Volleying back....
Readers' instant comments on The Daily Star Online reports. Log on to thedailystar.net to leave your comments.
The personality of a nation (August 21, 2009)
I am very impressed that Mohammad Badrul Ahsan could think about the personality of a nation! I am thrilled, and it has given me impetus to think in a new direction. Thanks, Mr. Badrul.
Naimuddin Bhuiyan There is a saying that if you feed the ravens, one day they are going to peck out your eyes. That is exactly what has happened to us. We indulged in mischief, and now mischief is indulging in us. We are reaping the fruits of what we sowed.
Romena Chowdhury Mr Ahsan, America has, in modern times, an unblemished record of sticking its nose in other countries' business.
Brent McMaster Makes sense! A nation should have personality of its own since it's nothing but a collection of individuals who should have personalities. I would say our national personality is a reflection of our own personalities-subservient, greedy and credulous.
Rahim Shaikh The writer should have told us what is our personality. He opened a subject, but didn't close it. Mr. Ahsan, next time please finish what you start.
Sushama These type of writings are eye-openers. It has stirred my imagination and forced me to think of something that never existed in my imagination.
Syed Iqbal Ahmed A relevant topic for us when the country seems to have lost its spirit of the Liberation War.
Anu Shahriar Next time Mohammad Badrul Ahsan, why don't you write about the personality of our politicians? People need to know their true faces.
Abedin Very well put. The bottom line is we have no personality.
Ramjan Ali A strange predicament for us! We are persons with a nationality, but a nation without personality. What about our intellectuals and civil society leaders? Are they aware that the image of this country is slipping in the outside world? Just carry a Bangladesh passport to foreign airports to know what others think of us.
Abdul Kader Khan I fully agree with Mr. Ahsan that we as a nation have lost our sense of pride as well as sense of humiliation. But I would like to add that while lacking sense of genuine pride we have an excess of false pride going to the extent of prejudice!
N.D. Saha Very true. In this country there is no shortage of people who aren't ashamed of their wrongdoings. There is neither any ceiling nor any flooring on our self-esteem. Educated people seem to have lost their sense of guilt and shame.
Taher Ali Let us not blame the nation. We the people are responsible for the miserable condition of this country. It's an accepted norm in this country that nothing is wrong, if it leads to money!
Saidur Rahman****
Madhupur forest merely exists (August 23, 2009)
What a sad story!! Thanks to DS for printing the 1962 --2003 maps of the forest. Probably it has shrunk more in the last 06 years. If the government wants, they can still recover the lands and bring back the forest as it was in 1962, if not more than that. It will take 10 years for the plants to grow and convert the area back to forest. The government has to concentrate on saving the environment.
Sohel Ahmed Madhupur forest is valuable in ecological terms. Forests are decreasing day by day everywhere in Bangladesh. Madhupur is the largest plain land forest in the country. But the forest was regenerated and reshaped with commercial production of pineapples and bananas, which isn't acceptable according to forest rules.
Hasan Kamrul I do not want to blame only the forest department. The main criminals behind deforestation are politicians and army officers who have ruled Bangladesh. Even the most responsible officials can't differentiate between forest and plantation.
Md. Sohan Ali What is there to say? We are the only people who are experts at digging our own graves, if not for our children. Have they ever thought the money the forest officials were making by destroying the forests? Why are we so environment-unfriendly? Why are we so short-sighted? Can't one govt. be just a little future oriented?
SZ Tahmina It's a fact and it's happening on a regular basis. Our greediness and lack of social ethics are mainly responsible for it. Reforestation is the only way out.
Jilany Thanks to Pinaki Roy for highlighting a burning issue that needs immediate government attention, rather quick intervention. This report indicates that the country is passing through very bad days so far as the conservation of forest and wildlife are concerned. The government has given right responsibility to a wrong department to save the forest and its wealth in the country and at the same time asking it to send money to government exchequer.
Dr Reza Khan I hope The Daily Star along with other newspapers will be able to generate a policy to give these lands back to the indigenous people. Hope you will launch a campaign to SAVE our FORESTS too.
Natasha Ahmad Madhupur forest could have been a shelter for our future generations, not just protecting them environmentally but a hub of aesthetic enjoyment. A sustainable policy as well as awareness is necessary. We demand a strong BAPA role in this regard.
