MAILBOX

An Ancient Mosque by the River
Thanks to Nilima Jahan for her article titled "An Ancient Mosque by the River" published in the Star Weekend on May 20, 2016. I think, like this historic mosque in Sirajganj, there are many mosques and tombs in Bangladesh, through which we can see the architectural grandeur of the early Muslim rulers of Bengal. However, a matter of great regret is that many of these ancient tombs and mosques are used as the centre of irrelevant customs and superstitions, which spread misconception about Islam. Locals get deceived by some dishonest individuals who make their fortune by capitalising on these historic places.  I would like to appeal to everybody to make these sites free from any kind of superstitious and illegal activities. 
Enam Hasan
Madaninagar, Narayanganj

Bangladesh's Untapped Treasure
I completely agree with the opinion of Md Shahnawaz khan Chandan (published in the Star Weekend on May 27, 2016) about the post offices across the country. In my locality, there is also a post office in the middle of the bazaar which is closed for about ten years, as it has no use for the inhabitants of the area. I remember that when I was a 9 or 10-year-old boy, I had to go to this office at least twice a month to send letters to my father living in Saudi Arabia. At that time it was a crowded place and the post master was the busiest and angriest man. Now the situation is that I forgot when I had seen him last. I don't know whether he is still in service or not. Anyway, I would like to thank the writer for raising awareness about this neglected department. I hope that the government will take an effective move to utilise the postal department's immense potential to serve the nation.

Fareed Uddeen
Keraniganj, Dhaka

Maid  in Bangladesh
I have read an article published in the Star Weekend titled "Maid in Bangladesh" on May 13, 2016. The photos depicting domestic workers' living condition published in the article touched my heart. It's really heart wrenching fact that in spite of having clear legal provision concerning domestic workers' rights, the rich people of the society deprive these poor workers of their hard earned wages. The story of Lima Akhtar (a 15-year-old girl) is hundred percent correct and very common in Bangladesh. It's not only Lima's story but also it's the story of all young girls exploited as the domestic workers in Bangladeshi society. However, we cannot deny their huge contribution to our economy. So, we want strict enforcement of the existing legal provisions to protect the rights of these workers and I think such good writings can help a lot to raise awareness about this significant issue.
Rakib Al Azad
On email