Hungry hearts

Sir — Weddings are supposed to be a celebration of love. But for most guests, it is the free, tasty food that counts. And in some cases, wedding vows have to be stopped for chicken. At a wedding ceremony at Bijnor, Uttar Pradesh, a man from the groom’s side felt gastronomically cheated when he was served one less piece of chicken. The bride’s side rushed to remedy the mistake but his ego had already been hurt. Fifteen injuries later, the wedding continued under police supervision. Perhaps future invitations should list not just items on the menu but the exact quantities that will be served. While this may hurt Bengalis who love to eat kobji dubiye at weddings, it may save the union. After all, love may be eternal, but hunger pangs are immediate.

Ashoke Sengupta,
Calcutta

Life lessons

Sir — The death of Khaleda Zia, Bangladesh’s first female prime minister, closes a long chapter in that country’s political life. She emerged from military rule into electoral politics and normalised the presence of women at the summit of power in a conservative society. Her years in office coincided with social mobility and industrial expansion, even as governance remained brittle. Her prolonged confinement under Sheikh Hasina’s reign marked a sharp erosion of legal restraint. That episode will trouble historians more than partisan claims.

Birkha Khadka Duvarseli,
Siliguri

Sir — The rivalry between Khaleda Zia and Sheikh Hasina produced a politics driven by grievance and inheritance rather than institutional strength. Each leader claimed democratic purpose while tolerating methods that weakened accountability. Zia’s imprisonment during ill health crossed a moral line and damaged the credibility of the State. Her death invites reflection on how personalised power hollowed out parties and courts in Bangladesh. Dhaka’s current instability flows from that legacy. Durable democracy demands rules that outlive leaders, not cycles of revenge that merely replace one dominant figure with another.

C.M. Nandi,
Calcutta

Sir — Discussion of the ‘Minus Two’ strategy has returned at a moment of genuine uncertainty for Bangladesh. Khaleda Zia’s death and Sheikh Hasina’s exile remove familiar anchors from a turbulent scene. Past attempts to engineer politics by exclusion failed because they ignored social consent. Any renewed effort to marginalise major parties risks deepening alienation and empowering fringe forces. Reform requires transparent elections, judicial independence, and civilian control, not clever short-cuts. The lesson from Zia’s long career is that stability cannot be imposed through detention or erasure.

Dattaprasad Shirodkar,
Mumbai

Sir — Khaleda Zia’s political life illustrates the costs of governing through confrontation. Her periods in office expanded education and industry, yet her years in Opposition relied heavily on boycotts and street pressure. That pattern normalised paralysis as a political tool. The later wave of corruption cases against her appeared selective and punitive, undermining faith in justice. Bangladesh now confronts communal anxiety and press intimidation without credible arbiters. The absence of senior figures should prompt institutional repair, not nostalgia for personalised authority that repeatedly failed to settle disputes peacefully.

Ireima Imsong,
Imphal

Spot the risks

Sir — The rising leopard and bear attacks in Uttarakhand reveal a conservation problem shaped as much by policy choices as by ecology. Tiger recovery deserves recognition, yet its consequences have been poorly anticipated. Displaced leopards now lurk along forest edges, where human presence is routine and prey is scarce. This has altered animal behaviour in dangerous ways. Conservation cannot proceed through isolated success stories. Wildlife management must account for interspecies pressure, land use change, and human safety. Ignoring these links risks turning ecological achievement into daily fear for hill communities.

M. Muthuswamy,
Chennai

Sir — The scale of migration from Uttarakhand’s hills has quietly reshaped the landscape. Abandoned villages have become overgrown habitats that favour ambush predators. Lantana thickets and neglected fields create ideal cover for leopards and bears, while human presence declines. This is not a wildlife problem alone. It reflects economic neglect and policy failure. Reviving hill livelihoods, healthcare and education would restore human density that once kept predators wary. Empty villages are ecological invitations. Any serious response must treat migration as central, not incidental.

Mohammad Arif,
Mumbai

Winter smog

Sir — Calcutta’s air pollution should provoke alarm, not indifference. Annual PM 2.5 levels in the city far exceed global health limits, with winter peaks breaching toxicity thresholds on most days. Such exposure carries long-term consequences for lungs, hearts and cognition. In any accountable system, this would trigger legislative discussion and enforcement review. Instead, the issue struggles to enter civic conversation. Jobs, prices and infrastructure matter, yet polluted air undermines all of them. Treating smog as background noise reflects a failure of governance, not public awareness.

Shrestho Ghosh,
Calcutta

Sir — Dust is frequently blamed for Calcutta’s winter smog because it is visible and convenient. Evidence points elsewhere. Secondary aerosols, vehicle emissions, wood burning and coal form a large share of fine particulates during winter. These pollutants cannot be swept away by municipal drives. They demand coordinated control of fuels, transport and waste.

S. Chaudhuri,
Calcutta