MAILBOX

Token Representation

It is democratically ambiguous if there should be "reserved seats" for women to be chosen indirectly by the (mainly) male MPs, not the voters. The real problem with the unjust proportion of women representation in Parliament lies with the undemocratic practice of the main political parties. They nominate only a miniscule number of women candidates in general elections, even when they are led by women leaders (whether in government or in the opposition)! The parties must be equitable with the nominations of candidates vis-à-vis gender, to be fully democratic. The party who would be first to address this will certainly have an advantage in a general election. Why? Because 50 percent of the voters are female.

Dirgho Din

Time to Think Differently...

Maybe it's high time for us to change our conventional mentality about transgenders and hijras. A few days ago I watched "Samantaral", a Bangla movie released in 2017. The story begins with the main character Sujon, who identifies as transgender but has to keep his identity hidden. His conventional family tried their best to maintain their social status by keeping their son's secret buried from the outside world. They didn't think of his agony and how miserable he was, living locked in one room—they just thought of their social reputations and in the end Sujon paid the ultimate price by taking his own life. After watching the movie the only thought that ran through my mind was how can you change someone when his creator made him more special than others? Can you really change someone by pressuring him to be someone who he is really not?

Sometimes I really wonder why we are frightened to talk about these issues, why society looks upon them with resentment, why we just sit back and keep ourselves locked within so called social norms & forms! It's not a crime to be different. If we don't change our mentality lots of good souls like "Sujon" will just disappear.

Aklima Ferdous Jubika

Ambulances not spared in the strike!

It is really shocking to learn that the transport workers strike demanding the amendments to the recently passed Road Transport Workers Act(2018) be repealed had led to the immense public suffering. In the name of strike, the transport workers mistreated the general commuters for being out on the street—and even ambulances were not spared! They smeared used mobil oil on pedestrians, private cars and ambulances and led to the death of a week-old infant! Was it not possible to press their demands without obstructing ambulances?

In the last road safety demonstrations organised by the students we have seen how protesters made space for emergency transports on the roads. During the final moments of this government's tenure, it will not be possible to amend the law and one can only hope that workers will not create any more anarchy in the name of strike.

Md. Abul Khaer

Dept. of Zoology

Govt. Saadat College, Tangail