Letters
Avoiding the use of Milk powder
We know that powdered milk is not essential for the normal growth of a child if breast milk is available in the first six months of a child's life. Experts say children who drink artificial milk after six months have a higher probability of becoming diabetic in the future than those who do not drink powdered milk. In any case, if the baby does not get mother's milk or if mother's milk creates a problem for the child, then the parents should use cow's milk. The idea, that drinking milk at an early age is important for intellectual growth, is quite absurd as well. The toxic powder with melamine can become the cause of kidney failure and different skin diseases including skin cancer. All conscious people should avoid using powdered milk.
Pradip Chandra Gope
Department of Business Administration
Shahjalal University of Science & Technology, Sylhet
Voting for Cox's Bazar
The voting promotion for Cox's Bazar, as one of the New Seven Wonders (NSW), is going on with great enthusiasm across the country. But the voting medium, determined by the authority, is the Internet. Everyone in the country wants to see Cox's Bazar among the NSW. But in our country a large number of people do not have access to the Internet. There should be alternative mediums through which people who do not have access to the Internet can also take part in the process. It will ensure wider accessibility and more votes, and subsequently a better chance for Bangladesh to reach the top spot.
Abdulah-al-Mamun
Department of English
University of Dhaka
Preparation for Natural Calamity
Every year we suffer from natural disasters such as floods, cyclones etc. But we are still not taking any action to fight for our lives and resources. As a result, a great number of people are made homeless, die unnecessarily, and personal property is destroyed every year.
We should not waste our time any more and should take active and appropriate preparation. Famine, epidemics and damage of crops are the results of natural calamities. The price of commodities also goes beyond the buying capacity of an average citizen.
We must plan without delay for these inevitable calamities. The Government and the NGOs should take accurate steps and make people aware of natural calamities to save our economic environment.
Ashim Kumar Paul
Department of English
Govt. Edward College, Pabna
On the State of Emergency
What will happen if the state of emergency is lifted before the parliamentary polls? A section of civil society seems to think that it will ensure the right of the voter to cast their vote without fear. They say that a good number of voters will otherwise feel intimidated and not go to the polling centres. If the state of emergency is lifted, people will go to the polling station with full enthusiasm and be able to cast their vote for their favourite candidate. But the recent polls in the four city corporation elections have shown us a different scenario. The elections were held under emergency rule and without doubt it was a huge success for the present caretaker government. No polling stations were occupied by armed goons and the use of muscle power and black money was not reported. The numbers of voters who have exercised their right was much higher than expected. Even the political parties did not question its authenticity. It was as free and fair as an election should be. I believe the state of emergency should not be lifted completely before the elections.
Jhalok Ronjan Talukdar
Dept. of Social Work, SUST
The USA election
In Bangladesh political parties tend not to accept defeats in elections. After losing the elections the defeated party resorts to anarchy against the party voted into power. In the recent presidential elections in the US we saw how McCain accepted defeat after the results were made public. Instead of acting like a sore loser he asked his supporters to work together with Barack Obama for the betterment of the country. Will we never see such a scenario in our country?
Mohammad Khademul Islam
BSS (Hons)
Dept. of International Relations
University of Chiitagong
ICL
Dhaka Warriors' success and three straight wins will surely make our cricketers happier about their future. Their good performance in the ICL will ensure the participation of the players in the tournament in the future. Other teams may also hire Bangladeshi cricketers and the IPL will also hopefully recruit more Bangladeshi players in the tournament. And all over the world Twenty20 cricket will start to sponsor our cricketers.
The performance of Dhaka Warriors' should also help our national team to believe that they have the potential to perform consistently match after match. Our management will also start letting our cricketers take part in big tournaments.
Thanks Dhaka Warriors for making us proud and helping us dream.
Asifami Rahman Saikat
Engineer
Dhaka, Bangladesh
Bangladesh Constitution
It is a matter of great sorrow that more than 96 per cent of the teachers of the primary and secondary schools don't have any idea about the constitution of Bangladesh and the students who will be voters in future, don't know anything about the Constitution. The Government can arrange competitions or programmes on learning about the Constitution. It is an urgent necessity for us.
The Bangladeshi Constitution should be available and easy to get from libraries and the government should distribute it at a very low cost. Newspapers, TV and radio stations should everyday show or announce one or two points of the constitution, so that everyone at least knows about the basic rights and starts to get interested about our constitution. It is a matter of great distress that even our university libraries and public libraries don't have copies of the updated constitution.
I salute those who are working on this issue of awareness building about reading and thinking about the Constitution of the People's Republic of Bangladesh.
Asifami Rahman Saikat
Engineer
Dhaka, Bangladesh
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