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TO THE EDITOR
Prevent early marriage
It is sad that people still think girls should get married at an early age. What is even more unfortunate is that many parents are unaware of the negative impacts of early marriage on mothers' health. Lack of awareness and health education are at the root of this evil. Thus, the need for government and non-government authorities to launch awareness programmes in rural areas. Early marriage is a national problem and there has to be a comprehensive strategy to uproot it.
Miton Kumar Gupto
Phulbari, Dinajpur
Antibiotic a health hazard
Latest researches have found that antibiotic destroys essential gut flora or microbiota which plays an important role in keeping us healthy and well. In fact, 90% of our genetic materials are from the bacteria, fungi, viruses and other microorganisms, i.e. microflora which influences our genetic expression, immune system, weight, mental health, memory, and also the risk of numerous chronic and acute diseases, from diabetes to cancer. These microbes influence the activities of genes in our brain and are believed to manipulate our behaviour plus memory system. Antibiotics and other elements like agrochemicals, chlorinated water, antibacterial soaps, and environment pollution are constantly damaging our gut microflora.
In addition to the normal and excessive uses of antibiotic, we are consuming a lot more antibiotic through livestock products like milk, meat, etc. It may be surprising to note that nearly 80% of all the antibiotics produced are used in agriculture not only to control infection, but to promote unhealthy weight gain in the animals for profit. Nowadays it is much difficult to have organic meat or milk because most animals are raised in a confined animal feeding operation (CAFO).
Antibiotic also influences weight gain in humans. One of the major factors for child obesity is antibiotic. Perhaps time is still there to decrease the use of antibiotics for saving our health and ensuring our well-being.
Professor M Zahidul Haque
Dean
Faculty of Agriculture
Sher-e-Bangla Agricultural University
A cruel joke!
When we the people of Bangladesh dream of a load-shedding free country, our prime minister wants us to suffer from load-shedding at least for two hours every day, just to ensure that we do not forget the word 'load shedding,' even if we have enough electricity.
What a cruel joke it is! She also said that it is okay to accept load-shedding to have a reduced electricity bill. I don't think anyone considers load-shedding an option to cut their power bill. Rather she should have encouraged the people to become smart users of electricity. How could she say that two hours of load shedding every day is too little to hurt the country's productivity?
When this kind of irresponsible comment comes from a prime minister, it becomes very difficult for us to swallow.
G.M. Rezwan Rasul
Kalyanpur, Dhaka
Will govt clarify?
Your two front page news reports of 1st. September, from MAK Azad and the Star Report, on either side of the lead photograph of the stalled road extension work, provide an abyss of contradiction. Here we have no funds for "extending 8-lane road extension project", while our Prime Minister reiterates Bangladesh's proposal for joint venture 'Hydro Power Project with Nepal'!
When we are cash-strapped and many development projects have been curtailed and deferred, as reported in the dailies a few days back, where will the fund come from for the joint venture project with Nepal?
Given our present bitter relations with the World Bank, our priority project, Padma bridge, is now in a quandary.
Will the authorities concerned kindly clarify the matter for the confused citizens? Engr. S.A. Mansoor Dhaka
Dhaka College teacher sets example
In the national university (NU) many students are reluctant to attend classes regularly. As per the rules of NU, students must have 75 percent attendance. But both students as well as teachers are neglecting the rule. Besides, each academic year consists of 15-16 months, though classes are held only for first 6 months. What would happen to the students if they do not attend classes?
But an opposite scene is to be found at the English Department of Dhaka College. Here students ought to have 75 percent attendance to sit for the year final exams. If a student has less than 60 per cent attendance, s/he has to bring her/his guardians before a board of teachers. They have to explain the cause of their ward's absence to the board. The teachers inform the parents about the performance of the student and the parents have to sign a bond assuring that his/her offspring will attend classes regularly from the next session.
What is more, 15 out of 25 tutorial marks are given for 75 percent attendance and the marking is done fairly. It is an established rule in the department. Some students and teachers did not welcome it first. But an assistant professor of English dept, was determined to stop the malpractice.
Ultimately, he has become successful in his mission to bring the students back to the classes. Later, other departments — Economics, Management and Accounting— of the college have followed the rule. Other colleges under National University should also follow the method.
Rasel Osman
Honours 3rd year
English Department
"Right hand of God"?
At age 33, Ralph Reed was the Christian Right's wonder boy. He was anointed in a 1995 Time Magazine cover story as the “right hand of God” for spinning the trust of conservative Christians into political gold. It was Reed who built the Christian Coalition of televangelist Pat Robertson into a powerful arm of the Republican Party.
But Reed fell from grace in 2006 after he was implicated in the biggest Washington scandal since Watergate. His pal and colleague, the lobbyist Jack Abramoff, pleaded guilty to defrauding clients of millions of dollars, some of which had landed in Reed's pockets as well. The money spigot was now wide open. Abramoff was being paid millions as a lobbyist. Reed was being paid millions to dupe his fellow Christians.
He says he intends to build the 21st century version of the Christian Coalition, with an annual budget of $ 100 million, five million members, full-time lobbyists in all 50 state capitols, and an enormous database.
The Pharisaical ultra-conservative, hard-Right support he receives comes largely from a hard-core of misled, fanatically anti-communist, fundamentalist, evangelical, bigoted, self-righteous religious minority, as well as from the vast silent majority, of the indifferent, couldn't-care-less, self-indulgent, self-satisfied. The fact is these fanatical religionists also consider themselves above the law and the courts and are willing to commit any crime in the name of national, religious or so-called family security!
Ted Rudow III, MA
EncinaAve
Palo Alto, CA