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As it appears from some newspaper reports, it is neither the government (and for that matter BNP) nor the Awami League that acted behind the August 17 bomb spree. It seems from the confessionary statements of the arrested suspects that one Abdur Rahman, starting in 1998, has built up a countrywide network of followers who can scare the whole nation by blasting bombs, however small they are, all over the country including the capital city. Thanks to the police who have successfully nabbed some of the culprits in a short time and compensated for the frustrating inaction of the intelligence forces. I hope more culprits will be apprehended and more of the truth will be brought out. The silver lining of the black incident is: if Abdur Rahman’s organisation Jamayatul Mujahedeen is found to be the culprit, it will be easier for the government to contain such misguided forces of the society.
   If the newspaper reports are correct, Abdur Rahman started his extremist organisaiton in 1998 during the rule of Awami League. It has to be admitted that, the Awami League regime gave Abdur Rahman clear three-and-a-half year time to flourish and build up countrywide network that eventually led to the bomb spree of August 17. It seems people’s security was not on the ruler’s agenda. Also, the media as well as the intelligence forces equally failed to alert the government and the nation about this man and his burgeoning organisational strength.
   The bomb blasts panicked the nation but now we really feel relieved that it is only Abdur Rahman and his gang and none of Awami League or the ruling party people that staged this dangerous drill. Bangladesh is a country that will never allow Abdur Rahman and company to pursue their heinous goal once they are clearly identified. The government’s job is now to probe into the matter and incapacitate the culprits by taking them to justice.
   I am not frustrated or dismayed. I view August 17 bomb blasts as an evitable fall-out of the military activities going around the world, sometimes in the name of religion, sometimes in the name of democracy. Our duty is to remain vigilant and contain such forces and activities with legal instruments. There is no doubt that people are becoming more religious in the face of anti-religion sentiment shown by the national leaders and organisations as well as international community. In this situation the government can do a good job by guiding people’s religious philosophy into the right direction.
   Tamanna Hassan
   Gulshan, Dhaka

Just after the bomb blasts and despite the self-incriminating leaflets from Jamatul Mujahedin, the principal opposition party Awami League did not lose time to blame the ruling party for its support towards the miscreants. In response, BNP has also raised fingers at Awami League. As I was listening to BBC, the Islamist parties have held CIA as well as RAW of India responsible for this massive attack. One can therefore safely conclude that none believes that the so-called Jamatul Mujahedin has the organisational strength to carry out highly synchronised bomb attacks in all the main cities of the country including Dhaka.
   Then even if some bearded men with cap and madrassah background are found to be involved in planting or detonating the bombs, who is the real mastermind? Any investigation should aim to spot the actual conspirators hiding behind the curtain.
   I am glad that a US explosives expert is now in Dhaka to help with the investigation. He can help us to locate the source of the bombs and ascertain if they were supplied from a neighbouring country. We have learnt from the newspaper reports how young men in expensive motor vehicles were involved in the distribution of the bombs. Who are these guys that collected and distributed the bombs?
   While investigation about Jama’atul Mujahedin should continue unabated, investigating agencies should dig deep to trace the real culprits, even if they are foreign agents assigned to tarnish the image of the country and of course, discerning the government for failure to ensure security of the country.
   Matiur Rahman
   Kathal Bagaan, Dhaka

