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LETTERS TO THE EDITOR
letters@thedailystar.net
Road-rail vehicles to protect railway
I was saddened to see the recent violence against innocent people and destructive activities on railway. The government should take immediate steps to enhance the security of railway passengers and protect railway properties. A very simple scientific, engineering plan can solve this. This can be done with minimum amount of time and cost.
A truck/jeep or similar motor vehicle should be converted into "road-rail vehicles" by mounting them 'on two sets of rail wheels and a transformed chassis. Rail wheels from "CJ type goodscarriage" can be used. The transformed road-rail vehicles can be driven on the rail-tracks at a speed of 45-50 miles/hour. The trucks can be used to check the status of railway tracks and related systems. The railway police officers will be able to ride these vehicles to check the railroad track several minutes before a train passes the track. Engineers from BUET, similar universities or Bangladesh Railway's workshops can help to design and produce such vehicles in large quantities.
Jamal Liddin, Ph.D
Rochester Hills, Michigan, USA
Now cricket is the victim of our politics
It is really a matter of shame that the West Indies Under-19 team has been withdrawn from Bangladesh due to safety concerns just three months before the T-20 World Gup. Bangladesh Cricket Board (BGB) officials tried to make an effort to persuade the team to stay as the security forces of Bangladesh also ensured them top level security. But they felt insecure due to political unrest across the country such as bomb blasting, blockades, etc.
Isn't this situation tarnishing our image? Now the next cricket series can also come under threat. What if Sri Lanka doesn't visit us or ICC takes away the T20 World Cup tournament to somewhere else? Aren't we going to have the same fate as Pakistan has?
Md. Arshad Ali
Mohakhali, Dhaka
Well done, Khaleda Zia!
The front page news report of an Indian daily published on 7th. December has very clearly proved the great success (!) of strikes and blockades imposed by the opposition leader Khaleda Zia. Her excellent effort over the days has succeeded for the first time in Bangladesh in losing garment export orders to India, as US imports are being diverted from Bangladesh.
Khaleda Zia is the real friend of the Indian businessmen. Well done Khaleda Zia! Carry on and lead us to the destruction of our industry.
A BNP supporter
On e-mail
Mandela's wise words
Hats off to Mr. Mahfuz Anam. I have read and reread the quotable quotes of the great leader of the world. "Wise words from Mandela" published in TDS on December 7 was a very timely reproduction of his 1997 statement. Will our political leaders reminisce and follow his advice for the sake of our nation?
A F Rahman
On e-mail
Are we a hopeless lot?
Need for external examiners in public universities and caretaker government to hold national elections provide clear evidence that we don't trust each other. Perhaps we are the only nation in the world where a teacher doesn't trust another teacher; one person does not trust another person; and political parties don't have minimum trust and respect for each other. There is a saying that 'an extraordinary situation demands an extraordinary^ measure.' It applies for Bangladesh well.
Dr. Kamrul Hassan
Professor
Department of Physics Dhaka University
Comments on news report, "No good news yet," published on December 10, 2013
Zman7
Violence—such as hurling petrol-bombs at packed public buses to burn and kill innocent passengers, arson attacks on train or uprooting rail lines knowing that innocent passengers will be burned or killed—is not acceptable.
OpeeMonir
Everything is acceptable in this country. Are we not witnessing that? Are we not witnessing how the whole system is being paralysed? Where are those student politicians from Dhaka University and the rest of those glorious universities who were on the street to save the nation? This is a perfect example of how student politics was undermined in a calculated manner.
Mohammed Ismail
We never get any political good news from our bad leaders.