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The capture of Shaikh Abdur Rahman has been hailed as a victory. Our gratitude to those people who caught him by putting their lives at risk. A significant step forward, encouraging, relief, joy, great success, historic event, etc., are the phrases/words that have been used to describe the arrest. It has even been described as 'sensational'. Really? Well, forgive me if I am absent from the celebration party. What is so joyous about this arrest? Don't get me wrong, the arrest of any criminal (a very rare occurrence, sadly) in a country like Bangladesh is a victory for all of us. But do you seriously think that this arrest was made to save the country, to save the people or to uphold the law? A government that has used our resources nine times to undermine the judiciary and hence, to undermine the country and the people, has now arrested Abdur Rahman just because he was committing crimes?
   Legal or moral obligation has nothing to do with this arrest. I see two reasons behind this arrest. First, America and European countries have repeatedly expressed their disappointment with the way Khaleda Zia has handled the extremism issue. Even if she wins the next general election, she will need their support if her new government is to have any legitimacy. This was done to please them. Secondly, and by far the most important factor, votes. For the last four years Khaleda Zia's government has been ignoring, if not protecting, criminals like Abdur Rahman and Bangla Bhai. She needed the support of these criminals and so she gave them four long years. Now she needs a different type of support, our votes. And surprise, surprise, we suddenly find Abdur Rahman having a good time in Sylhet! Khaleda Zia has been playing with our lives, used our precious resources, humiliated our country in front of the international community; all because of votes.
   It would be naive to think that the arrest of Abdur Rahman is the end of the type of thuggery he advocated. There are one hundred new Abdur Rahman already waiting in the queue. Given the appropriate political condition, and make no mistake, soon after the next general election our government will be more than happy to create those conditions, more Abdur Rahmans will come back to haunt us. Ershad Shikdar, Kala Jahangir, 'Pichchi' Hannan..., has anything changed? Abdur Rahman is nothing, he is a peanut. Here we have the whole country hypnotised by the Abdur Rahman drama, but those cunning and ruthless people who create Abdur Rahmans and Kala Jahangirs are not even considered as criminals.
   I will celebrate the day when our country's law will be strong enough, fair enough and determined enough to knock on the doors of people who create those like Shaikh Abdur Rahman and bring them to book.
   Azad Miah
   Oldham, UK

A controversial personality of Bangladesh politics, who became infamous by making many indecent comments in the recent past, has done a good job at last.
   He pulled out some historical data, which will help us to understand the origin of Madrasah education in the Indian sub-continent. Although his motive was different, I appreciate his research work.
   He mentioned that the British rulers had created Madrasahs and the Principals used to be English and Benarjees (I am using his own words). He is absolutely right.
   The British ruled us for two hundred years. That was bad. But they did introduce a few good things to us. One of them was their education system.
   When they rolled out a comprehensive education system in our land, all communities, except our one, jumped on it like hungry wolves.
   Our elders, due to their poor socio-political vision, boycotted it. The boys and girls of other communities had climbed up the ladder and very soon occupied the key and prestigious positions in the society. Then, we started talking about discrimination.
   The British rulers had tried to find a solution and they invented one. They produced a new brand of education system, like a new brand consumer product, by adding emotional and religious ingredients. The new brand clicked! Our elders were anxiously waiting for an excuse to jump on the track and of course by saving face at the same time. The elders nodded and the boys stood up in queues to get themselves admitted in schools, sorry Madrasahs.
   But alas there were no qualified persons there to be the principals of those Madrasahs except the English and Benarjees. English and Benarjees did good job, they disbursed knowledge to human beings. It did not make any difference to them whether the outside signboard read school or Madrasahs.
   Madrasah had a time barred purpose and it served that purpose very well. But the time has changed.
   Now we understand the value of knowledge and education. When the whole world is talking about competitive knowledge, continuous education, lifelong learning and competitive edge, we do really understand the importance of knowledge and education.
   Our parents spend hours in queues to get their little kids admitted in good schools to give them good education.
   It is high time for us to safely phase out Madrasahs and place them in history files. It is high time for our boys and girls to throw out all historical excess baggage from their shoulders and run, run with the boys and girls of the modern world towards a bright and shiny future.
   M Khan
   On e-mail