MPs are elected by people to attend parliament and tell about their needs and help them what they can for which they are enjoying facilities including salary, accommodation, transport, and other allowances. Practically MPs, particularly the opposition MPs, are doing nothing for the people who have voted them to parliament. Moreover, political blame game opened up scopes of germinating extremist organisations. Two leaders are preparing their sons to place at the top position while their relatives and radical activists will adorn the ministries.
   Opposition parties’ caretaker government reform proposals, produced for malicious purpose, are quite untenable. What we will be seeing next is neither the main opposition party AL will take part in next election nor they will keep quiet. They will work for creating an intolerable situation. People never like this trend and may co-opt for alternative forces for bringing a change in politics. People may even directly opt for the third force that may also get the US support for the sake of people’s liberty from the chaotic situation.
   The synchronised blasts of splinter less cocktails that took place on August 17 may come back with real splinters plus fatal power and we may become sure that government bodies are not in a position to tackle such action. Political parties are not dedicated to nation and also not sincere to resolve disputes amicably. In fact, they are deadlocked. They can only continue with their conflicting attitude.
   BNP-alliance role is major in this case for AL has almost given up the hope of coming in power through democratic election. It has nothing to loose further unless it rules the country. They will always act against economy and development by calling frequent hartals and that will encourage extremism. The state and economy will become bankrupt. Whoever worked behind 400+ synchronised bomb blasts AL directly blamed BNP and outright rejected the call for sitting together for a discussion! AL is not even ready to consider that a rise of religious extremism will bring up a dangerous situation for it also; apparently it wants to see a total collapse for which the ground is almost ready. Security experts should start talks with concerned individuals and authorities and do their homework without wasting time.
   M Hoque
   Dhaka

Bomb attack is now common in most countries in the world. Even the countries with sophisticated intelligence agencies such as USA, UK, Spain or Israel are not immune from such attacks. However, in these countries no one questions about the government’s sincerity to tackle the problem. Even no one tries to find any link between the government and the bombers.
   The situation is opposite in our country. There is always question about the link between government and the bombers. There is of course valid reason for such doubt about our government’s intention. After any incident the government becomes alert and goes for crackdown on the militants. At that time a part of the government raises hue and cry against any crackdown on the militants and they start to blame the foreign force. We are now learning more about Bangla Bhai and JMB. Now it is learnt that members of JMB are actually former members of a party in the ruling coalition.
   So the problem of bombing cannot be solved unless the government becomes sincere. But the government is helpless because its partners are involved with such incidents. The only solution is to get rid of these partners. But in that case government will need help from the main opposition party. Only sincere effort by BNP and Awami League can save the country. AL alone could not solve the problem during its regime. BNP is also failing and will fail since the militants also do not endorse BNP.
   Jewel Ahmed
   Bashabo, Dhaka

The world had witnessed an unprecedented bomb heist in Bangladesh recently. The length of the attack was unheard of, the precision and the professional élan the chimeras have exhibited while raining splinters on the country was startling. There has been a soothing ointment in the writing wound and that is the small scale of casualties. One should not suffer from smug compliance for it was not as egregious as it could have been. Because the lesser loss of life was not due to the promptness of the government nor there was anything fortuitous. The aim of the massacre was a haughty demonstration of splurge. It was a waiting in the wings to ring the bell ‘how fair can we go?’ The statesmanship of the successive governments has been prosaic but the craftsmanship of the bombers is praiseworthy (?).
   This harrowing incident is not unique. A string of bombings have been spilling blood over the last ten years. During the Awami League rule a musical soiree was attacked with bombs in Jeshore. Valiant freedom fighter Kazi Arif was killed on the spot. The modus operandi of the perpetrators come to fore after assassination of Arif, who was one of the stalwarts in the pre-independence political arena. This killing jounced the political stratum and the snivelling oration of the government to net the killers appeared to be damp squib very soon.
   After BNP came to power the surreptitious clique had spread-eagled their wings in the welkin of the country. While celebrating the Bengali New Year at Ramna Botomul the splendiferous festival turned into the matrix of the maimed people and the smell of human flesh wafted from the wind by a cataclysmic bomb explosion. This bloodcurdling attack on the culture vultures was a glaring indication that terrorism had taken up a formidable format and it crossed the perimeter of the boundary of personal enmity rather it wore an outfit of state terrorism.
   With the passage of time bomb blast is no longer a hair-raising phenomenon in Bangladesh. A thread of blood is meandering through all the thoroughfares and avenues across the country due to bombing interminably. The grenade attack on Awami League rally on August 21, 2004 was the most knee-jerking impasse which created a huge commotion in international political lineage. Then there was the blast which killed the former finance minister Shah AMS Kibria.
   When the countrymen are at the end of their tethers with no light at the end of the tunnel for them, the government and opposition are busy crossing swords with each other. Their mud-slinging is kitting out the veiled outfits with revered enthusiasm to continue their peddling of hatred. Things have really come to pretty pass for them but they are still tilting at the windmills. The opposition party seems to have radiated with new issue to oxygenate the agitation that is in coma for a long time. ‘It is the last straw that broke the camel’s back’, the sooner government realise this the better it will be for them as well as for the country.
   Imran Ahmed
   On e-mail

