MAILBOX

Photo: Prabir Das

Braving the Business World
As a young entrepreneur, I think it's a wonderful cover story that addresses many challenges aspiring entrepreneurs face in our country. For example, banks are now reluctant to give loans to new business owners. But the fact is young entrepreneurs almost always pay back in time. Banks should be more willing to issue loans to hardworking, young business people who want to contribute to the society by creating jobs.
Mabhubur Rahman
Dhanmondi, Dhaka
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Tourism entrepreneur Anisul Haque Shohag has made some very good suggestions. The government does little or nothing to promote the tourism sector of the country. I understand that in the absence of political stability and good infrastructure, it is hard to have a thriving tourism sector. But with careful planning it is possible to overcome some of the obstacles.
Mohammad Kibria
Basabo, Dhaka

Dear Chintito
I have been reading your columns for quite a while now and I have grown deep respect for you. Yours is a calm voice amid all the madness that surrounds us. Your progressive thoughts and creative style of writing give us hope. I want to thank you from the bottom of my heart for enlightening us with your philosophical articles.
Mashudul Haque, Dhaka

Be Neighbourly
I am just thrilled with the cover story LOVE THY NEIGHBOUR published on July 11, 2014. If we think about it, a neighbour is more important in our lives than a relative. We see relatives occasionally, but we see neighbours everyday. This holy month of Ramadan offers a great opportunity to get to know our neighbours better. We can invite them for Ifter or Sehri.  
Also, I want to appreciate the special feature titled TO MOTHER, WITH LOVE. Didar Islam is a true patriot who never forgot his motherland despite making it big in the US. He could have spent his life living and working there getting richer. Instead, he came back to serve the country he was born in. We need more people like him in this country. The government should give expat Bangladeshis more opportunities so that they feel encouraged to come back and give back to the country.
ShasaUrmi
EnglishDepartment
Dania College

Photo: Prabir Das

My Neighbour, a Saviour

In appreciation of last week's cover story, 'HOWDY NEIGHBOURS', I would like to share with the readers a personal experience.
I live in Dhaka and like everyone else; I am a victim of 'individualism'. As a result, I have no idea who is living next to my house. Few months back, I was riding my uncle's bike with my younger brother. I had left in a hurry and thus was not carrying my cell phone, wallet, ID card, helmet and licence with me. Sure enough, we were stopped by a police officer. It was my first encounter with the police, and I was at a loss? Lucky for us, my next door neighbour was passing by. He came forward to see what was going on. My younger brother knew him well. Our neighbor convinced the officer in charge to let us go with a warning. When I was offered to thank him for his help, he could not recognise me because we had never officially met! It's really a matter of concern that we don't know our neighbours living close to us. We fear and hesitate to know new people. But to live in peace and harmony, to be happy mentally and physically, we should get to know our neighbours well.
Md. Touhidul Islam
Department of English, Jagannath University
Dhaka

The Man of Letters: Dr Shahidullah
[Re: Remembrance, July 11, 2014] The article claims that Dr Shahidullah was the first Indian Muslim to receive the Doctorate degree. I know that Dr Muhammad Iqbal, the poet, got his doctorate from Ludwig Maximilian University, Munich, Germany in 1908. Dr Shahidullah received his doctorate from the Sorbonne in Paris in 1928.  How was this error overlooked  by the Star team?
M Dawood Karim
On Email

Winning maritime boundary
The verdict by the UN permanent court of arbitration brings good news for our country. Our fishermen can now catch fish from a large area of sea boundary around the deep bay while Petrobangla now will have the right to explore off-shore blocks for gas, oil and others deep sea related resources. Let us give the government some credit on this one. Now we expect to hear some good news on signing the Teesta River Sharing Agreement with the “good neighboring country” India.
Arif Mujumder
Baridhara, Dhaka

Our Pride
This has reference to the cover story published on May 9, 2014. Subir Chowdhury's research on quality management produced a revolutionary idea called LEO. He always had Bangladesh's best interest in heart. In this regard, he founded University of California Berkeley Houses, the only research centre for Bangladesh studies in the United States. The centre has already awarded fellowships to conduct research on maternal and infant health in Bangladesh and why political parties in Bangladesh use violence as their campaign strategy. Subir Chowdhury faced discrimination here at home but he rose against all odds and achieved great success at the international level. He is our pride.
Swapon Chandra Bormon
Patitakandi, Tangail