal South Asian democracies -- Pakistan and Sri Lanka. These nominally democratic countries have foiled to bring peace and prosperity to their people because of their propensity to resort to violence for political change. India's success in running a relatively violencefret democratic process has been mainly due to Mahatma Gandhi and his legacy of nonviolence.
When Mahatma Gandhi launched his non-violent political movement to end the British colonial rule in India, he made it clear why he rejected all calls for a violent freedom struggle: "If Indians take up guns to kill the British, given India s great ethnic and religious divisions, they would still be using the same guns to kill each other long after the British had gone. I don’t want 4 India’s freedom if it meant Indians would be free to slaughter each other. If India makes violence her creed I will not care to live in India."
Thanks to Gandhi, India, despite sporadic bloodlettings, has remained a basically peaceful and stable nation. It has faced many crises since its inception, but it has been able to resolve these crises without descending to never-ending bloodbath as happened to neighbouring Pakistan and Sri Lanka. It still faces many threats but Indian democracy has proved to be capable of resolving them without resorting to protracted violence. This is evident from the Indian response to recent terrorist attack on Mumbai. Al though it was clear that the attack was carried out by extremists based in Pakistan, India's response has been prudent and non-violent. Gandhi's teachings will come handy as India faces extremists who are causing havoc in Pakistan.
India can also help Sri
Lanka to peacefully resolve the conflict with the Tamil minority. Initially India supported the Tamil Tigers' violent movement and then turned against it. India should play the role of a moderator to bring about a non-violent resolution of the Tamil-Sinhalese conflict. It should now prod the Sri Lankan authorities to address the genuine grievances of the Tamil minority.^ this con text. India can point out that Gandhi was assassinated by a Hindu extremist who thought he was partial to the Muslim minority. The success of Indian democracy is a beacon of hope in a region tom by violence and extremism.
Mahmood Elahi Ottawa, Canada
Bottled water
I was-very surprised when I saw a report on mineral water on Channel ion 4th April. The water in the mineral water bottle was completely unpurified. Some wicked businessmen put their company sticker on the bottle, capped and supplied these bottles to many hotels, restaurants, collages, offices, food shops etc. Those companies had no BSTI approval. They filled water directly from the tube well.
BSTI authorities should address the issue with due sense of urgency.
Rezaul Haque Mostafa Chowdhury
Dept, of Microbiology University of Chittagong
Senior citizens' woes
Please allow me to begin by asking" Who cares for the HAS BEENS? Yes, today’s 'Has Beens' were yesterday's major players keeping the country's wheels of economy and government moving. Come tomorrow, today's young Turks will become tomorrow's 'Has Beens' and so on as the wheel of time turns. The
common factor, however, in both stages of one's life is that he is not relieved from the duty of paying taxes till he is stowed in. Thereby, he continues to retain the life membership of the taxpayers' club.
The painful shock comes when crossing over the fence from an active players' role he joins the retirees and suddenly realises that there is no pay check coming at the end of the nj.qn^, J^js ope eighty, degrees change in circumstances throws him completely out of gear and he has to struggle iu make ends meet with his meagre investment earnings. Thankfully, while pension has been kept outside the orbit of taxation, he is still exposed to the other levies and surcharges imposed by the government on his savings.
Taking the cue, not from the developed countries but looking across borders to our neighbours! we understand that the poor pensioners and widows have been given due recognition of their contribution during their working life and have been gracefully rewarded with certain concessions.
Pray, our new government and the finance minister in particular, take mercy and look into this grey area and be kind enough to consider the following exemptions to redress the pensioners' pains and widows' woes in the upcomingnewbudget.
1. Exemption of surcharge levied on interest earned on savings account, fixed deposit account andSanchayapatra.
2. Subsidized travel rates on national air, rail, road and water transport.
3. Reduced rates on government medical outfits.
4. Reduced rates on entertainment tickets and the like.
National ID cards andTINs may be used as proof of identification.
