More regime-changes in

Without accepting the fact that everything changes, none cannot find perfect composure. But unfortunately, although it is true, it is difficult for all to accept it. Because we cannot accept the truth of transience, we suffer. Without change, something sleeps inside us, and seldom awakens. The sleeper must awaken. For years, many African leaders had enjoyed a slice of oil wealth of late Libya's dictator. They chose him to lead the African Union (AU), they tolerated his claim to be the king of Africa's tribal chiefs, and they patiently listened to his noisy campaign for a United States of Africa. But there was only silence from most African governments after his death. The eccentric Libyan tyrant had long since lost his African clout, and he will not be mourned. The AU, which he had notoriously headed from 2009 to 2010 as he promoted his dream of continental unity, was conspicuously silent. Though the jubilant Libyans and others celebrated overnight, but the gruesome end to the dictator's brutal 42-year rule signalled a stark warning to despots and dictators: The convulsive changes of the Arab spring are far from over. In strife-torn Syria and Yemen, in the simmering discontent of the Gulf States and even in huge Saudi Arabia, the sweeping aside of a third Arab dictator will unnerve rulers and energise pro-democracy forces. Other Arab dictators, including Syria's embattled Assad, whose security forces have killed thousands of protesters and Yemen's wounded Saleh, who clings to power in a state on the verge of civil war, will have watched the colonel's bloody demise. While Tunisia's president Ben Ali fled to Saudi Arabia in January last and Egypt's deposed Mubarak was in internal exile before being hauled into court, the Libyan ruler who styled himself as Africa's King of Kings ended up, being dragged through the streets. As each successive Arab dictator has been ousted or likely to face the same fate sooner or later, the violence unleashed to retain power and the violence needed to topple the regime have increased exponentially. That may serve as a sobering harbinger that the worst is yet to come in the Middle East. Gopal Sengupta Canada E-mail : gopalsengupta@aol.com An open letter to Muslim brothers and sisters before Eid al-Azha Dear Muslim brothers and sisters, we are approaching a blessed and spiritual time of the year, Kurbani Eid, which comes after millions of devout Muslims complete their pilgrimage to the holy grounds of Mecca. Families and friends will come together for prayers, exchange gifts and enjoy special food. As we prepare to take part in this year's holiday, we would like to invite you to reexamine some aspects of how it is celebrated with an open mind and an open heart. The story of Abraham: As we are told by the Qur'an, Prophet Abraham (pbuh) had a recurring dream in which Allah commanded him to sacrifice his son Ishmael (pbuh). Abraham (pbuh) was just about to end the life of his son when Allah called on him to spare his son and instead sacrifice a ram He miraculously provided. During Kurbani Eid, we commemorate and remember Abraham's (pbuh) willingness to sacrifice his son as an act of obedience to Allah. Today, the slaughter of millions of animals during this holiday is merely symbolic of Abraham's (pbuh) supreme sacrifice. Sacrifice, then and now: The Qur'an makes clear that Allah does not take pleasure in flesh and blood. It says of the animals sacrificed that "[t]heir meat will not reach Allah, nor will their blood, but what reaches Him is piety from you." (Qur'an 22:37) Animal sacrifice is not part of the core spiritual truth of Islam, and there are many other charitable ways to express our devotion to the will of Allah. In modern Bangladesh, meat is not as scarce or as valuable a resource as it was for the desert community in which Prophet Muhammad (pbuh) lived. Today we can do so much more to help the needy by simply redirecting the money that would have gone towards the purchase of an animal for slaughter and using it for other longer-lasting and more beneficial purposes. The money can be used to improve the situation of more than half a million children living on the streets of Dhaka and other major cities, or to build hospitals in places where access to medical care is still difficult. CARE, Save the Children, Oxfam, BRAC and countless other organisations are doing great work for the most disadvantaged groups in our society and are in dire need of our financial support in order to create a better Bangladesh for tomorrow. Many of these charities and non-government organisations (NGOs) also accept valuable and useful items which are close to your heart and you might consider donating instead of, or in addition to, money - in the spirit of sacrifice. Opting for charity in lieu of animal sacrifice is in harmony with the meaning of Islam and Kurbani Eid. Animals and Islam: While Kurbani Eid will be a time of joy for Muslims, it is not a happy time for Allah's creatures. The lives of many goats, cows and other domestic animals will end during the festivities. It can be hard to think about the plight of animals in a country in which many human beings have to live under heartbreaking conditions. But we ask you to consider for a moment what the camels, lambs, goats, and cows chosen to be sacrificed on Kurbani Eid will endure. After all, we know that Prophet Muhammad (pbuh) advocated compassion toward animals. He was sent as a "mercy to all creation" (Qur'an, 21:107). In fact, the Qur'an explicitly recognises the fact that animals are sentient beings just like us, thereby anticipating a basic tenet of the modern animal rights movement - "[t]here is not an animal on earth, nor a bird that flies on its wings - but they are communities like you." (Qur'an 6:38) Prior to slaughter, many animals sacrificed on Kurbani Eid in Bangladesh are walked long distances, often for days at a time from as far-away places as India, or they are packed into trucks without adequate space, food, water, and medical attention. This is neither humane nor halal, and it stands in stark contradiction to Islamic teachings on kindness and compassion. We should not ignore this reality. In Sahih al-Bukhari, it is told that Prophet Muhammad (pbuh) was once asked if kindness to animals was rewarded in the afterlife. He