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A very good article written by AK Faezul Huq. I like his language, way of presentation and appreciate his love for the country. Bangladesh, indeed, has the opportunity to earn not only foreign exchange but it can generate an internal economy by way of business (hotel, transport, resort) and also a big source of employment to young people especially the women only if our tourism industry flourishes. In this regard the points I’d like to make (a) first we should divide the tourist spots based on seasons. By that I mean each spot of tourism may not be suitable all around the year. Say for example, during the monsoon the seashore will not be attractive to many because of cyclonic weather prevailing during that period. On the other hand, Kaptai, Rangamati all these places become most beautiful during the rainy season.
   The lake is filled up to its brim, the trees become lush green kissing the lake water, the moonlit nights are simply heavenly and people would love to spend a night or two in these locations. Similarly during the months of February to April a very pleasant weather prevails in the north and people can have glimpses of Himalayas during mornings and afternoons when the rays of sun are reflected from snows like sparkling diamond.
   The second point that I want to make is about the Bangladesh Parjatan Corporation. Being a government organisation it is not possible to develop the tourism industry through this agency.
   If BPC buys one car, it will be for the Chairman, the second one will be used mostly by his wife and even if there is a third one, well it will probably be kept as a standby vehicle for the chairman.
   Commodore AMA Alam (Retd.) BN
   New DOHS, Dhaka

The controversial Kyoto Protocol is going to be enacted as an international law from this week. Kyoto protocol is an agreement to cut six gases amongst which carbon di-oxide from fossil fuel is the largest contributor in the climate changes. The protocol is a breakthrough in the fight against climate change and a success for global diplomacy, despite the fact that US being the world’s greatest green house gas emitter is yet to take part in the deal. It was signed by 128 nations in 1997 and 34 nations agreed to cut emissions of green house gas.
   There were serious hurdles to bring the agreement into effect as it needed ratification by 55 per cent of emissions from developed countries. Developed nations took refuge on economic issues while US played the stand off role. With Russia’s ratification last year, the figure rose to 61 per cent making it easier for a possible solution.
   Why the protocol is necessary? Scientists found that polar bears are becoming thinner due to regression of sea ice from which the bears hunt. 64 per cent of Chinese glaciers may be a history if the present trend continues. Evidence of green grass in Antarctica is yet another worry. The polar ice cap of the Arctic Ocean is melting in such a speed that commercial vessels can soon obtain this route in near future. Long running drought in Afghanistan may be an outcome of the climate change. These are only few examples while scientists predict that many places will be under water due to global warming and few places will face consistent drought. Due to emission of huge carbon dioxide in the atmosphere, the earth is warmed by 0.6 degree in the past century and the consequences are evident everywhere glaciers are melting, animals on the move and drought spreading.
   Well, Kyoto cannot stop climate change rather it is the first step that would remain in to effect up to 2012. Hypothetically, if all nations agree to cut emission, the result would probably be 1 per cent of emission below 1990 level by 2012. Scientists contemplate that in order to avert any possible climatic disaster; developed countries need to cut emissions by 60 per cent by 2050. A challenging task indeed. Without US, Kyoto’s nations constitute only 32 per cent of global emission. The outcome of most recent international climate change summit in Argentina was ended in frustration when US declined to discuss the post-Kyoto consequences and eventually created a stalemate situation. Poorer nations do not have any significant role to play as it is the rich developed nations who emit gases through industrialisation.
   What will happen now? It depends on political will of the rich developed nations. Post Kyoto rules must be decided by 2007 while US still remains in stand-off position. We all feel that the global climate is gradually changing but we are hardly doing anything to stop these changes. Kyoto is only the beginning of a protracted struggle.
   Mahbub Bhuiyan
   Melbourne, Australia

Referring to the recent arrests of the so-called ‘Islamic militants’, I would like to focus on some points regarding this. First, a few days ago, the government of Bangladesh had published an investigation report on the recent bomb blasts where they told us that these blasts have been carried out by the influence of a foreign country. However, now when the donors and the so-called ‘Gods and Goddesses’ of Bangladesh are pressurising us, Bangladesh has started to link all the bomb blast incidents with the Islamic militants. In addition, some so-called ‘renowned journalists and newspapers’ have been helping them in spreading this propaganda.
   However, people of Bangladesh do understand everything and they can assume who is behind all these anarchy, who is pressurising Bangladesh to provide ‘uninterrupted supply of gas’, who is trying to take gas pipeline over Bangladesh threatening the security, who is creating border terror each and everyday. People of Bangladesh do know the state of the political parties of Bangladesh and their recent slave like attitude towards that particular nation. So, let me warn the enemies of Bangladesh to limit their malicious steps because if the government do not take steps to resolve the bomb blast incidents and rectify the ‘real enemies’, then I cannot but help saying that people will consider the government of Bangladesh and opposition party the real enemies of the nation.
   Muhammad Mahbubul Alam
   North South University, Dhaka