I do watch BBC and CNN a great deal. I wish I could stop watching both the channels. Watching these two channels lately, I was angry beyond expression as I saw both the channels trying their best to subtly plant in the viewers’ mind criminally incorrect perspective about the withdrawal of the illegal settlers from Gaza.
   Both the channels have been making every effort to project those being evicted as victims! They were showing women and children crying as they were being forced to leave. A few commentators even expressed regret that the eviction was causing Jews to fight against Jews, as if Jews are some sort of angels, unaccustomed to internal conflicts. Who may I ask killed Rabin whose assassination snuffed the best bet that for peace as his departure paved the way for the Butcher of Lebanon to assume power in Israel?
   The power of the media is enormous. Used properly, it can be of huge benefit to everyone. Misused, as the BBC and CNN are doing with the Gaza evictions, it can distort the truth and make victims look like criminals and criminals as victims. Let me put this one hypothetical scenario to the BBC that represents Great Britain and ask a few hypothetical questions. Imagine a situation where the few million immigrants from South Asia and Africa have forced the white British into a corner into camps and were to build their houses in land they forcibly occupied from the white British. Imagine that this occupation has lasted for a few decades during which the ‘coloured’ people have built houses and hospitals, educational institutions and entrainment places, etc on occupied land. Finally, imagine that some force or power is evicting them from their illegal occupation but when they were being evicted, they were crying and throwing tantrums. Would the white British show any sympathy for those being evicted? Would their crocodile tears be shown on TV for people to feel sympathetic for them?
   Knowing Brits as we do after 9/11 and more so after the London bombings, instead of sympathy, they would no doubt send the evictees to jail as terrorists and criminals. What is happening now in Gaza is no different from the hypothetical Britain.
   Those being evicted are terrorists and criminals for it is their occupation that has turned a peace loving people to fight for liberation and freedom for which they are now being branded as terrorists and our great religion being wrongly blamed in the process.
   Rashed Ahmed
   Gulshan, Dhaka

In an interview with foreign media aired on August 21 night, the Bangladesh finance minister Saifur Rahman has made a remark, ‘the 71 divide still exists’. He further said that there is no difference between the Awami League and the BNP, adding further that personal relations between the leaders of the both the parties are quite good. Here I do not intend to make any observation on the basic frame-up of the two parties or their personal relations, what I would for, as I sincerely feel for national dignity and interest, the issue of the ‘71 divide.
   The 1971 divide then at that crisis period was a reality. Some wished to have independent Bangladesh outside the framework of Pakistan and the others wanted to preserve the federal framework of Pakistan and yet to realise everything in terms of provincial autonomy. The division, however, ended in December in 1971. Since then Bangladesh is an independent sovereign country.
   If Saifur Rahman sees this post ‘71 divide as that of ‘71, I am afraid, he is grossly mistaken. If he was right, the 5th amendment of the Constitution (1979) that followed the Proclamation I of 1977 could not have been there and should have been repealed long ago as the Awami League had demanded and keep on demanding as ever. Not only this, had Saifur Rahman been right the Bismillah Ar Rahman Ar Rahim inserted in the appellation of the state Constitution and the ‘Absolute trust and faith in the Almighty Allah’ that was given the status of ‘fundamental principles of the Constitution’ which followed as natural corollaries of the 1975 changes should have been left off the Bangladesh constitution framed by the Awami League in 1972.
   Prof MT Hussain
   Ibrahimpur, Dhaka

