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To the Editor
Misapplication of law?
One hundred and twenty three more cases are to be dropped. The govt, scrutiny committee finds them politically motivated'- cases filed during the last BNP-Jamaat coalition and the subsequent caretaker rule. As many as 241 applications were placed at the seventh meeting and of them 123 cases have been recommended for withdrawal. The government has so far decided to withdraw 572 cases filed against the leaders of ruling Awami League and its allies and only Moudud Ahmed from main opposition BNR(The Daily Star, 17-09-09). Those who filed those cases seem to have done it by misusing power with ulterior motive at the cost of govt, money. In the process of doing these unjustified activities, lots of valuable Govt, manpower hour and money have been exhausted.
As cx»mmor\ citizens we are confused and perturbed as to whom we should believe. We observe that people in power are all perfect and saint like and remain above corruption. Ironically, the fact is that the same people when they are out of power are found to have committed too much corruption when they were in power.
We also saw during the last caretaker govt that the present prime minister and leader of the opposition were detained in special prisons where huge manpower and money had to be spent but later on it was found to be not necessary. Apart from the above, many bigwigs and stalwarts of mainly political and business class were detained for months together during the caretaker regime. Ultimately, almost all have been released from jail. In the process a huge amount of money and manpower were spent from the govt, exche-
quer. This is nothing but systems loss of the legal department. If such a huge amount of money could be saved, 1 believe the country could be relieved from extreme poverty gradually.
Those who are responsible for such loss of money and manpower need to be taken to (ask and be punished to create an example for the future.
Md.Delwar Hossain East Rampura, Dhaka
Crossfire
There have been a lot of controversies on crossfire issue in my native land, Bangladesh. The civilized nations, especially the West, are against it, calling it violation of Human Rights. Of course it is a violation of Human Rights but in Bangladesh context it became necessary and is still necessary to contain crime. Killing a man by law enforcement agencies in the guise of crossfire is an extra-judicial Jailing arid surely the civilized nations have the right td criticise us. But when the action is taken for security and safety of other innocent lives in desperation, it may be condoned.
Killing in crossfire is unacceptable, at the same time killing by cutting throats of innocent peace-loving people is unacceptable. The terror ists should also not be allowed to cut throats, rob people or create panic among the public. To punish a killer by the courts, the magistrates require evidences, witnesses and credible proof of involvement of the killer in the killing. The police give charge sheets and forward with it some witnesses. While trial is underway, no witness appears before the magistrate for fear oflifeofhisownand his entire family members.
The terrorists are a big enemy of the nation. Even the
foreign investors are reluctant to come to Bangladesh to invest for fear of extortionists, terrorists and militants because even our law enforcement agencies are unable to protect their interests from the hands of these elements.
So far. our knowledge goes, the law-enforcement agencies have not killed any innocent man.
The crossfire victims are all top terrors who maintain high profile terror networks and are capable of striking anyone anywhere.
Shafiqul Islam, NY
BSF atrocities
BSF men have been killing Bangladeshi cattle traders, businessmen, farmers, general people in the border areas for no reason. It has been reported that in the border areas BSF killed dozens of Bangladeshis in the past couple of months. Tension mounts as killing continues in the border areas.
Bangladesh,’ apparenuy a good neighbour and friendly with Indians, though, the Indians wouldn't stop killing Bangladeshis in border areas.
Bangladesh has a long border with India and "no man's land" facilities too. But still the BSF would cross the internationally recognised "no man's land" and keep killing Bangladeshis. It is so pathetic that the slain receive no compensation from the Indian authorities.
There is no border area in the world other than Bangladesh-India where killing takes place on such a regular basis.
Our concern is: why the border area would become so, if we call each other a brotherly and friendly neighbour? Indeed, India is one of the biggest countries and has been raising weapon of mass destruction capacity (Praful Bidwai, the eminent Indian
columnist wrote in DS on 14 September).
The Indians should soon start to act as friendly neighbours and sustain peace and harmony in the region. Mahmud All Kabir Ex-BSS correspondent SocialWorker Gopalganj
A future leader!
A BCL activist, as reported in your daily, has already made himself a star'. He is a budding future leader of the country. In about a decade's time or so he is sure to become an MP or even a Minister. Once this goal is achieved, he will start raping the country. This has become the order of the day. May be he shall become the most powerful Minister in the cabinet. He has already made his mark in the political arena. Subsequently he shall adorn himself with sumptuous titles philanthropist, social worker etc.
Had this been the case in the Uni ted. x Ije
been aesdne3 tb'pass the fest of his days in jail. Law reigns supreme in the States. It is subservient to none. All is equal before the law. That is what makes the United States the world leader. But here in Bangladesh law is subservient to the ruling regime. Law is used to any extent to serve their interest whether moral or immoral. Once a political party is sworn in they set up the administrative machinery in a manner so as to best serve their interest. It is made sure that there would none to protest their wrong doings. There are always ready and willing intellectuals to serve the cause of the regime whether right or wrong. These are all signs of bad omen.
Until and unless it is made sure that Law is supreme and subservient to none, all efforts to make Bangladesh what it ought to be shall go in vain. Saleh Mohammad Ayub Kalabagan, Dhaka
Flooded footpaths last Thursday I went to the diplomatic area in Gulshan. I saw drains and manholes full of filth and water. And water Rowing from these was flooding the footpaths of Natunbazar-Mailbag road.
