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TO THE EDITOR
Hepatitis
In recent years, the number of hepatitis patients is increasing rapidly in our country. According to a survey, 15% of the total population of our country is knowingly or unknowingly infected by these fatal diseases. Lack of consciousness & prejudices on hepatitis are the major causes of these virus transmitted diseases. Besides, the carelessness of diagnostic centres, medical centres, unsafe transfusion of blood and drug addiction are the major causes ofhepatitis.
The health authorities should make hepatitis vaccines available to people at large.
Md. Zahidul Islam Zibon Dept, of English International Islamic University Chittagong
Human trafficking
About 400 people, mostly women and children, are trafficked from our country, every month. Majority of the victims are destined for India, Pakistan and the Middle East. The women generally end up as prostitutes in brothels.
Human beings are the supreme creature of Allah. But
a few criminals vitiate the virtue by committing various crimes against vulnerable people. We think such a large-scale crime cannot continue for years together without the connivance of some members of the law enforcement agencies.
So, the authorities concerned need to take necessary steps against human trafficking.
Habibur Rashid Ismail Jamea Rah mania Fadil Madrasa
Chittagong
Misinterpretation ?
I am sorry to come back again and again to the cantonment house of Begum Zia. Her top lawyer and a high profile member of the party is very strongly referring to the constitution that empowers the president to exercise his supreme power to take action which is not covered by normal law of the country or any other law which is applicable to an ordinary citizen. I am not a lawyer. Therefore, I have no intention to challenge the contention of the BNP party lawyers. But I have the right to ask for a clarification of the article concerned of the constitution. Is it applicable for an ordinary citizen also ? I also do not understand when the case is between Begum Zia and the cantonment board, why the political party of Begum Zia is agitating on the issue. It means that if I have a strong political party and huge supporters I can also use them to fight a legal battle!
A reader
On e-mail
Physiotherapy students
Bangladesh Physiotherapy Students' Association organised a hunger strike for the third time. They want establishment of Bangladesh College of Physiotherapy. Their demand is based on sound logic. In many developing countries, physiotherapy is now considered to be a very important subject. In Canada, entry-level physiotherapy education is offered in 13 universities. Some of these university programmes are at the masters level, meaning that applicants must have already completed an undergraduate degree prior to applying, all of them are slated to be at the postgraduation level by 2010. Many universities also offer graduate programmes in physiotherapy, rehabilitation, or related disciplines at the post graduation or doctoral level. Even in our neighbour Ing country i c. India, universities offer undergraduate programmes of physlotiierapy with four years of academic and clinical programme and 6 months of compulsory internship. There are over 250 colleges offering undergraduate programmes in physiotherapy (DPT) and more than 50 colleges are offering master's degree in physiotherapy (MPT) with 2 years' duration. PhD in physiotherapy is offered in some universities in the states like Maharashtra, Karnataka andTamil Nadu.
We cannot forget die glorious contribution of the physiotherapists immediately after the liberation war of 1971. There was a huge demand for die treatment like physiotherapy. Thousands of war-wounded freedom fighters were admitted for treatment in different hospitals with an unprecedented demand for physiotherapy treatment. To cope with die crisis of physiotherapists, Dr. R. J. Grast, the then director of RfHD, introduced the graduate course. It must be noted that today the physiotherapists of Bangladesh are working throughout the world with great reputation. At the same time, physiotherapy students from UK, Canada, Netherlands come to our country for their research.
I hope the issue will receive due attention from the
authorities concerned.
AkashPradip
Lecturer andWriter
Chapain, Savar Dhaka
No flowery reception!
The photograph published on page 7 of your newspaper of 26th May, 2009 shows the simply and elegantly dressed Indian Foreign Secretary, Mr. Shiv Shankar Menon, welcoming the new Indian Foreign Minister, Mr. SM Krishna, with a warm handshake and not with a big bunch of flowers.
We saw recently at the entrance of all of our ministries, how the ministers were received by our secretaries concerned on their arrival for the first time.
Theirs is democracy and ours is sycophancy!
M A Quasem Chowdhury
Dilkusha C/A
Dhaka
Universities
The failure to accommodate the ever-growing number of students seeking higher education, among other things, has necessitated the government to open up the sector to non government operators to run universities. Both public and private universities have been playing a very vital role In spreading higher education across the country, baring some exception. Most of the private universities are Dhaka centric, only a few have opened campuses outside Dhaka to facilitate and attract a larger segment of students intending to pursue higher education on their chosen disciplines.
