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Bazlur Rahman (October 18) hit the nail on its head without meaning to diminish the achievement. The Nobel Prize party should be over soon. Work lies ahead, much work in fact, that needs to be done. Grameen Bank has its critics, so has micro-credit idea. The obituary of communism is no excuse for rampant free market capitalism that makes the poor poorer. Grameen Bank is no panacea for poverty reduction. But education, knowledge and skill enhancement is. And only small and large scale industrialisation using high value addition technology will increase employment and income, distribute wealth and thereby reduce poverty. Let us not get carried away by the romantic but false notion that micro-credit and NGOs will rescue the poor from the trap because these are classic palliatives; these lift some while others slip down.
   As to caretaker government which I think is an invention of dubious value, why a caretaker should take over and make structural alterations? Our parliament and party system might appear dysfunctional, leaders might even lack vision and tolerance, yet for democracy to live only elected parliament must exercise the sovereignty people have given the members to represent.
   Husain
   Dhaka

I am an avid reader of New Age and love your supplementary issues like Xtra and Slate magazine. I would like to congratulate you for this year’s Eid special magazine, which is a unique addition to Bangladesh’s English journalism. I loved all the write-ups of the magazine which are of international standard. I especially liked Tanim Ahmed’s ‘The young man and the sea’. The write-up is so lucid and emotional that it made me cry. I wish I could turn back the clock and go back to my childhood days. I thank Tanim Ahmed once again for such touching write-up.
   Sraboni Chowdhury
   Dhanmondi, Dhaka

It never worked and it is not going to work. The US and UN sanctions did not work on India, Pakistan, Iraq and Palestine, and it is not going to work on North Korea. The US loves to do everything for money. It kills others to make money. It kills others by denying their access to money. What result did sanction achieve in Iraq? Common people suffered due to lack of food supply. Children and patients died due to obstructions erected by US on supply of medicines, medical requirements, etc. Could the US President contain the regime of Saddam? Not at all, Saddam thrived at the cost of sufferings of the ordinary people. The US is punishing the common people of Palestine for Hamas. But never cuts the lifeline of Israel despite its repeated wrongdoings.
   There is no end of sufferings of the poor people of the impoverished North Korea. Malnutrition and starvation are common aspects of life there. Previous negotiation with North Korea was making progress. Instead of offering incentives and showing signs of flexibility, the US stiffened its stand and contributed in the collapse of the dialogue. USA and the world should try diplomacy and engagement in a confidence building process to save the people of North Korea and that country itself from self-destruction.
   MH Khan
   On e-mail