BANGLADESH

Now a days many old parents are shock his/her children.The High Court has asked the government to explain within three weeks why it should not be directed to enact a law making it mandatory for the children to bear the maintenance cost of their parents in old age.

The vacation bench of justices Mohammad Anwarul Haque and Mohammad Khasruzzaman passed the order on Wednesday after primary hearing on a writ petition.

The law secretary and the social welfare secretary have been made respondents to the rule.

Abdul Jahid Mukul, founding president of Gazipur Adult Rehabilitation Centre, filed the writ petition seeking the High Court directive to the government to enact a law so that old parents can claim their maintenance costs from their children.

Advocate Fariduzzaman Farhad stood for the petitioner while deputy attorney general Rajik Al Jalil represented the state.

Author Zafar Iqbal says that prominent Bangladeshi writers should write more for children in order to stop piracy and unexpected intrusion of foreign books.

"Piracy cannot be checked only by forming laws," he tells in an interview on the premises of Amar Ekushey Book Fair.
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"It will be possible to stop these annoyances if our eminent writers pay attention for children to see if it is possible to offer something better than pirated or foreign books," he says.

The popular author says publishing different types of books for children of different ages might increase their attention and enhance their reading habit.

"Books can captivate children if they have more and colourful pictures. There should be varieties in the books for juvenile readers in line with their choices and the trend of world literature," he says.

"Children will be addicted to television if we fail to do so. It will be dangerous," he warns.

Libraries in schools play an important role in developing reading habit among the children, Zafar Iqbal says adding that school libraries should be richer from both the points of number of collection and varieties.

Six books by the author, who is famous for his science fictions and works for children, have so far arrived the fair. Four of the six are for younger readers.

Tamrolipi published 'Keplar Two Two B', science fiction, Shomoy Prokashoni 'Rup Rupali', a novel for juvenile readers and Pearl Publication brought 'Ratuler Raat Ratuler Din'.

Jagriti Prokashoni brought 'Aro Proshno Aro Uttor', a collection of answers by Zafar Iqbal to questions by children. Ankur Prokashoni published a collection of his column 'Bodonkhani Molin Hole' and Anupam Prokashoni brought 'Kishor Natok Shomogro', a collection of plays for younger readers.

Publishing house Onnoprokash's manager Abdullah Naser has told , "After Humayun Ahmed, books by Zafar Iqbal have been sold best over the last few years."

Zafar Iqbal also emphasised extending space for the book fair.

"The space allocated for this fair needs to be extended so that readers can see and buy books in a relaxed mood. The extension must be done centring the Bangla Academy as the fair and the academy are intermingled by history."

The prices of books are above most of the readers' ability, he says adding that government's affiliation and patronisation is needed in the publication sector.

"The government can patronise the sector in various forms, including providing paper at a lower price and sanctioning money in a large scale so that public libraries can enrich their collection."

If these measures are taken to ensure publishers that their books are sold, they will be able to publish more books, which they usually do not publish in fear of potential loss.