N.Ahmed Dhanmandi RJA Dhaka Reports on BDR carnage
It is really difficult for the ordinary citizen like us to find out the bottom line of the BDR carnage story. The government is still tentative on many issues including status of the reports prepared by the army investigation team, government-appointed committee and the CID investigation; moreover the FBI and die Scotland Yard had some kind of technical support role. On the other hand, the media has already leaked out some points of die army report. Interestingly, die media in question are more inclined to look for political aspects or involvement in this tragic incident. Why is it so?
Therefore, as an ordinary citizen I can neither support the government hesitation to be open , nor support the preemptive role of some media outlets.
A reader
On e-mail
Praiseworthy decision
Undoubtedly, teachers are the torchbearers of the nation. But they are very much neglected here.
We have come to know that our present govt, is going to form a pay commission for the teachers from primary to university level. The govt, is going to allocate enough money for the education sector. These decisions are praiseworthy.
Md. Zaliidul Islam Zibon
Dept, of English
International Islamic University Chittagong
CNG run vehicles
This may sound funny, insane to many, but I suggest the government ban CNG driven vehicles as the government is so concerned about security and terrorism. Funny but it is true that when a car enters a hotel, hospital or the secretariat, one will notice that a group of people in uniforms will ask you to open the trunk of the car and will certainly look under the car for some sort of explosives or guns/ammunition, 1 don i know what else. These so-called checks not only delay the entry but also help the congested traffic to clog up at the back. By searching the trunk and the bottom of the car what have they found so far is a question to me and to many others who often face this unnecessary so-called security checks. The security personnel don't bother to look inside the car or the bags kept in the trunk or the seats which are the most likely place of carrying explosives. Also, they never ever check the front where the engine is located. They will check and let you go like the sunrise and the sunset factor.
If someone wants to blow it up, it does not take a nuke scientist to carry out such an attack. The gas (CNG) cylinder which 95% of the cars and busses have are good enough as in reality they are the mobile bomb which was legalized by the governments of the past and the present. We,have already seen many times what the CNG cylinder explosion can do and if it explodes in a parking lot with 20-30 cars parked, I think it is strong enough to blow up a 6 storied residential building without too much of a hassle.
So my question to the authorities concerned is (1). Are we really vulnerable to terrorism or (2) Did you ever think of the CNG factor? If the 1st point is valid then I think all the CNG vehicles should be banned or the cylinders should be taken out so that the terrorists do not get the opportunity to play the devil's role. This will also help reduce the traffic congestion in the city. As fewer people will use cars for short distance to save petrol.
Sohel Ahmed
Dhanmondi, Dhaka
Indian elections
Indian people voted decisively in their national election. They voted for stability, secularism and good governance. They rejected extremism and sought development including nuclear co-operation. In this election Indian Muslims returned back to the oldest secular party and voted for it. In reality Indian voters have shown their political maturity. Rahul Gandhi in his protracted effort of ascendancy to national leadership is crowned with remarkable success. He made definite headway in hostile Uttar Pradesh politics. By appreciating the opposition led state government he created an atmosphere of political tolerance. In this election Indians have witnessed the grooming of their future leadership.
Lefts in West Bengal and Kerala have lost ground due to long incumbency and intra party feud . Minority voters also shifted their allegiance due to negligence in these states.
In fine, it can be said that democracy has taken a definite. shape in India with immense prospects in future. A democratic, secular and progressive India means a lot for its neighbours.
M.SanaulHuq
Uttara Model Town
Dhaka
Functions of MPs
In the traditional Democratic system, A State has three organs: Judiciary, Executive and Legislature, having different functions & responsibilities.
Unfortunately, since 1991 in the regime of political governments, MPs and policy makers were busy with the executive functions, influencing the Judiciary and interfering in local government functions. Whereas in the traditional democratic system, they are supposed to be busy with law making/policy making etc.
Our civil society members often raise their voice in favour of strengthening the local government through decentralization as a holy constitutional obligation. There are some influential politicians who strongly supported it in the past. But after the regime change, recently we observed that some of those politicians opposed strengthening of local government bodies. They are busy framing rules which will allow MPs to interfere in upazila parishad affairs.
