& çâÌæÚUæð´ ·¤è ¥ôÚU Îð¹Ùæ ÁæÚUè ÚU¹ð´ ¥ÍæüÌ ¥ÂÙð ÜÿØ ÂÚU ŠØæÙ ÚU¹ð´Ð ãæÚU Ù ×æÙð´, €UØô´ç·¤ ·¤æ× ·¤ÚUÙð âð ¥æÂ·¤ô ©gðàØ ·¤è Âýæç# ãôÌè ãñ ¥õÚU ÁèßÙ ·¤æ ¹æÜèÂÙ ÎêÚU ãôÌæ ãñÐ ÖÜð ãè ÁèßÙ ×ð´ ç·¤ÌÙè Öè ·¤çÆÙæ§ü €UØô´ Ù ¥æ°, çÁ™ææâæ ¥õÚU ©ˆâæã ÕÙæ° ÚU¹ð´Ð ŠØæÙ ÚU¹ð´, ÜÿØ ã×ðàææ ¥æÂ·Ô¤ Âæâ ãôÌð ãñ´ çÁ‹ãð´ ÂæÙð ·Ô¤ çÜ° ÂýØæâ ¥æÂ ·¤Öè Öè àæéM¤ ·¤ÚU â·¤Ìð ãñ´Ð

TO THE EDITOR
Extra- judicial killing
I had the chance to go through the editorial in your daily on 'Cross-fire killings' published on the 31st May, 2009. I fully agree with you that there should not be any extra-judicial killing, which you have rightly pointed at. The media has been rightly agitated at the report of the latest death of two polytechnic students, though their innocence has yet to be verified through impartial investiga-qon. In this context, I would like to mention here that the mandate of the law enforcing agencies is to protect the innocent citizens from extortion, robbery, hijacking etc . So, while performing their duty, if they are fired upon by anyone, I am in support of the home minister's claim that they should protect themselves first. Otherwise, I am afraid, they will be discouraged and finally turn to be reluctant to perform their duties and the miscreants will get an upper hand.
S.A. Miah
Lasalle, Quebec Canada
'Yes’to computer!
From the very beginning, fortunately, our governments have realized the significance of computer in the present day world. So, till now policies regarding this sector are very positive. The nation is getting the benefit of this trend also. In an underdeveloped country like Bangladesh, within this short period, the expansion of the use of computer is relatively laudable.
The ruling party declared, in its election manifesto, that by 2021 they would like to convert this Bangladesh into 'Digital Bangladesh". Thus, special favour to computer, Internet, and auxiliary instruments is expected. But recently, it was noticed that the cell phone operators have become very active to gain extra benefits from the position taken by the government. If the government becomes more attentive to serving the interest of the cell phone companies, automatically they will not be able to pay additional heed to computer related sectors.
Though companies have claimed that they will help to broaden the use of Internet through cell phones, actually to ensure the real use of Internet, computer is indispensable. Through cell phone wc can checkout mails, on the way, but to get the real benefits, of course you have to go to computer.
I will request to the policymakers to concentrate on the use of computers first, and then turn to the Internet. Md. Abdul Hamid Assistant Professor Dept, of Business Administration
Shahjalal University, Sylhet
Alla victims
Many Aila victims are yet to get relief materials to survive. The government and the NGOs working in the affected areas should gear up relief operations before more people die of hunger and diseases.
Mahmud Ali Kabir Gopalganj
Politicians
I have recently been reading about the achievements of Dr. Manmohan Singh, he will surely go down in history as one of the greatest prime ministers India has ever had. India has voted wisely and reelected him, making history. I
was thinking why he has been so great and why wc cannot get someone like him in Bangladesh. 1 can list his qualities briefly: he is highly educated, he is humble and leads a simple life, he is old and probably wants to leave a legacy behind, he is not petty and only attacks when absolutely necessary, he does not take advantage of his position for personal gain, he remains focussed on his goal of improving the lives of Indians, he doesn't like to play political games and didn't want to be a politician. How many of our politicians have these quali ties? Wc seem to get the uneducated, greedy, selfish people into our politics, surely there must be some Manmohan Singhs in our midst who must be discovered if our country is to have a chance. We seem to get the same old players in and out of prison every few years; they have made plenty of money, they are old now and should think about what they did for their country before they die.
