Today is our topic of discussion Writing a letter to the newspaper
Writing a letter to the newspaper
If you want to write to a newspaper, the topic/issue you want to write about must be of public interest. The language of the letter must be simple and clear so that it is easily understood by the general or at least by the majority of the readers. Send your letter or take it personally to the letter-to-the-editor section with a covering letter. Here is a model covering letter.
The Editor The Daily Star
House 11, Road 3
Dhanmondi R/A
Dhaka 1205
Dear Sir,
I would request you to publish the following letter in your widely- circulated daily. The letter tries to ventilate public demand for rebuilding a bridge on the only road connecting the northern unions of Sribordi thana to the district headquarters, Sherpur.
Yours faithfully
Rafiquddin Sarker
Village: Sujanpur
Thana: Sribordi
District: Sherpur
Rebuild the Sujanpur bridge
Sir,
The Sujanpur bridge has been badly damaged by the recent floods. The bridge is on the river Tenachira. It is on the district board road at Bashkanda, not very far from the thana headquarters. It was a wooden bridge which was used by all types of vehicles-trucks, buses, jeeps, cars, rickshaw-vans, rickshaws, etc and the pedestrians as well.
The transport of all sorts of agricultural and farm products from the rural areas to the district town takes place through this road. Also finished goods from towns and cities come to the local trading centres through this road. But with the flood washing away more than half of the bridge, the lifeline for many of the rural people seems to be cut off.
Though the bridge has been temporarily repaired, trucks and buses are still off the road. Light vehicles use it very cautiously. The transport of some essential goods is carried out by boat. However, this cannot go on for long. The bridge must be rebuilt.
The local people think that the bridge should be rebuilt with concrete not just repaired with wood for its sustainability and long-term benefits for the people of this area. They appeal to the concerned authority for immediate action.
Yours truly
Rafiquddin Sarker
Sujanpur

Note these words and phrases.
covering letter – a letter sent with a document, account or with goods briefly explaining the contents
ventilate (v) – make an issue or a grievance widely known
headquarters (n) – The word always ends with an ‘s’, but it can be either singular or plural. Abbreviation is HQ. e.g. The Bangladesh Biman’s headquarters is/are in Dhaka. It means a place from which an organisation is controlled.
lifeline (n) – anything on which somebody or something depends for existence
sustainability (n) – If anything lasts long it is sustainable. The quality or state of being sustainable or being alive is sustainability.
appeal (v) – make an earnert request
Write answers to these questions.
1. What does a covering letter that goes with a letter to the editor of a newspaper say?
(Cluse: identity of the writer- importance of the subject/issue- purpose)
2. Write two paragraphs- one on agricultural products and the other on a poultry- farm products which are likely to be transported from the rural areas through the Sujanpur bridge to the district headquarters and to the capital city. Mention what transport (i.e. vehicles) is used for carrying these products.
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