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     Volume 8 Issue 70 | May 22, 2009 |

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Letters

Water Crisis Unabated

The people of Dhaka city are facing a difficult problem regarding the supply of water. So much has been written about this. Yet there is no end in sight. We are suffering from the shortage of water. We are suffering from power failure. What is going on around us? We pay taxes but we are not getting basic amenities. What does Wasa or PDB do to resolve it? During every dry season (from February to May) Dhaka city dwellers suffer from these problems. This year it seems more acute. In many parts of the city, people get sticky and straw coloured water from the Wasa supply line. Such contaminated water which causes many water borne diseases is a public health disaster. If this situation continues, what can we expect from the government? The present ruling party has committed to something called 'change'. Are those empty words? Instead of making irresponsible comments, the government should work with some specific agenda.
Sharmin
Kadmi, Faridpur

Coaching Centres
Coaching centres have sprouted like mushrooms all over the country. It seems you can get coaching (success 100% guaranteed) for everything from play group to university admission to BCS! Despite many controversies the trend is continuing. Maybe it is because students don't get a quality education in school and college and therefore don't have enough confidence in their own ability. Maybe it is because the competition for places at every level has become so intense that people will do anything to gain an advantage. But a lot of it has to do with the way the coaching centres shamelessly promote themselves. They often use cheap and misleading slogans to attract gullible students. Some centres use the photos of successful students, while others claim to give watertight guarantees on Tk. 150 judicial stamp! One coaching centre that teaches English with branches all over the country boasts that they will give your money back with interest if you do not become fluent in English after their crash course which lasts barely six weeks. This kind of blatant exaggeration is indeed shameful.
Md.Azam khan
Dept of mathematics
University of Chittagong

Processions on Campus

I wonder if there is any other country in the world except Bangladesh where during class hours students (if not voluntarily then by order of their senior students cum political leaders) bring out processions which go round the campus chanting violent slogans! In Dhaka University it has become a bad tradition of which we, the students inside the classrooms, are the sufferers. Due to these demonstrations even teachers have to pause their lecture and wait till the procession goes but it ultimately breaks our concentration in studies.
As this is happening everyday, I can't help but wonder about the mentality of those people? What kind of students are they? Aren't there other forms of protests for example: forming human chain? Why is it always necessary to bring out processions during class hours?
Amzad Hossain
Dept. of English
University of Dhaka

Unrest at North South University
10th May, 2009 is a day the students of North South University (NSU) will always remember. It was a day when students of a private university, for the second time, raised their voice against the increase in tuition fees which is already the highest among all universities in Bangladesh. The unexpected happened when students were literally thrown to the wolves. Riot police swooped on the protesters with baton and tear gas. A non-violent protest did not deserve such violent retaliation by NSU authorities. After the students were brutalised, the NSU authorities went on the PR offensive and described their own students as 'misguided' on television. They took out front page advertisements in national newspapers. Nevertheless, the nation and the national media appear unmoved at the plight of the students. Is this a democracy we live in, where students cannot voice their legitimate grievances without being attacked by riot police? Are these the institutions where the future leaders of our country will be nurtured?
Anika
North South University

At the Mercy of Robbers
A few days ago, I visited one of my friends in Teknaf. After supper we were gossiping when news came that robbers had attacked an area nearby. I was terrified. My friend took me to his bedroom and told me to stay calm. I was remembering Allah with all my heart and soul. I did not sleep a wink all night. At dawn I heard that two houses near ours had been attacked during the night. I was shocked when my friend told me it is a common occurrence and they have to live in fear all the time. The administration should take up the matter urgently and provide security for the people in such vulnerable areas.
M Kafil Uddin
Dept.of English
IIUC

Change
Although our ruling party came to power promising "Din Bodol" or "Change", we are not seeing it in practice. Rather extortion, murder, abduction, ransom, political violence, and general lawlessness have become the order of the day. The outlaws who had taken cover during the caretaker government's rule have come out and are now threatening us using political identity. There is no security of life or property. There are murders on the front pages of the newspapers every day. We hope the Prime Minister will not look the other way while her party men including MPs and their relatives become reckless in trying to recover their "investment" with profit. Please rein them in as soon as possible. Enough is enough. Now is the time to make good on your promise of Din Bodol. Otherwise, the people will bring Din Bodol at the first opportunity.
A Disgruntled Citizen
Chuadanga

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