replied that "there is a meritorious reward for kindness to every living creature." Sacrificial animals typically have their legs tied so that they can hardly move. They are surrounded by a group of people that often includes children. The terrified animals are held down by several individuals while a sharp knife is drawn across their throats. As they struggle to break free, they slowly bleed to death - often in front of other animals. A religion of compassion: Many of us are horrified when we see on TV how animals in Europe, Australia, the United States and other countries across the globe are raised, transported and killed. It is our hope that Islam, being a religion of peace and compassion, can do better. We, the undersigned, respectfully submit these thoughts for your consideration and hope you find them helpful in drawing your very own conclusions about the practice of animal sacrifice, in the light of the universal standards of mercy and compassion that Prophet Muhammad (pbuh) has set for humanity. Eid Mubarak Farah Akbar Writer & educator Rainer Ebert Moral philosopher, Rice University Karina Zannat Regional director, Students for Liberty Abdul Afrad IT professional Farzana Afroze Private service employee Fayazuddin Ahmad Advocate Rubaiya Ahmad Animal welfare worker Mian A. Akbar Interpreter Amsa Amin Social worker Sebir Aniket Businessman Neaz Arefin BRAC University student Dr. Khurshid Beg Physician Dr. Monica Beg Civil servant Sadia Choudhury Legal support assistant Samiul Aftad Chowdhury IT professional Ehsanul Haque Red Brick School teacher S. M. E. Haque East West University student Hema Helal Founder of the Sneha Foundation Md. Sazzad Hossain Dhaka University lecturer Phoebe Nadia Hunter Human Rights Advocate Robin Jacobs Real estate sales representative Ehteshamul Kabir Student & writer Rezaul Karim Dhaka University student Risalat Khan Amherst College student Riyad Khan Industry employee Zahid Hossain Khan Dhaka University student Kity Khundkar CFO & VP for finance Masud Al Mamun Relief International officer Mehidi Massan Former butcher's shop owner Fez Meghani Music producer & composer Mazharul Islam Minrul Dhaka University student Kumar Murshid Development consultant Elizabeth Nargi Northeastern University student Tanveer Ahmed Nasiruddin University of London student Ann Parker Editor & animal rights advocate A. H. M. Mustafizur Rahman BRAC University student Fowzia Rahman Government official Prof. Dr. Mizan Rahman Carleton University professor Nasrin Rahman Office manager Aniq Rumy Radiologist Ajmal Sobhan Physician Sabrina Toppa Rice University student Saima Toppa Rice University student Mohammad Faisal Uddin Concordia University student Farzana Wahid School teacher The authors of this letter may be reached at compassionateeid@gmail.com Email: email@rainerebert.com Old buses Buses over twenty years old are not authorised to ply on the roads, according to the rules of the Bangladesh Road Transport Authority (BRTA). But this rule is found to be restricted to paper only. There are 1,446 such unauthorised buses operating in Dhaka city, according to a recent media report which again quoted a source in the BRTA. But even this number is considered unrealistic. The BRTA has no knowledge of hundreds of buses which are plying without fitness certificates and even other records. Ever since vehicle-operators were asked to pay notably increased amounts as road tax, income tax and fees for renewal of fitness certificates and fines, operators of buses opted for the easy way of dodging such requirements. Many of them and most of the time are seen settling with traffic sergeants on the spot through bribery, whenever they are detected and detained. The objectionable aspect to these buses providing service is that from their ageing they are more prone to accidents. But in their own business interests, the operators of such buses tend to keep their vehicles in reasonably fit running conditions. It is true that even new vehicles sometimes cause accidents as their owners and operators have not been careful about repair and maintenance needs. Thus, the real objection to old buses should be on grounds of cheating the government in paying due charges and for defying the law. Otherwise, it needs to be also appreciated that such old buses and transports are providing a service to commuters who seem to make a demand on various transportation services in excess of the coping capacity of the latter. This fact was starkly underlined during the last held World Cup Cricket in Dhaka. Then old buses largely went off the roads as police vigilance against them heightened, as per the directive that all old and dilapidated vehicles must be repainted and also had to prove their authorisation; otherwise, they would be just seized and taken off the roads. The experience of travelling people at that time when a big vacuum was created in the transportation service from the disappearance of old buses for some weeks from the scare, was just too agonising. Therefore, any solution for old buses must keep the provision to allow them to go on functioning while progressively obliging them to settle their dues with the BRTA and undertake regular repair and maintenance works. If a bus is found over twenty years of age but remains still in good running conditions, it may be allowed to go on plying with periodic check-ups. Ruhul Amin DOHS, Dhaka. Is our economy doing well? The Finance Minister in a recent speech at a meeting claimed that the economy of Bangladesh is doing well. The GDP stands about 6.0 per cent and likely to reach at 7.0 per cent at the end of the year. The macro economic picture does not justify the claim of the minister. The people are bearing the brunt of double digit inflation. The central bank with all enthusiasm floated new currency notes of all denominations. The counterfeiters took the advantage of the release of new currency and have released crores of taka in fake notes which will aggravate the money supply leading to soaring of inflation rate. The price level of all essential goods are still beyond reach of common people. The power supply position have not improved though tariffs have increased. The share market still is in fragile condition. The banks are facing tight money supply condition. Mahbubul Haque Chowdhury (Retd) General Manager NCB