Bazlur Rahman’s feedback (July 31) on the newly appointed Bangladesh ambassador to the United Nations is very interesting. There are a few points that I would like to add here for the benefit of the readers.
   The Saudi Government earlier rejected the request of the Bangladesh Government to appoint this individual as ambassador to their country. This rejection makes him controversial and should have made this government consider seriously about appointing him as an ambassador in a new station.
   It seems like the government was in no such mood and was hell bent upon appointing him as an ambassador. This raises the logical question: what is at stake in making this foreign citizen a Bangladesh ambassador?
   As for the choice of sending him to the United Nations, the government has no doubt taken leave of its senses. As pointed out by Bazlur Rahman, this ambassador has by his choice to become a US citizen is legally and morally bound NOT to take any stand that goes against US interests or else face penalty that could be very severe. He will as a US citizen have no diplomatic immunity in this respect. His chances of facing such consequences will be a daily affair in his role as a Permanent Representative of Bangladesh in New York. He will be called to vote in UN on issues where Bangladesh and US would be differing. As a US citizen he would have no option but to vote for US and against his own country. It is so incredibly surprising that no one in the ministry of foreign affairs cared to point this to the prime minister!
   It seems that common sense has taken leave of this foreign ministry. The appointment of a doctor and an expatriate at the helm of the ministry was no doubt an early indication of shape of things to come. In the last few months, by systematically destroying professionalism at the ministry, things have deteriorated even further. One wonders what is in the minds of this government!
   Rashed Ahmed
   Gulshan, Dhaka

The United States of America wanted to impose democracy and present freedom to hapless Iraqi people destroying the dictator Saddam Hussein and his arsenal of smoking guns. The leadership of the evil empire was decapitated through kangaroo courts.
   The ex-general Moeen had his own unique version of democracy, politics and reform. The leadership of main two political parties were tried to ‘minus-ed’ quietly and overtly. Fortunately for the two Begums the kangaroo courts were all about corruption charges and an alleged secret plot did no more harm than hair loss.
   Former president Bush Junior claimed himself as God’s chosen one. The ex-general is known to be written in his book that he has had the unique opportunity of meeting our holy prophet in his dream.
   Bush failed to find the dirty weapons and started literally disarming little children by indiscriminate bombing and ‘shocked and awed’ the whole world. While roadside vendors turned muggers due to indiscriminate eviction, corruption started taking olive-green hue, prices of necessities spiralled out of reach, little children left school to queue up at fair price sales centres, and we were introduced to potato and palm tree.
   Like the smoking guns, no corruption charges against any of the Begums were found/established, but it was too late, in two years the country’s economy had been ravaged by incompetent, unaccountable, arrogant minions of certain world power.
   Interestingly, leaving all the available places in the world the ex-general has found the USA cozy enough to settle for now and he is confident that people with ‘conscience’ will remember him for what he has done. He sure has his own unique version of ‘conscience’.
   Saif
   Dhaka

The news of cutting down 400 trees around Zia International Airport made me indignant and very upset. This is an unforgivable crime, which has been committed by miscreants with the help of some CAAB employees who are devoid of morality.
   It takes many years for a plant to become a full grown tree. Trees are vital for the balance of carbon-dioxide and oxygen in the atmosphere. Exemplary punishment must be meted out to the criminals so that in the future no one will dare to do this and I think authorities must remain alert to stop such theft occurring again.
   Nur Jahan
   Chittagong

In my last visit to Dhaka in March, exactly on 23rd March 2009, I found myself in a jewellery shop by chance selling gold and diamond articles in a Gulshan shopping enclave.
   A very nice shop it was indeed and owned by a very decent merchant from Gujarat. I could have never imagined that there existed such a posh jewellery shop in Dhaka. I have never seen such a shop anywhere in Europe for that matter. Gold and diamond on display in that shop would be worth hundreds and thousands of dollars. And there were about two dozens such shops around and I learnt that all are owned and managed by merchants from Gujarat, India. Still I cannot figure out how they bring such expensive goods to Bangladesh and then again how can they transfer their sales money and profit back to India. It would be nice if Bangladesh customs people could through some light on this matter.
   Tayeb Husain
   Sweden

Salauddin Quader Chwdhury will sue 3 ‘Ahmeds’ and 9 ‘non-Ahmeds’ including former president Iajuddin Ahmed, former chief adviser to the military-controlled interim government Fakhruddin Ahmed, former army chief Moeen U Ahmed, former anti-corruption commission chairman Hasan Mashhud Chowdhury and chief election commissioner ATM Shamsul Huda on various charges including sedition and violation of the constitution by illegally clutching state power for two years (from 1/11/2006 to December 2008) (New Age, 29 July).
   Almost all these 1/11 actors were known (or pretended as) as BNP-loyalists and got promoted on political considerations superseding meritorious others during the BNP-Jamaat government (of 2001-2005).
   One wonders why it is now that SQC has discovered ‘gaddari’ of highest order (sedition and violation of the constitution!) and what role he played as the prime minister’s (Khaleda Zia) adviser during these appointments.
   M Emad
   Oxford, UK