The Taxing Affair

*** This article may help many readers overcome their irrational fear of filing tax returns. When faced with tax related problems, a lot of people take advice from those with little or no knowledge in these matters, often making it worse. If they go to a lawyer, the lawyer will ask them what their income is, what assets they own, how much money they have invested, if any, etc. Taking all these factors into consideration, the lawyer can counsel them to file their tax returns accurately. I agree that the tax officials are not necessarily always the villain. If we fail to file income tax returns on time, we can hardly blame the government for imposing fines or taking other actions against us. Shafiur Rahman Sadar Road, Barisal

*** Higher Ground I would like to thank the writer for such a well written piece. However, I am a bit confused about what she meant by writing, “The experts at NOAA, the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (as if humans can administrate Mother Nature!)  have recently said.....” I would like to point out that the mission of NOAA, is not to 'administrate' Mother Nature. NOAA is a   scientific agency within the US Department of Commerce focused on the conditions of the oceans and the atmosphere.  NOAA warns citizens of dangerous weather, charts seas and skies, guides the use and protection of ocean and coastal resources, and conducts research to improve understanding of the environment. NOAA maintains a presence in every state of the US and has emerged as an international leader in  scientific and environmental matters. Mohammad Saquib Gulshan 2, Dhaka

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Limit on Muslim Birth We condemn the hostile and discriminatory policies of the Myanmar government against Rohingya Muslims. The way the Myanmar regime has been treating its minority Muslims is barbaric. Although the international community has been criticising the role of the Myanmar government, international bodies such as the UN should do more to improve the conditions of these helpless people. The new policy to limit Muslim children in Myanmar is a violation of human rights. We cannot just sit back and watch these innocent people suffer. Azizul Hauque Shegun Bagicha Dhaka

The Monkeys with Attractive Eyes I love the way the writer describes the features of the monkeys and their eyes and hair. Through the power of his writing, every week, he takes the readers to faraway lands and introduces them to exciting things. Many of my friends who read the Star Magazine love to read his articles about new countries and places. A lot of us do not have the opportunities to travel abroad and see how beautiful this planet and its inhabitants are. Andrew's articles give us a glimpse into the world that exists outside our country. We appreciate his contribution very much. Shayla Khan Banani, Dhaka

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Painting the Country Red This has reference to the concluding sentence of the feature—“We are, after all, quite a tolerant nation.” I would request the writer to say that to hundreds of thousands of people who have been forced to leave this country because of their faith and to those whose homes, businesses and places of worship have been destroyed by “peace loving' and “tolerant” people in the recent months.  Given the history of oppression and injustice against the adivasi people since 1971, it would be difficult to convince them that we are indeed a tolerant people. Expressing his frustration over the attacks on religious minorities, the Chairman of the National Human Rights Commission, Bangladesh, in a seminar in March 2013 warned that there will be no religious minority in Bangladesh in 20 years. Sultana Karim Banani, Dhaka