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Photo: Star File

When there is no warrant

Through Nilima Jahan's article, published in the Star Weekend on March 2, we got to know of the misdeeds of the police. Actually, this department is completely corrupt, you cannot hope to get a single service from them without greasing someone's palm—whether you are having your passport made to perform Hajj or want a police clearance certificate to go abroad. Last month, when the "Passport Service Week-2018"programme was started, I had to pay BDT 700 for police verification for my mother's passport. Of course, there are some exceptional officers but they are rare. I would like to thank the writer and The Daily Star for writing about this issue while I dream of a day when the police department will be looked up to by all.

Fareed Uddeen

Fulgazi, Feni

Photo: Kazi Tahsin Agaz Apurbo

A forgotten legacy

I read this article with interest, which came out in the Star Weekend on February 23. This article is very useful to me since we have a waqf estate in Sylhet and are facing problems about the annuity, which should be paid yearly and some other issues relating to the estate. Thank you for your write up and look forward to more from you.

Ali Hamid Khan

Dhaka

Reviving its true spirit

This is in reference to the special feature in Star Weekend by Md Shahnawaz Khan Chandan on March 2. The write-up is a praiseworthy effort to remind us of our glorious past of endowment. A waqf endowment will remain as a legacy after death. The best examples are the properties on which the University of Dhaka, BUET and Dhaka Medical College currently stand, which were waqf endowments of the Nawab family, and the well-known Haji Muhammad Mohsin trust scholarship which was the best cash endowment for Muslims students' education and well-being.

Waqf endowment is a glorious part of Muslim history and reviving it in Muslim society is a significant way to increase charity. Today, waqf endowments are rare in our society but it has a good scope as giving a small amount as cash waqf endowment has already been initiated by some shariah-based banks and financial institutions such as Islami Bank. In developed countries, endowments are often made for the purpose of scholarships, charity for the destitute and underprivileged, libraries and places of worship. This practice of waqf endowments should be continued for the well-being of our society.

Md ZillurRahaman

Bhola