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Hell in a cell 

It is true that there are very few options for entertainment in Bangladesh, making the national zoo a popular spot for tourists and families on weekends. But the animals kept caged there for this purpose do not have the basic facilities they need to thrive. 

The unfortunate animals are victim to noise pollution, air pollution, solid waste and plastic pollution—as outlined in the story. The other constraints are nothing new—their cages are too congested and do not mimic their natural habitats, and the animals are deprived of timely and appropriate medical and related care.

But most importantly, the animals are not treated well by the visitors, many of whom are not interested in abiding by the basic etiquette when visiting a zoo. Sweeping measures should be taken to educate and make visitors more empathetic about how to respectfully interact with the animals, as well as improve living conditions in the zoo.

Samia Jahan 

Rajbari Govt. College, Rajbari 

What do you read on the road?

Thanks for writing amazing stories related to books. Normally, I do not read articles more than once. But "The secret life of booksellers" was fascinating enough to warrant this. As I write this email, the petrichor is all around me as it is raining outside.

I liked "What do you read on the road?" very much also. It would be more interesting if you could have included some Bangla books. Still, I like the suggestions mentioned (perhaps the books mentioned were not meant to be suggestions). 

Thanks for writing your beautiful thoughts coated in beautiful language.

Nishat Parvez

Jahangirnagar University