You know in the diplomatic-zones foreigners live and they use the footpaths.
S M Mahbubul Alam New Eskaton Road Dhaka
Significance of zakat
The Quranic word 'zakat' not only has the meaning of char ity, alms, official tax and voluntary contribution, but it also has a strong spiritual motive. The way the Holy Quran induces the well-off to give zakat is courteous yet firm. Ifthey give the poor their due, Allah will pay back them many times over with blessings in this world and the next (57:11, and 73:23). That is why, alms giving is often represented in the Holy Quran as a transaction between man, who is temporary, and Allah, who is Permanent, the Generous -- Who has created everything. The Holy Quran says, "Who is it that will lend Allah a goodly loan so he multiplies it to him manifold? And Allah withholds and extends and to Him you shall return."
The pious Muslims give zakat from the best they have in order to avoid the slightest injury or humiliation to the feelings of the recipient. But unfortunately the way of giving zakat in our country is now just the opposite. Majority of the millionaires, Ministers, MPs and leaders do it for their social and political gain and every year many poor people lose their lives under extreme pressure of crowd. There is no doubt that in doing so those so-called zakat payers are loading their accounts with gravesin, instead of blessings. Our religious preachers working in mosques under those influential people approve this sort of practice to gain some advantages. Some religious scholars seen on different TV channels show their mastery Th criticizing rivafgroups for trivial matters which are neither Farz no Wajib. But they hardly criticize the present tradition of giving zakat, probably for the fear that they will lose the favour they are enjoying. Following the Quranic instruction, we should take care to give from the best we have. Instead of giving zakat to hundreds of people, we can give it to a few persons in the form of capital’ goods, taxi or rickshaw etc. It is like teaching how to catch fish permanently instead of giving them fish once.
It is hoped that in future the poor people who will be benefited in this way will themselves be able to give zakat, if Allah wills. Mohammad Jamir Haider Babla
Lecturer in English West Banshkhali U. College Banshkhali Chittagong
Frequent tremors Lately, there have been a few quakes that jolted Dhaka, Mymensingh, Sylhet encompassing a vast swath of Eastern Bangladesh. Experts say tremors, if frequent, are precursors to a catastrophic earthquake. Bangladesh is one of the most densely populated regions of the globe having a population of 150 plus million living in an area measuring about 55 thousand sq. miles. The country sits on a fault line having active Himalyan tectonic plates. The UN has also designated Dhaka as the most vulnerable city to earthquake close on the heels ofTeheran.
Dhaka's skyline has undergone a phenomenal change with high-rise buildings dotting the landscape. The quakes that shook our places had epicentre in neighbouring Myanmar and adjacent region recording 5 to 6 plus on Richter scale. Heart wrenching memories of mass deaths as a result of gigantic quakes in Agadir, India, Northern Iran, Afghanistan smashing habitats, killing thousands of inhabitants still haunt us. Given the number of tall scrapers that developers built hurriedly to turn quick bucks, and with scant regard for safety, a quake of the magnitude of 6 and above will spell a land Sunami of horrific dimension.
Nature sends tell-tale signs if we only know how to heed them. Unless we wake up from
our proverbial slumber a quake of the magnitude of 6 and above is apprehended to cause a cataclysmic doom taking an unprecedented toll of human lives the world has never seen before.
Mere wishing away a disaster won't keep the wolf from the door.
G. Mostafa
Tucson, Arizona, USA
To the prime minister...
1 write this letter to inform you of a news report that caught everyone's attention a couple of weeks ago on television. The news was read so fast that we missed out on the names that were mentioned and I apologize for not being able to provide that information but I assure you any news sources will be able to confirm the incident. The story is about a very young schoolgirl who was raped and murdered in her own home and left it to her parents to find her upon their return from work. The news was a follow-up of the incident. I am not writing to talk about the crime that took place. It is unimaginable and a disgrace to the human race. I am writing about the followup which mentioned that until that day the girl's parents have not seen the light of justice. That is because they are threatened by some men close to the miscreants, and the police officer in charge of the investigation was recently transferred without being able to re assign the particular 'file' to the new investigation officer.
I know Honourable Prime Minister, you are surely deeply hurt by the incident mentioned above. You might be a bit surprised as well. How
is it possible that no arrests were made in spite of witnesses being there? How is it possible that the officer in charge was transferred at the right time? How is it that the most vicious crime case in the district was not reassigned? I know you too are asking all these questions. Who would be so powerful to put a stop to the judicial procedure ? From the day this nation wrote its own laws we all knew that no person is above the law.' Who are these people going around proving it wrong?
Please forgive me Prime Minister if you think I am over-stepping my boundaries? for I am not being sarcastic at all. This is not the time. I am simply sympathizing with the innocent girl's parents, and on their behalf appealing to you as our nation's highest law maker. I know you are thinking that 1 am someone who is not aware of the so many vicious crimes that take place in our country every day and also asking why would this one matter more.This one matters on the face of law as equally as any other involving innocent victims of crimes. However, this one matters more because you have taken a small amount of time from your busy schedule to read this letter, and this one would matter the most when in response to this letter you yourself will make that phone call. This one matters because the parents of this country still have'hope.'
Before I finish this letter I want to thank you most in advance for making that phone call. Because 1 know you will. And if you don't, no one else might.
Concerned citizens abroad