MAILBOX

"Surviving the Catastrophe"

Star Weekend's cover story last week on climate change was very informative, well researched and in tune with this year's theme of World Environment Day. Bangladesh has been one of the major victims of natural calamities caused by climate change. However, there is a popular discourse adopted by many renowned scholars such as Noam Chomsky that the much discussed climate change is nothing but a deliberate propaganda to inject and experiment the so called western methods of development in the least developed and developing countries. Is there any factual logic behind this discourse? How can we dig out the truth?

Dipon Kundu
Tikatuli, Dhaka   

"Saying Goodbye"

I could not believe my eyes when I saw the farewell article from my favourite writer Anika Hossain! It really broke my heart. I loved to read her satires, articles and especially her series on Bihari camps. I had no idea about how miserable the lives of the camp dwellers are, before Anika revealed it with her powerful writings. Her satire on the recent mayoral election and the spotlight on our postal services are some of her masterpieces. It is very sad that we are going to miss such an awesome writer. Whatever the reason behind her farewell is, I would like to request her to contribute to the star Weekend, at least once or twice a month. 

Sarah Anhar
Department of English, University of Rajshahi

"The Unresolved Tragedy"

There is still no initiative to rescue the people who are drifting at sea and are detained abroad in inhuman conditions. To address this problem, a regional conference on Irregular Migration through the Indian Ocean took place in Bangkok on May 29, 2015. The representatives of 17 countries including Bangladesh attended the conference. The position of Myanmar about Rohingya Muslims rose controversy as Myanmar refused to talk about this issue although the majority of trafficking victims are Rohingya Muslims. However, the delegates agreed on only one issue that they should continue the discussion. In this circumstance, when people are dying in detention camps everyday, it is very unfortunate that the leaders are still doing nothing but talking and arguing with each other.

Md Israfil Hossen
Department of Sociology
University of Dhaka

*** The opinions expressed in these letters do not necessarily represent the views of the Star Weekend.