Chintito
What's
in a
Name?
Chintito
One of
the fruits of SAARC or for that matter any international conference
of significance being held in the capital is that the city
gets refurbished. It's like doing up your living room for
a dawat and hoping some nosy guest does not linger into the
kitchen or the other toilet.
The last
time around we got the famous SAARC fountain where presumably
member countries have been represented in not the most befitting
of manners. The last thing I imagine when thinking about a
country, even USA, are spheres (gently speaking) made of steel.
Talks
were on for its removal or relocation to pave the way for
smooth movement of traffic through one of the busiest roads
in the country; the upcoming regional meet has perhaps put
that idea on hold. The setting up of Basundhara City has only
multiplied the urgency of replacing the existing roundabout
with a signaled crossing.
Just like
the baithak khana only the roads that the organising officials
believe the South Asian visitors shall be using are being
decked up albeit with constricted flowerbeds along the median
of primary roads. There is nothing wrong with that as city
dwellers will always welcome as many green patches and lines
that the city fathers will gift.
Unfortunately,
because signboards can be made quicker than foliage can sprout
on a bed, ghastly placards proclaiming immodestly in indecent
size and shape the name of the sponsor that has undertaken
the obligation to beautify (?) the road shoulders.
A good
person does not have his name printed in all possible places
of the human body. Nor does a serene river have its name painted
all along its banks. A pretty bird does not carry a name card.
The doel would look rather silly with a badge safety-pinned
on its breast. A flower speaks for itself and not through
a hoarding. The best cars in the world are identified by their
logo, made famous by performance and hardly by boast.
This is
a very beautiful country, much more than the islands that
sponsors are curetting for our neighbours. But we don't have
to write in all possible locations with one-mile high letters
so that passengers on an aeroplane may know that they have
reached Bangladesh.
It is
commendable that some of the major business and financial
houses have responded to the call to help beautify the City
in time for the SAARC get-together. There is an apparent indication
of patriotism. But need they have their name flaunted in fonts
larger than the struggling plants in their squeezed up cots?
Does financial mileage have to be the only yardstick even
for a job that such institutions have perhaps undertaken to
do the country proud? Have they got nothing out of this country?
Can they not give a very small percentage of that back to
this country? If money was the measure for patriotism then
this country would have only a handful. Thankfully that is
not true.
Surely
it is not the expectation of the parties concerned that an
emissary shall open an account in a local bank during his
short visit to Dhaka, or shall invest in property here, or
buy a bar of soap by judging which road island has the best
plantation. Then pray, why this fuss of out-fonting each other?
If it is to impress the high-ups in our government, and that
I agree is important, they can certainly convey their message
in ways other than that which stinks of uncouthness. They
could advertise in the media using images of their very creation.
Even DCC could post ads thanking generously all the companies
that have come to the aid of the City.
One can
only pray that common sense, rather rare these days, shall
prevail, and all signposts that local sponsors have displayed
repeatedly alongside their minimal contribution to society
shall be removed in time for the delegates. Let our local
good intentions not transform into an international laughing
stock.
We sincerely
pray for the continued growth of all the sponsors in any field
that benefits the public. Let such magnanimous donors not
doubt for moment that their seeds of goodwill are not appreciated.
Thank you from all of us, but let modesty be thy name.
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(R) thedailystar.net 2004
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