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Thank you again for your most resourceful Literature Section. You have a number of immensely gifted writers in this section. Their concept of modern literature, from East and West both, is praiseworthy. I am very much interested to see something on poet Madhusudan Dutta, who is considered as a very powerful poet by his own credit. His tragic personal life made him a person to speak his mind in a very eloquent manner which gave him a place in the world of Bengali literature not outshined by Tagore or Nazrul. He made his own place which is still intact.
   Through his innovative talents he enriched Bengali literature to a great extent. His poems are full of emotional values and therefore got a timeless attraction. He has expressed his sincere, very honest and powerful regrets about his false attraction for a foreign culture and religion. As a person his misfortunes could not deter him from excelling as a poet. He showed great and amazing potentials as a poet and expressed himself in the right direction. He was a great admirer of his nation and its culture. I highly appreciate his capabilities to bring the ancient feelings into the current thinking. He begged his motherland to remember him as a servant by saying, ‘Rekho ma dasherey monay,’ or by asking the passer by, ‘Darao pathikbor jonmo jodi tobo Bongey, tishto khonokal…,’
   Akbar Hussain
   Toronto, Canada
   

   Literature Editor’s reply: Thank you very much for your interest in the Literature Page. We will in future remember your request to do something on Madushudhan Dutta. In fact, considering your interest perhaps you could send us something on him.

I refer to this topic of Akbar Hussain (July 15) and comments by Abdullah Al Mamun (July 25). We must approach such a question with a little more logic than that of a farcical contradiction on its literal meaning.  Not everyone can use language well and I am sure the person who broached this question was slapped down hard without the chance of providing any elucidation as to what he meant.
   It is obvious that he could not have meant the actual shortened Jumma prayers of two raka with khutba etc as usual, on Sunday in lieu of Friday, because that would be unambiguously contradictory to our scripture. The only sensible meaning therefore is his desire to hold a well publicised regular and hence a large congregation for normal Zohr or any other wakti prayers in jamaat in a mosque on Sunday rather than saying the same prayers individually at one’s own home on this lazy leisure day. This would provide the much needed purpose to meet with fellow co-religionists and discuss communal problems and solutions which may not be possible on Friday in that part of the world.
   Only on this interpretation such a question (probably not from a clever or articulated person) makes sense and the question ought to be re-worded as ‘holding of well publicised regular zohr prayers in jamaat on Sundays in mosques’. And I do not think anyone would object to that.
   Shafi Ahmed
   London, UK

I note in July 19 edition of New Age Metro that an expressway from Dhaka to Chittagong is to be constructed. I read also of the cost, which is too high to be printed in a short letter such as this.
   Why do we need another expressway? I thought we already had one! I travel along it when I go to Narayanganj and Kachpur, quite frequently. We don’t need two expressways!
   The article says that the motorway will have six lanes. That’s no good. The present road has at least 10! I’ve seen even more at the busy time when everyone is trying to get into Dhaka.
   Then it says there will be separate speed limits for each lane. This is a complete waste of money, because no one can go faster than a rickshaw, usually travelling in the fast lane.
   Parking places? That’s a joke. Buses park wherever they want to anyway, usually slap bang in the middle of the road.
   Toilets are not needed, either; everyone seems to find a place at the moment, so no problem.
   Waiting rooms! Waiting for what? We all wait as it is, for a bus to pick up or drop a passenger, again in the middle of the road.
   Food courts? What’s wrong with wallahs selling their wares whilst we wait at the Kanchpur Bridge?
   This is a mistake. For those who want high-speed transportation to Chittagong, why not travel by air? The only problem is it takes too long to get to the airport…and the plane is late…
   Richard Murphy
   Gulshan, Dhaka

Despite the intent of the magazine against the present backdrop of a vindictive global policy of the superpowers backed by insinuating media campaign, I think we should draw attention to the indicators mentioned.
   Indicators such as uneven development, criminalisation, environmental degradation and so on are believed to be on the rise and are often reflected in your post editorials. It’s better we recognised them in order to assess their relevance and possible redress in our case rather than adopting the policy of routine rebuff. Such policy signifies the ostrich syndrome and is tantamount to encouraging the plunderers divided in groups.
   We have a choice in hand between ritualistic optimism and calculated pessimism. Indeed, some sort of desperation has become indispensable for us.
   SM Shahidullah
   University of Dhaka