MAILBOX

The Method behind the Madness
I am an avid reader of the Star and I am beginning to like it more and more every week for its thought provoking and fun content.  I have always had deep respect for cartoonists in our country and I was fascinated by this week's cover story on some of them. What I admire about cartoonists is the fact that they always tell the truth—satirically and often, euphemistically. Unlike some journalists who do more harm to the society than good by writing whatever it is that they write, cartoonists never compromise with their integrity. The cartoonists mentioned in the cover story have proved that through their work. I appreciate the writers for acknowledging Rafiqun Nabi for his 'Tokai' who became an iconic figure in the psyche of the nation for his sharp and witty comments about important socio-economic issues.
Shamsur Rehman
Tejgaon, Dhaka
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I like the humility and sincerity of the young cartoonists in the cover story published on January 23, 2014.  I am glad to learn that newspapers no longer focus just on political cartoons—gag cartoons and cartoons strips are getting accepted by them.  It is a positive trend both for the newspapers and the readers.  With most papers reporting pretty much the same news, cartoon is an easy way for proprietors to differentiate their product.  I hope there will be institutes that will provide a basic foundation for cartoonists on how to draw and more talented young artists will take up cartooning as a profession.
Rubana Ali
Dhanmondi, Dhaka

The Modi Effect
I totally agree with the writer that both the AL and BNP have forgotten what the real issue ought to be:  Would a Modi-led BJP government be good for the interests of Bangladesh? Both parties  seem to be  busy doing everything to “please” Modi. The corrupt and power-hungry nature of Bangladeshi politics has once more become manifested by their new found love for a man who was responsible for a violent and deadly riot against innocent Muslims in his native Gujarat. Modi is a criminal who must be prosecuted. It does not matter that he is the Indian prime minister-in-waiting. Both the AL and BNP should be united in condemning him for his past actions. Both parties must learn to put our country before party interests. They can bet that BJP will never do anything that goes against the interests of India in the areas of the foreign policy, trade etc.
Mufazzel Karim
Ramna, Dhaka

Girls in Nigeria
Boko Haram has abducted about 300 teenage girls from schools and threatened to sell them into slavery. They tried to justify their action by saying that western education is sinful. We understand the west's hypocrisy toward Africa, Asia and Latin America. What we do not agree with is the claim by extremist groups in these countries that western education is the evil to blame for all the problems of the world. For all we know,   the human civilization has been advanced by the western education. Religious education does not teach us how to build a bridge or a computer or a phone. Neither does it teach us how to cure a patient.  Terrorists and extremists need all of the above for their survival. So here is their hypocrisy: they will use everything invented by the 'sinful' western education but they will not support it. I wonder where they will go when they are wounded, how they will spread their hateful propaganda without television or the internet and how they will fight without weapons made by the western countries.
Mohammad Ishaq
Lalmatia, Dhaka

No Country for Doctors
I found the doctor-bashing article titled 'no Country for the Sick' (May 16, 20140 ironical. It laments 'what they have done at BIRDEM, RMCH, Mitford and most recently, at DMCH' without a single reference to what has been done to them which culminated in the protests. It talks about the grand Hippocratic Oath and in the same breath opines on what course a doctor should follow when he faces attacks in the line of duty. I wonder why the Hippocratic Oath did not provide the doctors with any direction on that. Is it because “attacks in the line of duty” on a doctor was never-thought-of, deemed impossible and thus speaks about the unprecedented barbarity of today's society? Our doctors work hard serving those in need of medical care. Even during the protest, the doctors never abandoned the patients—both DMCH-1 and DMCH-2 were open and running.  Squarely blaming it on doctors with a catchy headline without putting forward the whole perspective is not something expected of the Star.
Tasnim Jara
Dhaka Medical College

A Hero of Our Time
This reference to the profile of Biplob Kumar Sarker published on May 16, 2014. In my view, it is one of the most well written profiles ever published by the Star.  I loved the way the writers depicted Sarker's sense of duty and commitment toward performing his job as a police officer. Through their writing style, the character of Sarker becomes alive in the mind of readers, giving them a picture of what a diligent and dutiful police officer should be like.
Ziauddin Ahmad
Azimpur, Dhaka

Photo: Palash Khan