Khaleda Zia is hoping to receive investments of over $8 billion (New Age, 18 Feb) from local and foreign investors in the current and next fiscal years. We wish her all the best. Khaleda Zia believes there is a ‘business friendly atmosphere prevailing in Bangladesh’. If we think the present atmosphere in Bangladesh is ‘business friendly’, then excuse me while I go and check the navigational equipments of my spaceship! Either my spaceship landed on the wrong planet (where everything is opposite of what it really is), or the reporters who wrote that report have hearing problems. I mean, we can’t seriously suggest that the prime minister of Bangladesh is wrong in her analysis of the ground realities, can we? We wouldn’t dare. This must be a mistake from our part.
   Azad Miah
   UK

I recently read in your esteemed daily (‘Bangladesh economy ‘mostly un-free’’, February 23) that Bangladesh was ranked as one of the most un-free economies of the world, based on the Index of Economic Freedom which was jointly prepared by the Heritage Foundation and the Wall Street Journal (WSJ). I thought that I should shed some light on the nature of these two organisations.
   The Heritage Foundation was founded in 1973 by Joe Coors - a beer producer from Colorado - who thought that his brand of conservative ideas was not being properly represented in mainstream America. In its mission statement, the Heritage Foundation claims to ‘formulate and promote conservative public policies based on the principles of free enterprise, limited government, individual freedom, traditional American values, and a strong national defense’. That includes cramming American values down the throat of foreign nations under the barrel of a gun, if necessary. During the Palestinian Intifada, the Heritage Foundation was a strong proponent of sidelining Yasser Arafat, while allowing Israelis a free hand in brutally cracking down on Palestinians. More recently, it was one of the prominent think tanks that vehemently argued for invading Iraq. A quick glance at their website will reveal a plethora of anti-Islamic articles and research papers.
   If the Heritage Foundation ever needed a reliable print medium to distribute to its xenophobic propaganda to the masses, the WSJ would be it. The WSJ was one of the few national newspapers that endorsed George W. Bush for re-election in 2004. Not surprisingly, the WSJ editorials always have a strong pro-Zionist/anti-Muslim bent, which even many Americans find offensive. It was also one of the most vocal proponents of the Iraq invasion.
   One would be naive to believe that Bangladesh, a moderate Muslim nation, would be treated fairly and accurately in a survey conducted by these two highly opinionated organisations. In conclusion, I hope that the opposition parties in Bangladesh will refrain from using the results from this dubious survey to advance their own objectives, as it will reflect badly on their own commitment to our national interests.
   A citizen
   On e-mail

Man is endowed with reason. Which is an attribute of conscience that implies the existence of an inner cognitive agency which allows us to arrive at moral & ethical truths and to judge moral states of affairs what aided men to be a rational human being. In this setting modern political ideas as constitutional government, consent in political decision making, the right of political & legal representation, the power of adjudication and jurisdiction and so forth have been determined.
   We in the present day world constitute a variety of pre-eminently modern ideas about freedom of expression, equality and justice. Freedom of thought is the unequivocal pre-requisite faculty which led the present day world to global or universal civilization. The nation of the present day welfare state can rationally be based on economic and political factors such as income or class. State will secure the interests of each of its citizens irrespective of caste, creed and religion. Legal and political principle as actors as a single entity — a corporation establish political ideas as constitutional government, the power of autonomous legislation. The real essence of a modern state is the promotion of equality, equity, justice, tolerance apart from cult, culture, sect, religion, dogma etc.
   Any attempted dash towards the state’s structure either from religion or from any identical culture will truncate the central essence of modern statecraft.
   Ironically the heterogeneous element for modern statecraft has been hatched in Bangladesh by a major political party.  This political party which is believed to be one of the major political life lines of modern politics in Bangladesh have sized up themselves by ethnical fervor.
   I like to call it “BANGALISM”. Identity based politics in the country is jeopardising harmony and unity among different ethnic groups. It also stimulates fundamentalism. Modern state cannot provide anthropological identity on ethnic criteria or fundamentalism as the life line of ideologies.
   Actually this anthropologic ethnicity should not be a political straitjacket which allows for only a particular viewpoint on political matters.
   ‘Politics of religion’ or ‘politics of ethnicity’ are both identical politics. If religion based politics is noxious then this Bangalism is also detrimental for modern politics.
   The rage of religious politics as it is demonstrated in some parts of the world shows nothing but militancy. On the other hand, culture as employed and propagated by the political parties is also inexorably linked with the idea of racism with all its pernicious implications.
   lt is obvious that talking in terms of culture in politics is fundamentally discriminatory fundamentalism and racism are both abominable. They are two sides of the same coin. Racism provokes religious fundamentalism. Both lead to reactionism. This is why we as a modern state are still facing problems in the Chittagong Hill Tracts region.
   This racism led the Chakmas to go for bloody reaction. Anyone would be alarmed at how remorselessly selfish and narrow interest ethnic, cultural, religious hatred-can in fact lead to mass destructiion. Our country has already suffered a lot at the pulpit of this identical politics. After the birth of Bangladesh cultural politics caused the burning issue in the hill tracts
   Bangladesh simply cannot afford this for many more years. Extremism of any kind be it religious, racist or secular is to be abolished. Violence of any kind from any of the following movements are to be abandoned. As we know a Muslim can become non-Muslim a communist or extremist can become capitalist or liberal, poor may become rich but a Bangali cannot become Punjabi or Tamil. So by exploiting one’s identity for the sake of politics or injecting it into people of a modern democratic society would bring an everlasting side effect. We have to part our company with those who abuse human rights or resort to violence in pursuit of their political goals. If this politics of identity cannot be stopped then it will ultimately provoke a sort of racism in the society. In the focus of identical politics culture and race are not two autonomous categories. We simply cannot expect another Milosevic or Hitler in our country.
   Culture is an amalgam of alternatives that have presented themselves at various stages in the history of that culture. Its boundaries are porous. A modern state cannot become tainted by these elements. Modern state promotes ‘Politics of Practice’ which means a politics in which its citizens judge based on what he or she does rather than what he or she is. When the head of the state proclaims, ‘We are Bangalis’ then the other citizens of like Chakmas, Marmas, Santals and other sects become perplexed.
   Mohammed Masum
   Mohammedpur, Dhaka