Advocate Bablu Sherif A good work done by The Daily Star.
The Govt/HC should start an investigation to ferret out the culprits behind the demise of Madhupur forest.
Dr. Md Altaf Hossain
I am very impressed that Mohammad Badrul Ahsan could think about the personality of a nation! I am thrilled, and it has given me impetus to think in a new direction. Thanks, Mr. Badrul.
Naimuddin Bhuiyan There is a saying that if you feed the ravens, one day they are going to peck out your eyes. That is exactly what has happened to us. We indulged in mischief, and now mischief is indulging in us. We are reaping the fruits of what we sowed.
Romena Chowdhury Mr Ahsan, America has, in modern times, an unblemished record of sticking its nose in other countries' business.
Brent McMaster Makes sense! A nation should have personality of its own since it's nothing but a collection of individuals who should have personalities. I would say our national personality is a reflection of our own personalities-subservient, greedy and credulous.
Rahim Shaikh The writer should have told us what is our personality. He opened a subject, but didn't close it. Mr. Ahsan, next time please finish what you start.
Sushama These type of writings are eye-openers. It has stirred my imagination and forced me to think of something that never existed in my imagination.
Syed Iqbal Ahmed A relevant topic for us when the country seems to have lost its spirit of the Liberation War.
Anu Shahriar Next time Mohammad Badrul Ahsan, why don't you write about the personality of our politicians? People need to know their true faces.
Abedin Very well put. The bottom line is we have no personality.
Ramjan Ali A strange predicament for us! We are persons with a nationality, but a nation without personality. What about our intellectuals and civil society leaders? Are they aware that the image of this country is slipping in the outside world? Just carry a Bangladesh passport to foreign airports to know what others think of us.
Abdul Kader Khan I fully agree with Mr. Ahsan that we as a nation have lost our sense of pride as well as sense of humiliation. But I would like to add that while lacking sense of genuine pride we have an excess of false pride going to the extent of prejudice!
N.D. Saha Very true. In this country there is no shortage of people who aren't ashamed of their wrongdoings. There is neither any ceiling nor any flooring on our self-esteem. Educated people seem to have lost their sense of guilt and shame.
Taher Ali Let us not blame the nation. We the people are responsible for the miserable condition of this country. It's an accepted norm in this country that nothing is wrong, if it leads to money!
Saidur Rahman
Sohel Ahmed Madhupur forest is valuable in ecological terms. Forests are decreasing day by day everywhere in Bangladesh. Madhupur is the largest plain land forest in the country. But the forest was regenerated and reshaped with commercial production of pineapples and bananas, which isn't acceptable according to forest rules.
Hasan Kamrul I do not want to blame only the forest department. The main criminals behind deforestation are politicians and army officers who have ruled Bangladesh. Even the most responsible officials can't differentiate between forest and plantation.
Md. Sohan Ali What is there to say? We are the only people who are experts at digging our own graves, if not for our children. Have they ever thought the money the forest officials were making by destroying the forests? Why are we so environment-unfriendly? Why are we so short-sighted? Can't one govt. be just a little future oriented?
SZ Tahmina It's a fact and it's happening on a regular basis. Our greediness and lack of social ethics are mainly responsible for it. Reforestation is the only way out.
Jilany Thanks to Pinaki Roy for highlighting a burning issue that needs immediate government attention, rather quick intervention. This report indicates that the country is passing through very bad days so far as the conservation of forest and wildlife are concerned. The government has given right responsibility to a wrong department to save the forest and its wealth in the country and at the same time asking it to send money to government exchequer.
Dr Reza Khan I hope The Daily Star along with other newspapers will be able to generate a policy to give these lands back to the indigenous people. Hope you will launch a campaign to SAVE our FORESTS too.
Natasha Ahmad Madhupur forest could have been a shelter for our future generations, not just protecting them environmentally but a hub of aesthetic enjoyment. A sustainable policy as well as awareness is necessary. We demand a strong BAPA role in this regard.
Advocate Bablu Sherif A good work done by The Daily Star.
The Govt/HC should start an investigation to ferret out the culprits behind the demise of Madhupur forest.
Dr. Md Altaf Hossain
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