Such initiatives should be taken by others as well.
A guardian One-mail
Wasa water
About two years back our Wasa undertook the business of bottled water ('Shanti') like many other private organisations. They invested a huge amount of money in purchasing machineries, paying staff salaries and other overhead expenditures. Although other organisations/ companies are earning considerable profits selling bottled water, Wasa’s loss is on the increase. But my question is why Wasa has got involved in such business. Their main duty is to supply water to people of this capital city through the pipeline. But many people in many areas have to remain without water. Wasa’s water is not pure and is risky for health. The performance ofWasa is not up to the mark and thus they should concentrate on supplying pure water through a flawless piping network. Bottled water is for the rich and for them there are many private enterprises. Wasa is not a private company. The poor, middle income people and even the rich want pure water from Wasa at a lower price. In the name of "shanti" it should not bring any "ashanti”.
Harun-or-Rashid Sobhanbag, Dhaka
Where is my share?
Due to world recession, the govt of Bangladesh has declared several thousand crores taka as rescue package, so that the aggrieved industries or sectors are benefited to some extent. On the other hand, the representatives of FBCCI, DCCI, BGMEA, BKMEA, tanneries, agro sector etc, do often ask the finance minister, commerce minister, BB governor etc to lower bank interest rate. Unfortunately, many public limited companies did manage to raise share capital indicating fatty return on investment but some of them do not pay dividends for years, some do not arrange AGM, some could not be enlisted in stock markets and thus they are enjoying interest free capital for decades.
Many of these public limited companies will be benefited under the rescue package but as a primary share holder of those public companies I would like to have my share of govt sponsored rescue package. Those stock market manipulators of 1996 are very active now.
Mahbubar Rahman
Dasani
Bagerhat
Lifelines of
Dhaka
Three cheers for The Daily Star for focusing every day in the front page the miserable condition of the lifelines- the four rivers around Dhaka. All citizens of Dhaka, irrespective of their political affiliations, should stand behind this commendable effort undertaken by your newspaper. Because of this bold campaign, the honourable High Court has acted in line with the aspiration of the Dhaka city dwellers.
What are the people's representatives living around these lifelines doing? We believe there is no time to lose. Decisive action from the government upon the land grabbers and encroachcrs has become a dire necessity.
Plenty of time and various suggestions and decisions were taken, but no practical results on the field were seen. May I humbly request every citizen of the country, who loves rivers, canals, forests, and want the government land to be free from grabbers, to unite behind the timely call of The Daily Star.
MM Aziz , DOHSBaridhara
Dhaka
A great job
Our heartiest thanks to The Daily Star, we laud its concern for our dying rivers, which if not revived will choke our cities. The picture revealed is horrifying, ten feet layer of discarded polythene bags and other waste materials are covering the bed of river Buriganga. Untreated wastes from Industries are pouring into the rivers, making them severely polluted, creating a most serious situation.
If remedial steps are not taken immediately, a catastrophic situation will arise. The people should be united to protest and compel the government to take urgent action. The government must give top priority to this problem. Otherwise, we will be in great peril.
In 1971, we fought to liberate our country, now we will have to fight to save out country from pollution of all sorts. If nothing is done for the dying rivers, the day is not far away when children will learn that once there were rivers in Bangladesh.
Nur Jahan Chittagong
Are we learning?
Thanks to the Daily Telegraph, British MPs are now beginning to learn the true definition of “taxpayers' money”.
Unfortunately, journalism in our country works slight differently. When there is an AL government, all the pro-AL newspapers go on an overdrive to inform the public about all the corruption that took place under the previous government (which is always the BNP as our country suffers from Bi-party Affective Disorder). And when the BNP forms the government, all the pro-BNP newspapers go on an overdrive to inform the public about all the unholy things that went on under the previous AL government.
This kind of journalism, no matter how well-intentioned, appears to be politically motivated. And the problem is not only with what gets published.
We are baffled by some of the things that don't get published at crucial times. There are many examples when one newspaper decides to put a particular story on its front-page while its rivals try to hide it in the back pages! Reading some of those halfhearted reports, it feels as though the newspaper is desperately trying to hide the story instead of revealing it. Whatashame!
I end this letter with a small request to our newspapers: can we please have some reports on how many Umrah Khaleda Zia and Sheikh Hasina have performed since 1991 (particularly when they were prime ministers)?