AlamgirSujaet
Regional Sales Manager Mutual Food Products Ltd. Segunbagicha
Dhaka
Pilkhana tragedy
I love my country from the core of my heart. But my heart bleeds when I see my beloved country is in danger. The Pilkhana tragedy shocked me profoundly as I think that those top level army officers were great assets of our country. We have lost those great sons of our motherland suddenly and out of the blue. It is obviously a great tragedy for many families and the nation.
The core mission of Bangladesh Army is to protect the nation's territorial integ-
rity against external forces by following orders and instructions from the government.
The Bangladesh army has been actively working in a number of United Nations Peace Support Operations (UNPSO) since its formation in the 1970s. Bangladesh was ranked second in terms of its contribution to United Nations Peace Keeping Operations. Now Bangladesh Army is one of the top foreign currency earners for the country-
We have lost more than sixty-four Bangladesh soldiers in different Peace Keeping Missions. Senior Bangladesh military officers working as commanders and liaison officers in UN peacekeeping missions may be seen as further recognition of the Bangladesh Anny's growing esteem in the peace keeping community.
Bangladesh military is assisted and supported by our paramilitary force, Bangladesh Rifles, whose primary duty is to guard the borders. But they don't have officers of their own. Commissioned army officers are posted for a certain period of time on deputation. It is true that BDR can have unfulfilled demands.
But how could they kill their own officers? There could be some other hidden agenda in this tragedy that needs to be brought into light. The aftermaths of their death are many. It is obvious that sovereignty is a key indicator of an independent country. Our armed forces are appointed in order to ensure overall security of our motherland.
They always work to save our country from external forces or enemies. The death of top level army officers are a great loss for Bangladesh and it may cause leadership crisis in our defence forces.
The Pilkhana tragedy left us thunderstruck. As conscious citizens, we need to know everything regarding the actual killers and their real motive behind this killing. Is there any outside force involved in this heinous crime? We need to know. Proper investigation and right judgment are highly desirable to find out the truth behind this carnage.
Faraha Nawaz Department of Public Administration
Rajshahi University Rajshahi
Save our rivers
I am a regular reader of The Daily Star. It has become the morning tea for me. In my almost 18 years of readership time, I have been touched, moved, enthralled, enlightened so many times by so many reports it published. The story on river grabbing is one of those.
1 strongly support the cause The Daily Star is fighting for. Kabir Hossain Taposh Banani, Dhaka
Early marriage
After completing my SSC exams, I went to my native village to meet my relatives and maternal grand parents. By the way one of my cousins took her SSC this year. Though she lives in a village, she is very talented. Moreover, her aim is to become a doctor. But it should be noted here that her parents are not educated. So, they are no longer eager to send their daughter to college.
Instead, they decided to marry her off. But it is a matter of great concern that the bridegroom is nearly forty years old, and he is not educated. The bridegroom works abroad, and earn a huge amount of money.
This is the kind of attitude responsible for backwardness of our women. It must be changed.
Mohammad Mohiuddin Momen
SSC examinee
Halishahar, Chittagong
US and Israel
Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu is not the ruler of Israel. He is the President of the United States! The President of the United States could break Israel in a day. If they'd stopped sending all that money and all those arms to Israel, Israel would have long ago been overcome.
If it were not for the promised protection and the manifest protection of the United States, Israel could not have won a single war with the Arabs.
It was because the US shipped in all kinds of planes, weapons, everything that Israel had to fight with! That's why Israel wins its wars.
TedRudow
One-mail
A valiant army officer
Col. Gulzar Uddin Ahmed is no more with us. But the role he played in capturing leading terrorists, will never ever be forgotten. He was a true patriot who loved his motherland dearly.
He risked his own life for bringing down the enemiesof the state. Unfortunately, he was brutally killed by the betrayers. Is this what such a valiant army officer deserved?? What kind of people are we? As long as the killers of Col. Gulzar Uddin Ahmed and other officers are not found and brought to justice, I guess we will never be safe. This is not one of those incidents we can mourn for a couple of days and then forget everything.
I pray for Col. Gulzar's departed soul, Minhaj Ahmed Uttara. Dhaka