S.Shawkat
Gulshan, Dhaka
Pledges alone!
As usual, the Speaker and his 'Shangshods' pledged a lot to save Dhaka by saving the dying rivers. Since the grabbers and polluters belong to both the parties, they cannot say a harsher word against them. And the FBCCI president! This TV personality pledged nothing on behalf of his community. So, the result will be the same as what happens at the end of all other awareness generating programmes. People will read front-page stories and watch TV reporting and mumble something to themselves and then go to sleep. Our lawmakers, policymakers, administrators and the government know that the courts can do nothing to stop river killing. The court may pass orders but who is going to implement those orders? The same officers who are bribed not to look at grabbers and polluters' misdeeds? The initiative of The Daily Star and Channel i is highly praiseworthy. But how long will they be crying hoarse ? And after a few days our parliamentarians will get down to their business of 'akher guchano' with an attitude of 'who cares if Dhaka's population dies of an epidemic created by polluted water and choked sewerage system'. For the last 38 years, we have been hearing millions of pledges. I urge The Daily Star and Channel i, along with likeminded organisations, to build up the strongest ever public resistance on this issue and compel the government to take stern actions against the culprits, whoever they are.
Asif Khan
Circular Road, Dhanmandi Dhaka
Thanks, police officers
Recently, I lost some valuables at my office. But the stolen goods were promptly recovered after I informed the police department. It was really amazing!
I, therefore, express my heartfelt thanks to the DB Joint Commissioner Mr. Amulya Bhusan Barua, Detective and Criminal intelligence Division and DMP and CID officer Md. Helaluddln.
Ashraf Aghazadeh (Mina) Vice Principal
Galeu>ay International School, Dhaka
Two Koreas
Albeit people of both Korea bear the same blood in them, they were divided once. Henceforth they have been growing up not only in separate states but also with separate mentality. South Korea has adopted democracy and is following Japan in the field of economy. On the other hand, North Korea is still following the path of socialism which Russia itself left many years ago. They are still very poor. Many people die from starvation. But they arc-pouring money in nuke arms manufacturing to fight against South Korea, Japan and even the USA Are they mad?
Arnob Dhaka
Saving the rivers
Thanks to The Daily Star for trying to save the rivers around Dhaka. A sustained campaign may awaken the people and the administrators to the dangers around. I hope The Daily Star would keep up the campaign.
I have been travelling for some years on Ashulia road (from Tongi to EPZ) and have watched the land grabbers and so-called developing companies fill up Turag river on both sides. Some landfills are from the edge of the road. This will make any future broadening of this very busy road from two to four or six lanes impossible. Surely the authorities can do something here. During the caretaker regime the land filling had stopped. Now it is back to business!
M. Ahmed
Banani, Dhaka
Daylight saving scheme
It seems that there is a lot of confusion regarding the Day Light Saving Scheme poised to be implemented from the 19th of this month. Even the ministry was confused and thought of implementing it on a weekday, the 15th of June. At least that has been corrected and the timing will change on the eve preceding the week-end, i.e. the 19th of June. This gives an edge to adapt to the change in timings.
Some of the journalists seem to be totally in the dark regarding DST. Otherwise, why will they ask the state minister what will happen to the children who will have to go to school one hour earlier? The minister was also not properly briefed and he kept quiet. Once again when the ministry finally declared that the clocks would be moved forward from the 19th by 1 hour, some of the leading papers wrote that new office timings would now be from 8 to 4. Others said that Bangladesh may face problems with plane flights and international dealings. None of these are however true.