Syed Badrul Ahsan’s write-up (August 23) longing for the long hand write-up and calligraphy (possibly a dead if not dying art) and the computer replacing it, though harsh, is twentieth century reality.
   Libraries as raw material for information and research source compared to the worldwide web, has no leg to stand on. Technological advances and its ever changing scenario cannot be gleamed and picked up faster by no other means than the web. Literature however which is steeped in the past and a close cousin of history however needs the print media and hence libraries and archives. However, in this field too the web is coming up as a new medium of knowledge search, information and references.
   Cell phones in contrast despite the ease of fingertip communication, and its dexterity for manipulation in the audio visual media including photography is heralding a new age. It unfortunately also has serious drawbacks like talking while driving that could cause traffic accidents. Criminals also keep in touch with ease, and are independent of the need for fixed telephone set of yesteryears. The synchronized all district-wise bombing is the criminal misuse of mobile phones which may have set the blasts.
   People may have forgotten to read books, but computers and the web have not cut down on reading. It has rather opened the floodgates of the written word, without going into the expensive cost of acquiring books! We, the older people may feel bad about the lost days of the past, but what a promising future lies ahead!
   SA Mansoor
   Gulshan, Dhaka

Sheikh Hasina is always flying around the world. Now, considering the salary she gets as an MP, would she kindly tell us how she can afford all these trips? And we are not talking about any ordinary hotels or economy class tickets. Even if we take her husband’s salary into account, we still don’t think it is enough to pay for so many trips for months in countries like the USA, and run her family with the same income! Leader of the opposition of even a rich country like the UK can’t afford as many trips as Sheikh Hasina does, being a politician of one of the poorest countries. Just how does it work?
   Azad Miah
   Oldham, UK

I am not sure but will not be surprised if New Age is ahead of most others in covering extraordinary news, with the importance it deserves. (Business page, August 24) It is about export of snake venom. The proposal came from one M Tota Miah, a poor snake charmer, who has a small serpent farm for breeding snakes. It is also satisfying that the prime minister’s office has accepted the proposal seriously and have directed the authorities concerned for exploring feasibility for export of the product.
   Snake venom trade is nothing new in the world. Antidotes for snakebite are made from snake venom. These are known as snake anti-venom. I am not sure, if such anti-venom is available in our country, although, our country is the home of several highly poisonous snakes and a number of deaths from snake bite occur annually in the country. Pharmacognosy, is an important subject for the Pharmacy students. It is basically the study of medicines available from both plant and animal kingdom. One such book, written by ‘Claus’ (5th edition, the author spelling may not be correct and the edition is forty-years-old and may only be available in DU library) shows a picture of milking ‘a cobra, that is extracting venom from a cobra snake.’ A clear, sterile glass funnel covered with a thin, transparent membrane is taken and the snake is provoked to strike on it, resulting in ejection of venom.
   I may not be absolutely correct but around three gram of venom may be collected from a snake at a time. This venom is mixed with sterile isotonic sodium chloride solution (common salt of pharmaceutical grade) for preservation and use. The same book mentions about ‘Cobroxin’ a branded 1:4000 dilution of cobra venom, which is used in intractable pain, such as, oncogenic pain (pain in cancer) and pain resulting from major amputations. The pain relieving effect of Cobroxin is superior to morphine, pathedine and their likes minus addiction hazard. Cobroxin is a prescription only, strictly controlled drug.
   True, raising a serpent farm will require professional training for market competition and success. However, it is not a very difficult task. One will only need a little courage and imagination to initiate such a farm. Dedicated and motivated people, particularly with an interest in zoology are best suited for the job. Snakes too have disease, they may be malnourished and sick. Venom collected from only healthy snakes of the right weight and size, at predetermined intervals, may only meet the pharrmacopoeia standard. Others will not be accepted for medicinal research.
   MHF
   Dhaka