The Prime Minister, I am sorry to say, is talking like a parrot and does not know how to act or set example by doing things herself. How can she advise or call other when she is not spent thrifty. Let me cite an example from a news item I just read in a newspaper from Bangladesh.
   ‘Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina left Dhaka for Geneva this morning to attend the World Climate Conference-3 (WCC-3)’, the news item says and continues:
   ‘Biman Bangladesh Airlines carrying the prime minister took off from the airport at 8:40am. Sheikh Hasina is leading a 44-member Bangladesh delegation to the conference. The delegation includes Foreign Minister Dr Dipu Moni, Foreign Secretary Mijarul Quayes and columnist Abdul Gaffar Chowdhury.
   Deputy Leader in Parliament Syeda Sajeda Chowdhury, Finance Minister AMA Muhith, Agriculture Minister Begum Matia Chowdhury, Civil Aviation and Tourism Minister GM Qader, State Minister for Home Shamsul Huq Tuku, Chiefs of Navy and Air Force and Quarter Master General of the Army, diplomats and high civil and military officials were present at the Zia International Airport to see off the prime minister’.
   Now, let me ask a simple question. Why she needs to take such a huge delegation with her? And who are accompanying her? For that matter, would it not have been better if she attended this conference in Geneva with three or four experts on climate? What she is doing now makes no sense and it is a sinful way of spending public fund. And who is this Abdul Gaffar Chowdhury in her delegation and what he is to do with climate conference in Geneva at the cost of Bangladeshi taxpayers? I understand that, this man is a Bangladesh origin British citizen and a diehard AL man. Does it make him a climate expert? And why a foreign citizen should be included in the Bangladeshi delegation?
   My final question to PM is, why so many people need to come to the airport to see her off leaving their office works? What benefit she gets by being seen off at the airport by so many top ranking civil officials, ministers, army and navy chiefs, etc.? This is utter stupidity and the PM will set an excellent example by stopping this nonsense. And she does not need to repeat her call to the bureaucrats to shun suit to save power, just ask the engineering department at the secretariat to remove the air-conditioners. She should do so in her own office too to make her advice by practical example. She has no moral authority to ask anybody to be thrifty while she spends public fund by reckless foreign trips.
   An expatriate
   Via e-mail

It was really a pleasing news that the PM and the opposition leader invited each other to attend Iftar party hosted by them. It does not really matter who sent the first invitation. But this is the kind of spirit they should possess in running the affairs of the country.
   I know that here also, a kind of political intention is there to motivate and influence the minds of the public. But we hope that this attitude of compromise and gesture of accommodation are not used at the cost of the interest of the country and its people. One should also not let the other skip his/her due punishment for committing corrupting with the expectation of getting return during his/her turn in the spirit of ‘you scratch my back and I will scratch yours’.
   SA Miah
   Quebec, Canada

Dhaka is a big city. Day by day its population is increasing and Old Dhaka is getting badly affected by this population growth. Once upon a time, Dhaka was regarded as a city of mosques but it has long lost its glory. Today Dhaka is a filthy place.
   About ten lakh rickshaws ply the city roads, but only 75 thousand have legal numbers. This gigantic number of rickshaws is creating traffic jam. From time to time attempts are made to reduce the number, but the initiative usually produces no results. The number of rickshaw pullers is huge. So they have to be rehabilitated once rickshaws are pulled out of city roads. Traffic jam and Old Dhaka are almost synonymous. There is no road or street or lane free from traffic jam. Nayabazar, Najimuddin Road, Chawkbazar, Imamganj, Moulvibazar, Bangshal, Najirabazar, Nawabpur, North-South Road, English Road, French Road, Kaji Alauddin Road, Allubazar are places where traffic jams are a common sight.
   Traffic jam is obstructing trade and commerce. Illegal parking is another reason for traffic jam. Cars, trucks and other vehicles are parked almost everywhere.
   Drivers do not go by traffic rules. And there are bus terminals not authorised by the traffic department. The traffic managers have failed to do anything about this problem and the situation is going from bad to worse day by day.
   It is expected that the authorities concerned will look into the matter in right earnest and ease the traffic situation in Old Dhaka.
   Mohammad Sultan
   Via e-mail

In recent days city bus services have improved significantly. People are now habituated to get in queues even for a long time. In fact, bus services for different destinations are available at almost all corners of the city. It is especially on the Uttara-Motijheel route that there are lots of buses running now. The introduction of Volvo buses and some air-conditioned buses on this route has facilitated convenient travelling to a great extent. It has reduced the use of private cars and cabs as well. Except for the existing traffic jam, it is a success in this sector.
   At present, private companies are managing most of the bus services in a more effective way and they are making profits, definitely. They have deployed a lot of people in this service for ticket selling, checking and monitoring. But nobody has been building any passenger-shed at the stoppages. Initially, the government built some sheds on some specific roads but those are currently not in use due to a relocation of stoppages. In summer and rainy seasons, the aged peoples and women have to stand in queues for a long time to get into the buses. It becomes difficult for them in such an environment. The rain and storms are also unpredictable in this season.
   So, it is essential to build some sheds at the stoppages. We hope the city corporation will look into the matter sympathetically.
   Zahir U Hyder
   Dhaka

It will be interesting and educative as well to be informed as to why it is considered that the Jatiyo Sangsad is ineffective. I hope someone knowledgeable on the subject and having a reputation of being an impartial personality can list out the most important factors as to why people consider the JS ineffective. I can warn that patchwork will only complicate the issues.
   A few newspapers often ascertain public opinion on some issues on a yes and no basis. A scientific poll can be conducted on the subject taking two groups into consideration. The first group will comprise MPs selected on a random basis from the political parties represented in Parliament, and the second will be just from among commoners. Include both male and female representation.
   A Bangladeshi
   On e-mail