MAILBOX
Sailing on Antiques
Rocket steamers are not only a means of water transport but these century old vessels have become an indispensable part of the history of Bangladesh. Once upon a time, these double-decked vessels were a symbol of Bengal's aristocracy and wealth. High ranking colonial officials, rich zamindars and nawabs used to travel from Dhaka to Calcutta on these steam powered ships. It is very unfortunate that BIWTA undertook very little effort to preserve these vessels' aristocratic past. The article and photos published in Star Weekend on January 20, 2017 clearly revealed how these vessels have become a victim of utter negligence and poor maintenance. However, BIWTA could earn a lot of revenue by arranging leisure cruises aboard these vintage paddle steamers.
Kamarul Islam
Shadarghat, Dhaka
Saving the Imperilled Migratory Birds
Every winter, hunting migratory birds has become an occasion of celebration in many parts of Bangladesh. However, very few people are aware of the fact that killing even a house crow falls under criminal offence in Bangladesh. It is even more unfortunate that environmentalists in Bangladesh are not vocal enough about the importance of conservation of migratory birds. These birds play an important role in the fragile riverine ecosystem of Bangladesh. I appreciate the fact that in the Star Weekend's interview with ornithologist Enam Ul Haque, published on January 20, 2017, it has been mentioned that migratory birds are not "guest birds" at all, rather, these are the birds of Bangladesh.
Rafiul Alam
Shonadanga, Khulna
Learning in 10 minutes
The article titled "Learning in 10 minutes" published in Star Weekend on January 13, 2017 intrigued me to think about the power of youth. Ayman Sadiq, while still studying in IBA, University of Dhaka, materialised his innovative idea of establishing online classroom of 10 minutes in length with hard work and integrity. Now, it is the only website in Bangladesh through which students can take tutorials, live classes, model tests etc. Within a very short time, the overwhelming success has made it a successful organisation. The idea behind this form of education has been acclaimed both home and abroad. I was really glad to know that recently, it has taken a step to reach out to all the 64 districts of Bangladesh, where it will organise trainings and workshops for the school teachers on ICT based teaching methods. The website of 10 Minute School also covers courses from different job arenas and opportunities for higher studies. I was so surprised to see the quality of classes and lessons when I visited the website of 10 Minute School. Actually, this kind of ICT based educational initiative is very necessary for our children. I would like to thank Star Weekend for stating the details about this innovative initiative.
Md Tarek Aziz Bappi
Department of Political Science, University of Dhaka
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