Overcoming the problem about narrowness of mind

Many a Bangladeshi political activist living in the USA did not like the idea of naming a sreet as 'Ziaur Rahman Way' in the city of Chicago, one of the largest cities in that country. Those activists did not hesitate to file a case against it which they lost, although erudite legal professionals were engaged. It may be mentioned that "SEARS TOWER", one of the wonders of modern architecture, was designed by Bangladeshi architect-cum-civil engineer late Fazlur Rahman Khan. The main feature of this building is that its construction is based on tubular structures unknown to designers earlier.

It may be recalled that when Amartya Sen of West Bengal, India was chosen for Novel Prize in economies, several West Bengal economists did not like it and they went on to file a case against it on some flimsy grounds.

We really cannot approve of such activities of our people living in the USA regarding naming a road after late President Ziaur Rahman, or for that matter the group of people from West Bengal who opposed awarding the Nobel to Amartya Sen.

I had the opportunity to visit the World Trade Centre in New York after the collapse of the centre and I found foot prints of important personalities made on wet cement with their identities that made them famous globally in many fields. I saw the foot prints of Ayub Khan, former president of Pakistan although many of us do not like him. There were foot prints of Charles de Gaulle of France, Sekou Toure of Guinea, Gamal Abdel Nasser of Egypt, Harry Belafonte of the USA, etc. Thus there can be no reason to envy a Bangladeshi honoured abroad by whatever way it is done. I pray, let good sense prevail among our people, both at home and abroad.

Mahmud Ali

138, New Esktaon

Dhaka-1000