Letter to political parties
The caretaker government claims not to be a political party and neutral too. But their operational modalities are much superior than any political party in Bangladesh. The caretaker government has decided to invite 20 political parties for talks from May 22. They have so far invited six small parties who are less likely to split. It is reported in a TV programme that no date has been mentioned in the letter instead the speech of the chief adviser has been annexed with the letter. Here lies the catch. The party and the public will have to guess when the dialogue will take place and who are going to attend it — jointly or on individual party basis. The date will perhaps be the one as was mentioned by the chief adviser in his address to the nation. But the mystery is in the conditionalities mentioned by the chief adviser in his address — an annexure to the letter.
We do not know who will be included in the second batch. The political dilemma is well understood. They are waiting to finalise invitation for the BNP since they are still divided. On the other hand, they are perhaps sensing some difference in the Awami League also. Therefore, it is difficult to say now how many batches there will be to complete the process. We have no option but to continue to guess.
Now, we can see what a super political game is being played between a government that claims to be neutral and non-political government and the political parties. The nation is perhaps wondering why it is not possible for the government to draft, finalise two self-contained letters and send them to the selected party, mentioning date, time and venue. The political mindset of the government is getting clear by the day.
This behaviour of the government will act as an eye-opener for the political parties which are not its supporters. In my judgment, the Awami League and the mainstream BNP will attend the dialogue with their own agendas and place those before the government, and will simultaneously keep the nation informed in minute details about the dialogue.
A reader
On e-mail
On food crisis
Climate change is triggering cyclones, droughts, heavy rains and floods in unpredicted places at unpredicted times around the world. Recently Myanmar has been the victim of climate change. This in turn keeps affecting food production. How to face climate change?
We, as a global neighbourhood, should share the new techniques to grow more food. Immediately what all the nations of the world should do is to establish economic links on a regional basis, assess the demand and supply of essential food products in those regions and start moving towards producing more and more essential foods by encouraging youngsters to get interested in agriculture and food production.
There is a big imbalance between technology-based education and the agro-based education. The large scale, mechanised farming has destroyed the bond between the land and man that small-scale farming used to sustain. The bond between the land and man should be restored for achieving better performance in food production.
The food that is produced in countries that suffer from food shortages should be distributed within the country first before being exported abroad. There are instances where farmers go without enough rice and fishermen without enough fish for their families because these are exported for the consumption of unknown people in unknown countries.
Rice is the staple food of Bangladesh and many Asian countries. Today a kilo of rice is priced at Taka 35-50. Then why can’t our farmers get a huge income as a big demand is there for rice in Bangladesh?
Though manpower export, garments and telecommunication have become major sectors that contribute enormously to the economy of Bangladesh, the fact that agriculture is the backbone of our economy should not be forgotten or ignored.
There are many reasons why agriculture should get back its due place in Bangladesh. First and foremost, Bangladesh is ideally suitable for cultivation in terms of geography.
The world in general and the Asia, in particular, are threatened with famine. Therefore it is high time appropriate steps were taken to make the country self-sufficient in food.
It is pertinent to know the real causes of this food crisis which has affected not only Bangladesh but also many nations in the world. Some of them are beyond our control while others can be controlled if all of us work collectively.
Mohammad Shahidul Islam
On e-mail
‘The one who lived in your heart’
Azad Miah’s feedback (May 13) on the rainbow of feeling in the relationship of love impressed me profoundly. Unlike the lines of Tennyson, I am a winner. A grandfather with a grandson a university teacher and a granddaughter shortly to graduate in USA, the splendour of our love has blossomed today into a family bound together in the ties of happiness over the decades!
Having married against my elders’ advice, when hardly twenty-two, I have seen, felt and lived a life of love and married bliss. From a sapling of passion, our love and marriage matured into a full grown tree of happiness, contentment and fulfilment.
To me life without love is un-imaginable, possibly it may be the manifestation of ‘hell on earth’! Through joys and sorrows, in health and sickness, we have lived a normal life, which we hope will continue, so long as Allah wills us to live together. I simply believe, ‘que sera sera’ –– what will be will be.
A citizen
On e-mail
