Bangladesh’s poor paying a high price

Dear Sir,

After the hanging of Bangladesh Jamaat-e-Islami party leader Abdul Quader Molla things are going from bad to worse in the country and chances of negotiations between the government and the opposition are almost dead.

The Bangladesh special 1971 war investigation tribunal also sentenced to death another Jamaat-e-Islami activist Ghulam Azam and six other activists. Ghulam Azam is 90 years old and can’t walk on own. The third activist received a death sentence after the formation of the tribunal  set by the Sheikh Hasina  government. Human rights organisations have shown serious concern over the war crime tribunal and all legal proceedings.

Now to due to political unrest and continuous strikes the country’s poor people are paying a high price. Public protests and strikes have become routine. Protests are spreading due to the use of  force by security forces and killing of hundreds of people.

Several  videos are circulating on the social media showing heavily armed police deliberately targeting unarmed protesters.  Human rights organisations claim that the death toll is much higher because security forces use live ammunition against unarmed protesters.

Opposition parties claim that government is trying to divert attention of people  from real issues. Only last month more than a thousand people lost their lives when garment factory collapsed. In  another incident 10 people lost their lives in a fire in another garment factory. The European Union showing serious concerns over poor safety standard of the Bangladeshi textile industry, the backbone of the country’s economy.

Khawaja Umer Farooq, Jeddah, Saudi Arabia

 

Direction board blocking footpath

Dear Sir,

The direction board shown in the attached picture has been erected on the Corniche road behind  Qatar National Museum  adjacent to Ras Abboud Flyover.  Almost 95% of the  board is blocking the footpath making it difficult and dangerous  for the pedestrians to pass by as the height of the board is almost at shoulder level. 

It is even impossible for the pedestrians  to see the board properly during night when they approach the  board in the opposite direction of traffic, due to the dazzling headlights of oncoming vehicles.

I request  the concerned authorities through your newspaper, to re-locate the board to a convenient place.

 

Hassan, PO Box 3280, Doha

 

Clarification sought on public holidays

Dear Sir,

Qatar Labour Law sets 10 days public holidays which are applicable to most private sector employees.

1) Eid al-Fitr, three working days;

2) Eid al-Adha, three working days;

3) National Day, one working day; and

4) Three working days as specified by the employer.

Is the National Sports Day public holiday in February included as one of the three employer-specified public holidays or is it an additional day thus giving most private sector employees 11 days public holiday a year? The law is not clear on this.

 

Name and address supplied

 

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