How many officials/staff usually went with them on each trip and how much did each trip cost? I think the people of Bangladesh have a right to know this much. Our newspapers have always shied away from publishing any detailed reports on this because both of their beloved 'netris' are involved in it. But it is our money and we want the truth now, please.
Azad Miah
Oldham UK
Unexpected violence
The violence erupting among the followers of two sects of people in Maheskhali has become intolerable. The common people are the worst victims. The recent outcome of the violence is the death of two followers of Kawmi sect. Though it is difficult to say clearly who is responsible and who is right or wrong, common people eagerly want a quick remedy.
Md. UkilAhamed
Dept, of English International Islamic University Chinagong
Traffic jams
Nowadays traffic jam appears to be a big curse in our urban areas. Yes, it is a common phenomenon that city people go to the market and park their vehicles on tire road, as if the space of the road is their forefathers' property.
The issue has to be handled efficiently.
Aiman Bin Shaofiqul Hamid Dept, of English International Islamic University Chittagong (HUC)
Frankenstein
for US?
We all know the story of Frankenstein. In pursuit of vengeance and driven by selfego, Frankenstein wanted to kill his own creator. In the light of same fictional character, we have witnessed this week such behaviour from Israel to its stalwart ally, the USA, through its open defiance to US proposal to stop Israeli settlements on occupied Palestinian lands. Being taken aback by the blunt US proposal to stop further settlements on the Palestinian land, Israel apparently has taken a path of defiance, rather than compliance with the US proposal.
It is really interesting to sec how Israel can openly defy the US proposal in spite of yearly 6-8 billion dollar military aid (from the US). Over the decades, US policies on Israel and unilateral support in the UN Security Council have somehow given Israel a sense of entitlement.
Israeli lobbying groups with the support of mainstream media in the US, have been able to manipulate US policies on the Middle East for such a long time that any fair and balanced US policy seems like a fairy tale now.
It is really interesting to see how the Obama administration is going to handle (his situation and stick to its vow for two-state solution amidst Israeli government's latest stance. Because Netanyahu, besides being a radical him-
Rajuk
Rajuk has disgraced all of us. We live in England, but send money to relatives in Bangladesh and wish to buy a plot of land in order to be able to settle there in the near future. At first, Rajuk tells the applicants that any proof of Bangladeshi nationality, will suffice, when put with the application form. And then, after many of us have already sent off our application forms, they claim that photocopies of Bangladeshi passports must be enclosed alongside the application form and other documents. Now, as the selection process of application forms is an ongoing process, they inform us that all passports must be valid. If they don't have this information, then they discard the applications. Why, if they truly need the information, do they not request it? They have everyone's email address, they have their house addresses, and telephone numbers. They cannot simply throw away self, has strong backing from the ultra orthodox Jewish groups; some of them even don't want to accept any Palestinian presence in the occupied land (they believe all the land in that region can only be inhabited by Jews as God's decree).
Unless Israel agrees to stop further settlements and withdraw previous settlements from occupied Palestinian lands, the hope for future peace is very bleak.
Zafar Hadi
California, USA
No dearth of talent
There is no dearth of talent in our wonderful land - thousands of GPA 5 students. No electricity, no water, dusty, smoky, jam-packed totally unhealthy environment where most of the valuable time is loafed off on the streets - that is our Dhaka city, even then our meritorious students arc making this result. Compared to the students of the developed countries, our students have to work harder for this achievement. But what are we doing for them? A great shame indeed. Young sweet children of the parents are being forced to go on hunger strike for the third time. A final decision should be made in time.
We are destroying our merits, whereas the patriotic leaders are going to Singapore for simple treatment Our students are working harder, but they are not getting proper recognition.
Kishore, Dhaka
thousands of applications merely for lack of information. which they did not at first, request. A hefty list, is it not? Following on from that aberration, they claimed that they would inform the general public on who had got a plot by the end of the one-month following the deadline, this turned into six months. Will it turn into one year, and then two years next? We don’t even have any form of confirmation, by email or by any other means that our hard-earned money has been received by Rajuk. And we, ourselves have no way of confirming this. No one answers the phone on the contact number we were given, and I have personally sent people round to the Rajuk offices, where they claim they are too busy to do anything, or to give out any information. These incidents have shown our character, i.e.: to be unreliable, unpredictable, and utterly an annoyance.
Lilly Evans
One-mail