Concern over tribunal verdicts

Dear Sir,

Bangladesh’s war crime tribunal has upheld the death sentence of  Jamaat-e-Islami leader Motiur Rahman. Several Jamaat leaders are on death row after the tribunal’s formation. Amnesty International and human rights organisations have shown serious concern over the establishment of the tribunal and its harsh decisions.
Despite the growing tension between the government and opposition, Sheikh Hasina’s government is trying very little to calm the situation. The sentence of the Jamaat leader and the house arrest of opposition leader Khaleda Zia have fuelled anger. Public protests and general strikes are becoming a daily routine in the country.
Opposition parties claim that the government is trying to divert peoples’ attention from real issues. Only last year more than 1,000 people lost their lives when a garment factory collapsed during working hours. In a separate incident, 10 people lost their lives due to fire in another garment factory. The European Union has expressed serious concern over poor safety standards in Bangladesh’s textile industry which is the backbone of the country’s economy. The government should focus its attention on issues like these instead of frittering away its energy on less important matters.

Khawaja Umer Farooq , kufarooq2@gmail.com

Learning to cope with change

Dear Sir,

The article “Tips for adapting to change” (Gulf Times,  January 10) was highly instructive. Change is part of our existence. Nothing is permanent in the world. But changes are often met with resistance. Sometimes, facing them causes stress.  
Some people even quit their  jobs if they are posted to new places and some students leave their new schools or colleges because of not being able to adapt to change. Only those who are able to cope with changes  can come up in life.
Life is to expect the unexpected. Change is unavoidable in everyone’s life. The sooner we realise that, the better.

C Robinson, robin_son_ch@yahoo.co.in

End of an era

Dear Sir,

An era comes to an end with the  death of Jammu and Kashmir Chief Minister Mufti Mohamed Sayeed. He was a great statesman who strove for conciliation in the conflict-torn state.
In his political journey of several decades he won many friends and admirers. His death leaves behind a huge void.

Ramesh G Jethwani, (e-mail address supplied)

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