MAILBOX
Be humane to animals
Thanks to Star Weekend for revealing the deplorable scenario of zoos at the district level in its last issue of December 1, under the title "Death camps for wildlife". The article was thought-provoking as it made me think of the importance of zoos in the context of present day. Earlier, the lack of availability of satellite channels and the internet was an issue. As a result, zoos were developed for the entertainment of children. Visiting zoos help people know about animals of different species in different parts of the world. But in the present day, people can know about animals easily through the internet as well as TV channels such as Discovery or National Geographic. So, the idea of entertaining people by giving so much pain to these wild creatures seems illogical to me.
There can be one central zoo in the country. The government must also restrict such parks or rich people from creating their own personal zoos. Zoos at the district level should also be closed as it has been exposed that they are not properly maintained. Seeing the skeletal bodies of animals at zoos will only make children sad instead of making them happy and learn about wildlife. So, we should all come forward to save these wild creatures and must be humane to them.
Nafis Sadik
Merul Badda
Dhaka
Ice camping with penguins in Antarctica
This story was like going on an adventure. I was totally absorbed in this travel-story, as if I was there with her. I learnt things like how seasick one can become on such a voyage. From this article, I also learnt about ocean life, the continent of Antarctica, and whales and penguins (albeit, not very much). This story has captured my imagination and I hope that The Daily Star will frequently publish ripping and adventurous travel stories.
Farid Islam
Rajshahi University
Living with HIV
I was shocked after reading the article "Living with HIV" published in the Star Weekend on December 1. Every year, December 1 is observed as World AIDS Day. Many remain unaware of their HIV-positive status. It is also disheartening to learn that many in the medical community feel that people who have HIV/AIDS should not be allowed to mix freely with other people. Those who are HIV-positive often have to hide their status from their families.
A concern is the current high use of drugs. Drug addicts are at high risk of being infected due to the use of shared needles. Following religious bindings and rules can be a guide here. The government should also provide holistic care for HIV-positive people and take more initiatives to prevent this disease. We can hope that our country will be HIV-free one day.
Marshia Afrin
Mirpur, Dhaka
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