MAILBOX

Where is Home?
As I read the cover story titled "Where is Home?" published on April 8, 2016 I noticed a photo depicting a child reading a Bengali language book with the picture of Bangabandhu Sheikh Mujibor Rahman shown on it. To me, this is an indication that some people, although are being called Bihari, want to be citizens of Bangladesh. As it has been more than four decades for these Urdu-speaking people living in our country, most of them reluctantly or willingly, want to be citizens of this country because of their pragmatic view of having a standard lifestyle here. Speaking a different language, be it Urdu, does not necessarily make anyone illegible to be a citizen of Bangladesh. These destitute people, living a pathetic lifestyle, should be given a good chance so that they become Bangladeshi by soul and heart, just not for availing the advantages of being Bangladeshi. Their decade long ordeal of being stranded people should be put to an end. Government can take the first step by allowing them to take education and jobs. Relocating or technically evicting them might not be a good idea as they are living here for a long time. Also the process of issuing national ID card for them should be accelerated as part of a holistic method of making them Bangladeshi citizens. The Star Weekend deserves a good acclaim for writing on this unheard issue.
Samiul Raijul
North South University, Dhaka

Sketch: yafiz siddiqui

A Tribute to George Harrison  
Thanks to the Star Weekend for a small but precious write up about George Harrison in the Star Weekend's regular Mad Genius section published on April 01, 2016. At the time of Bangladesh's struggle for independence, we got help from some foreign nationals too. George Harrison is one of them. His great contribution for us was The Concert for Bangladesh jointly organised by him and Pundit Ravi Shankar. The concert held was on 1 August 1971, playing to a total of 40,000 people at Madison Square Garden in New York City. It does not require an explanation of how important the show was for us, especially when the international community did not know what was happening in Bangladesh. It raised international awareness and helped collect a pretty good amount of money (US$250,000) that was very important for the refugees of a war-ravaged Bangladesh. We shall never forget Harrison and those who helped us at the time of distress.
Md Sayedur Rahman
Jatrabari, Dhaka

Displaced in Dystopia
Thanks to Osama Rahman for his important article titled "Displaced in Dystopia" published on April 1, 2016. The writer has depicted the life of the Urdu speaking minority community known as the Biharis in his article excellently. Although he told the dire conditions of the people in Geneva camp, but the reality is that the conditions of Biharis in other camps are no exception. I would like to thank the writer because he attracted our attention to the plight of this people and raised the voice to start not only rehabilitation, but also reconstruction of their ramshackle dwellings which are at the high risk. 
Enamul Hasan 
Madaninagar, Narayanganj