It is better late than never. Finally after long nine months, the JS panel has come to its sense that the standard of presentation by the government TV channel, BTV is not up to the standard compared to the private ones. We, the viewer normally try to avoid BTV. Because, we know that it will beat the drum for the government. Like during the previous governments, it has been used as an advertising agency for Sheikh Hasina’s government ever since her party came to power. It focuses on the details of even unimportant moves by the ministers or even their relatives ignoring the important national or international events. This was because the employees belong to the ruling party
   So unless these ruling party cadres are replaced by independent dedicated and experienced persons, nothing is going to change. Just mere issuance of the recommendations will not bring about any change.
   Dr SA Miah
   Quebec, Canada

The recent incident of savage torture by RAB is a testimony of utmost serious violation of human rights and it must be taken as a case study by the home minister as to understand how the members of law enforcing agencies work.
   Commitment by the home minister/prime minister to take action against wrong deeds including the one under reference is meaningless. In fact, cadres and a section of government officials indulging in all unlawful activities under political shelter have been found to be either above or beyond law and this is the major obstacle on the way of establishing rule of law.
   Let us wait and see, if the government is at all capable of taking action against those responsible ones, as committed.
   M Salimullah
   Agrabad, Chittagong

At last we have some real facts and figures on traffic jams in Dhaka from authoritative and reliable sources. A local daily of October 23 contains a report on the workshop held by JICA/BUET ‘City Traffic Worsening’, and another article ‘Road Safety and Traffic Congestion’ by Md Rezaul Karim of Transparency Int. This letter therefore contains the information divulged therein as they make interesting reading and are eye-openers.
   1. Dhakabashi make approx 23 million trips every day – 40 per cent by rickshaws, 33 per cent by buses, mini-buses and the like, 18 per cent walk, the remaining 9 per cent by CNG, bicycle, motorcycle, and private motor vehicle.
   2. 1,500 bus-owners operate 15,000 buses of all sizes in chaotic condition. Of Dhaka’s 2,500 kms of roads, only 250 kms are fit for public transport.
   3. 48,000 motor vehicles are added every year of which only 3 per cent are buses while 89 per cent are private cars, occupying 97 per cent of road surface (while carrying about 1-2 per cent passengers), but nobody talks about this.
   4. Road accidents in 2007 caused 3,749 deaths (and maybe ten times of that in injuries), costing as much as Tk 2,400 crore.
   5. Expressions used in the articles are that traffic congestion receives ‘no political commitment, are not scientifically designed, poorly managed and indisciplined, no accountability or integrity of operators, controllers and associations. Too many controllers – BRTA, DMP, DTCB, RHD, DCC, BTCI, MOE, WASA etc – making hay while the city is held hostage.
   I am glad that the above information matches very closely with some of the facts I have been advocating in the previous 52 letters on the subject over the last 2.5 years. Another significant remark made in the BUET/JICA workshop was that ‘each traffic component in the proposed STP be developed in an integrated manner so one does not foil the other’. Rezaul Karim’s article is remarkable in the sense that while analysing Dhaka’s traffic congestion, he did not use the word ‘rickshaw’ even once! Is it possible even to think about Dhaka’s traffic without rickshaws for at least the next 10-15 years before the proposed ‘mass transit systems’ materialise or alternate systems evolve.
   Sikander Ahmed
   Gulshan, Dhaka

The chairman of the ACC has drawn some positive public attention recently by expressing his fears about attempts to curtail its powers. However, if he really means what he says, he has to show some action to prove that he is actually trying to do his job properly, and not simply using the politicians’ usual trick of rhetoric.
   We believe that so far as politicians go, there is hardly any difference among the major parties, and there are proportionate numbers of corrupt people in each. It is absolutely essential for the ACC to investigate and institute cases against notorious members of the Awami League, and its equally corrupt sub-organs such as Jubo, Shramik and Chatra League, in a proportion commensurate with the membership size, to indicate to the people that it is carrying out its business as per the expectation of the people of the land, who are paying for cost of maintaining the ACC.
   If the chairman thinks he cannot do so, he should simply resign and hold a press conference explaining the reasons, with proofs of interference.
   Bazlur Rahman
   Basabari Lane, Dhaka