The Asian Development Bank has withdrawn the sanction of 37 million dollars from the Sundarban Biodiversity Conservation project (Ittefaq 03.02.05) due to the lack of proper implementation and timely progress of the project. On November 27, 1998, the Asian Development Bank sanctioned the money for biodiversity conservation of the largest mangrove forest Sundarban. After evaluation, the lending agency claimed that the Ministry of Forest and Environment failed to show satisfactory progress within five years.
   This is an enormous loss for the environment and for the country overall. As a developing nation we cannot afford to lose such huge amounts of money that is desperately needed to conserve the environment and its biodiversity.
   The withdrawal of funding will have negative impacts on environmental projects, as donor agencies will doubt the capability of Bangladesh to properly implement projects and therefore choose not to donate.
   The people who were involved in the failure of the Sundardan Biodiversity Conservation project should be held accountable for their mismanagement. The Ministry of Forest and Environment ought to hold a press briefing to explain why the fund was withdrawn. The Bangladesh Environment Lawyers Association should take legal action against the wrongdoers.
   Such scrutiny and justice will help identify the problems that caused the current setback and remedy the problems for the implementation of future projects.
   Md Habibur Rahman
   Dhaka

‘Searching’ — that is the only thing my mobile phone set can tell ever since I have come to this place (only three from Dhaka) for my job purpose. I have tried the one which is with its client every moment, in every corner and also the one which boasts of its wide network.
   The end result is the same.
   Sometimes during a call, after 20 seconds the network collapses and we cannot hear one another but the connection remains for minutes if one does not end it.
   If this is the situation in a place near Dhaka, it is beyond my imagination what is going on in the remote places. During my short visit to Dhaka, on February 21 I observed a rather different kind of a procession on the DU campus urging ‘Say NO to the blood-sucking Grameen Phone’. I think it is true for other mobile phone operators as well.
   The government has hopelessly failed in its mobile phone scheme and gave in to the private operators by charging higher call rates. It (read a certain ‘bhaban’) has also allegedly discouraged foreign operators to expand their business here to safeguard the profit making spree of the present operators in business in exchange for a handsome amount of money.
   We, the common people have become their hostage. The present operators are hell-bent not to slash call rates. Some big foreign names should come into the field to free us.
   Saif
   Dhaka

Assassination of Rafique Hariri, former prime minister of Lebanon, has plunged Lebanon into growing turmoil. It has cornered Syria which has come under escalating threats. Syria is now virtually under siege; both domestic and external pressure is mounting for Syria to quit Lebanon and to do much more.
   The culprit who assassinated Hariri is yet unknown though the perception of Syrian hand is wide. Perception is hard to dispel even with evidence; perception being subjective and even if not based on facts can remain strong and often drive reactions. Fact is: the killing of Hariri has opened the door wide for outside players to meddle in the Lebanese political field for which there is enough opportunity thanks to the very recent civil strife and the deep sectarian and ethnic fissures of long standing in that beautiful land.
   Rafique Hariri is the one who by his pragmatic approach returned Lebanon to the path of reconstruction and unity. Certainly, it is not in Syria’s interest to plunge the strife torn country again into anarchy - the purpose for which Syria had been requested to send troops to Lebanon.
   So who benefits from Lebanon in turmoil? A close look at the recent history points to the clue. Lebanon has been steadfast on the common Arab stand of peace with Israel with justice and honour; it refused to buy separate peace with Israel while Israel keeps occupied Syrian Golan Heights under occupation and unleashes terror upon the Palestine people in occupied territories. Ties between Syria and Lebanon go back to centuries past; these ties are deep and wide.
   After occupation of Iraq by America, Israel has gained the removal of a major threat to its perceived security. And now comes Syria.
   Husain
   Dhaka