Voicebox

"My son does not live with me and I am not responsible for all his activities."
AKBAR HOSSAIN
Late shipping minister
to the Daily Star on June 28, 2005 about the report of his son Ismail Hossain Simon using the luxury car of Global Agro Trade (Private) Company Ltd (GATCO), a firm that was given the job of loading containers at Chittagong Port and the Inland Container Depot at Kamalapur. The report, published the following day, alleged that, "The cabinet purchase committee at first rejected the proposal of the company as the firm did not have previous experience. But later it got the contract following the green signal from the prime minister's office."
About two years later, on September 3, 2007, Khaleda Zia has been arrested for violating tender conditions in appointing GATCO, for container handling at the Dhaka Inland Container Depot (ICD) and the Chittagong Port ICD yard despite its lacking experience and skills.

"The people in power must have accountability to the law."
Barrister MAINUL HOSEIN
law and information adviser
about the arrest of former Prime Minister Khaleda Zia.
“It may be unpleasant, but it (the arrests) has been done in the interest of the country. The tyranny of crime increases in a country if the rulers cannot be kept away from corruption,” he has also said.

"Sheikh Hasina must keep in mind that she had become the party president only because she is the daughter of Bangabandhu. This is her principal identity."
AMIR HOSSAIN AMU
senior Awami League presidium member.

"If the government thinks it will not be possible to lift the ban, some arrangements will be made for the talks."
Brig Gen (retd) SHAKHAWAT HOSSAIN
election commissioner.

"Basically, we want to know what type of service people want from police… "
SYED NAZRUL ISLAM
officer in charge of Uttara police station
on Police Open Day.

"I did not have a son. God finally gave one."
NAMITA DAS
an Indian woman living in the country's Tripura state
about Buru, a pet monkey.
Das considers the monkey as her son, she breastfeeds it regularly. ""The monkey fell ill after the storm , in which it lost its parents. I decided to bring him up with my daughters," she told the BBC. We tie rakhi (a sacred thread) on Buru's wrists during the Indian festival when sisters wish their brothers well," says Dipti, Das's elder daughter.

Quotations Are Taken From Different Local And International Newspapers.
Compiled by: AHMEDE HUSSAIN

Copyright (R) thedailystar.net 2007