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A citizen (‘How to destroy an economy’, June 8) is too naive just like crores of general public. Surely the economy of Bangladesh is on the expressway, just look at the accelerating rate of price hike of essentials. But fear not. The government is bringing back all the ill-gotten money stashed in foreign banks and private organisations also giving back a lot of money by ‘negotiation’ and the money is ‘reportedly’ going to governments exchequer.
   Saif
   Dhaka

The chocking conditions of crowded Dhaka city are beyond imagination. The trend of perpetual urbanisation, deforestation, lack of open spaces, filling of wetlands is a great threat for the survival of the city dwellers. Deterioration of basic environmental components i.e., water, air, soil are visibly noticeable in the cities. It seems no one is bothered or feels like taking any action against it. If we don’t take initiatives to stop such environmental degradation, sudden disaster will become inevitable. Moreover, we will bequeath to our next generation a polluted and degraded environment. We regularly hear the news of environmental degradations, pollutions over the media and we feel helpless in our situation. Some may also think there are too many problems to address. But if we don’t take action by ourselves such vicious cycle of polluted environment will never end. As an individual you can do your part to improve the environment and I assure it will never harm you, rather you will be rewarded immeasurably. This will benefit you, your family and neighbours.
   Green rooftop is an important concept and widely practised in the developed nations. Even China and Japan are encouraging their city dwellers to develop green rooftops to handle air pollution in cities. In Dhaka city each and every city dweller can take such
   initiatives by simply turning their rooftops into green.
   There are several benefits of such practice, these are:
   a. Refreshing environment for the family members, especially the children.
   b. Children can plant and learn about new species of plants.
   c. Taking care of rooftop gardens is a good exercise for elderly people.
   d. A source of fresh vegetables and fruits,
   providing the family’s nutritional needs.
   e. Economical benefit.
   f. Contribution to the city environment and healthy living.
   Md Habibur Rahman
   On e-mail

On June 13, the US ambassador to Bangladesh Patricia Butenis told that the US had no hands in imposing emergency in Bangladesh (Daily Ittefaq).
   But it is widely known and was published in the world media how Butenis, along with another high commissioner, was meddling into Bangladesh politics, how both of them gave green signal to the army chief to declare emergency.
   I can refer one piece of article in the influential weekly The Economist, February 22, 2007 issue and news network Reuters on February 23, 2007, where it was clearly revealed that emergency in Bangladesh was declared due to a threat of the UN secretary general Ban Ki-moon to Bangladesh army chief General Moin U Ahmed.
   Recently, the editor of an influential English daily expressed his resentment over the interference of some donor countries’ ambassadors into Dhaka’s political arena violating the diplomatic norms. The UNO is already a lame duck and is becoming a pet of the US.
   We, the people of Bangladesh, may be poor but we also live in global village where anybody can learn and see what is happening and who are the men behind the machine.
   Mokarram Hossain
   On e-mail

Our expatriates (wage-earners) are mostly the ordinary workforce. While returning/visiting home from the ME and Gulf countries, some of them usually bring small amount of fresh/dry fruits and spices for their own consumption as well as for their near and dear ones. Of course those have no commercial value. But the International Airport Plant Quarantine Section of the Ministry of Agriculture makes it a big deal and takes undue advantage from these passengers.
   These officials at the Plant Quarantine Section intercept the passengers on their way to green/red channel of customs and escort the selected ones at their counter in the name of examining the fruits and spices whether these contain any germs etc. For this they are supposed to charge a nominal fee in taka. Inside the airport one will find a notice board displaying a chart. For fruits up to 5kg there is no charge but for spices up to one ton they charge Tk 50. Here lies the catch. Those who carry a few grams of spices and those carry a lot more have to pay the same amount. Why such discrimination?
   Can we not exempt our wage-earners from this uncalled-for harassment by changing the wordings of the so-called rules? It makes one laugh when we visit our local markets and find all sorts of poisonous and adulterated food items being openly sold. So why harass and exploit these innocent passengers for bringing in such small quantities of fruits and spices as gift for their near and dear ones and make foreigners laugh at us?
   I appeal to the adviser for foreign affairs and expatriates to address this issue by amending the wordings of the rules, make the expatriates aware through our missions abroad, relieve them from this sort of hassle and earn their gratitude.
   A Zakaria
   Mirpur, Dhaka