Office timings will remain from 9 to 5 unless the govt, revises office timings in addition to shifting the clock forward. That's the difference between shifting the clock and shifting the office timings. If you shift the clock, the rou-
tines don't change. If you slept at 11:00pm and got up at 7:00am, you will continue to do that. If your child went to school at 7:30am he will continue to go to school at 7:30. If your office ended at 5:00pm, it will end at that time. But when you come out of office at 5:00pm, the sun will be brighter. You will have more time to shop, go to parks for an ’ evening walk and return home before the sun sets. If you had two hours before darkness fell, now you would have three hours. The female commuters will feel safer in the daylight and travel back home in sunlight.
Supposing you had a daughter in Denver, USA and had to call her every Sunday night at 11:00pm. In the winter, you had to call her at 11:00am, our local time. Since the US moved forward in spring, if you called her now at 11 am, you would be disturbing her at midnight. But from the 19th, you would call her at ll:am to reach her at ll:pm. Similarly. Pakistan was always 1 hour behind us. But this year we have the same timings, as Pakistan adapted the DST. But from the 19th, we will again move forward by 1 hour, thus maintaining the same gap. With our adaptation of DST. we will remove the gap with at least 70 countries that practice the DST policy.
Well, are there going to be any differences from this time change? Well, yes!! The international flights will be reaching an hour late and you have to go to the airport 1 hour later. No need to worry, because your itinerary will tell you in local timings when your plane departs. Domestic timings will not be affected unless they deliberately change. .Another important change will take place. Fazr prayers will be at 5:30am instead of 4:30am, Maghrib will be at 7:50pm instead of 6:50pm. In fact, all prayer timings will move forward by an hour.
You don't have to change clocks at midnight on the 19th. Only official time keepers like radio and TV will do that. You change all clocks, watches and mobiles before you go to bed and everything falls into place the next day. In fact, most mobile sets have a DST icon in time menu. Just click that one and your mobile automatically adjusts to the new timing. If 70 countries can do it, we can also do it Pakistan adapted it in the past but gave it up. They weighed the pros and cons and adapted it again from this year. Since the sun will set at 8:00pm and the shops are required by law to close at 8:00pm. hopefully the shops will not put on their lights before closing. This surely will save a few watts.
Prof Mamunar Rashid MBBS(DMC);MS (Columbia, IVY) PhD (Cambridge. UK) DPI! (DU) Ibrahim Medical College Shahbagh. Dhaka
Article on bureaucracy
In your issue of the 03 June, Mr. Anwarul Kabir contributed an article on the bureaucracy. His remarks on curtailing the ACC's powers were bold and prudent. But time has come to judge the activities of other groupst^p.- h I I
During the emergency, many anomalies and irregularities took place which we overlooked and we even do not know what happened to those matters. There were monetary involvements. Writers like Mr. Anwarul Kabir should address such issues also.
Shah ed Mustafa Paribagh, Dhaka
Increased land valuation
A front-page headline on the subject was published in a local English daily on 1st. June. This is a move in the right direction taken by the govem-ment. The government deserves congratulations for this pragmatic move at the right time! This will provide more revenue, and also have a positive impact on collecting wealth tax where applicable. Given the rise in prices of everything; the proposed hike in a VAT like manner will ensure realisation of tax at source. Similar increase in registration fees for property sale, lease, transfer or rental may also be considered as another source of revenue income for the government
Indirect tax options of these types on higher value of stamp paper and revenue stamps for such legal documentation and similar matters is a better mechanism of taxation, rather than increased direct taxation on income.
These and similar revenue sources can be tapped from the next financial year. Similarly, to protect public health and discourage wastage, excise duties on alcoholic products and tobacco and tobacco products, cinema and amusement tickets can be easily enhanced further in the overall national interest. It will be an appropriate move.
SA. Mansoor, Dhaka
Resignation drama
Resigning from the cabinet is not a big deal in parliamentary democracy. But in our country we never quit unless forced to do so. Mr. Sohel Taj had resigned for any reason, personal or political, but the media coverage that ensued was disproportionate to the issue.
It is rumoured that he had resigned on the issue of the dubious 'crossfire' killing of two polytechnic students. If this is true he should have informed the people of his noble gesture. Our respect for the son of Shaheed Tajuddin /Ahmed would have only gone up
M.SanaulHuq
Uttara, Dhaka