MAILBOX

Photo: Prabir Das

Yours Lovingly, Dhaka
Despite the pollution, the traffic congestion and  overpopulation, Dhaka is my most favourite city in the world. And contrary to what outsiders may think, Dhaka does have a lot of fun places where one can get away from the maddening crowd of the city and have fun. And this week's cover story gives the reader a long list of such places. I appreciate the positive and optimistic tone in which the article was written. I hope the article will change many a reader's mind about our beloved Dhaka.
Tania Khan
DOHS, Dhaka
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We need to learn from people in other countries how to beautify and maintain a city. A city may have tall buildings and nice roads but if they are not clean and well maintained, the city eventually becomes inhabitable. Take for example, the garbage disposal system in Dhaka. Open dumps are a common scene in Dhaka. I agree there are nice places like restaurants and clubs in many places in the city, but next to them are blocked drains and open dumpsters. We throw garbage anywhere we like totally disregarding what impact it may have on the environment. As a Muslim I know that cleanliness is a part of Iman.  Forgive me for raising this question: how many of us can claim to have our Iman intact when we do not practice cleanliness? Let us make this great city livable again.

Abudullah Al Mamun
Atish Dipankar Raod, Dhaka

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 Some Sleep, Finally
Thanks for the useful tips on how to get a good night's sleep [Re: Bare Minimum, March 28]. I was having difficulty getting sleep at night due to some changes in my lifestyle for my work. I read the tips and started implementing them on a daily basis. I am happy to let the Star know that it has worked and I am feeling much better these days.    
ImranHasan
University of Dhaka

Beautiful Equations
The article titled 'Beautiful Equations' (published on April 4) caught my attention. To most of us equations are just tools for gaining marks in exams.But I was truly surprised to learn about the hidden beauty in them. How many of us know that these symbols and signs contain such a deep meaning? I want to thank the Star for publishing such an amazing article.
Kazi Zahanara Helen
Viqarunnisa Noon School & College

Aging gracefully
This has reference to “Aging, in Delightful Passion,” published on April 4. 2014. Thanks to the writer for a profound and poignant essay on the upside of growing old.  I am in my early thirties and I want to grow old soon, for three reasons: I want to be wiser, I want to take advantage of discounts offered to senior citizens in most European countries, and I want to be able to flirt (innocently) with intelligent and beautiful women who are older. I agree with the writer that, when one is old, women who never bothered to look at him at his youth would happily talk to him and hang out. The snake has lost its venom along with his ability to bite!
Akhlakur Rahman
Dublin, Ireland

Photo: Prabir Das

It's the Weekend!
No doubt, the Star offers us a great content.  I live in a joint family and every Friday morning when the star magazine arrives, my cousins and I start sharing the content with each other. We raise debates and share with each other the articles we like. But on most Fridays we find many boring and serious articles. We think being a weekend magazine, the Star should include more lifestyle, food, culture and fashion related writings. Please try to make it sassier like the other supplements of the Daily star. Lighten up!  It's the weekend!
And, if we want to contact a writer, what's the best way to do so?
Maliha and cousins
Via Email

The Taste of Freedom
I want to appreciate the students of UNSYB (United Nations Youth and Students of Bangladesh) for making an attempt to share the 'joy' of independence with street children. It is a nice gesture in the sense that no one does anything for them except looking at them with disgust and hate. However, while these kinds of activities may be presented in the media with much noise and hoopla, in reality they do little to change the conditions of these children. I wonder if UNSYB has any follow-up programme to see where these children live and how they live. I believe in the independence of Bangladesh but I am not sure what 'joy' it has brought the poor and the downtrodden of this country. And I hope organisations like the UNSYB will not engage in this sort of publicity stunts and actually take the lead in doing something real for these helpless children.
Mosharraf Hossain
Ex-student of University of
Dhaka

Flags and Nationalism
I believe it is shameful and unethical for Bangladeshis to wave national flags of other countries whose cricket teams they admire. People of no other countries do such a thing. In my opinion BCB was right in barring Bangladeshi audiences from waving flags of other countries. I also want to thank Chintito for writing a couple of powerful articles on this issue.  
Md HafizurRahman
 University of Dhaka
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In light of Chintito's "A National Flag is a Political Property" I just want to say that sports should be left out of politics and let people enjoy the games at the T-20 World Cup in their own way.
M Khurshed Alam
Director of Finance
Verno-Bio Solutions Ltd

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