Devious designs:

The concept of MLM (Multilevel Marketing) or Network Marketing is very attractive to the unemployed youth of Third World countries. But MLM only benefits the parent MLM companies at the expense of their gullible members. There is no law governing network marketing in Nepal. Nor is there any in Bangladesh, where I am based. Here, the MLM

companies have been reassuring people that an appropriate bill to regulate MLM will be passed “soon”. But how soon is soon enough, no one really knows.

There are around 70 MLM companies doing business in Nepal under various guises. As they are able to lure unemployed youth easily, their business is flourishing. It will not be possible to discuss all aspects of MLM here. But I would like to point out that MLM is not an

internationally accepted business practice. Hence we need to be vigilant against it. Sometimes, the unethical business practices of MLM companies come to light. The case of Gano Excel Nepal and DXN Nepal (“DXN, Gano products have authorities in a fix”, THT, June 1), is a case in point. The media needs to do more to spread awareness among the youth so that they do not fall easy prey to the devious designs of MLM companies.

Tarik Hasan Rubel, M.Phil Researcher, Dhaka

University, Bangladesh

Foreign ads:

Last Friday’s Oranjeboom Crity Awards 2063 honoured the best in the field of Nepali advertising. This is all and good. But most of the multinationals never bother to dub their adverts in Nepali. Even in hoardings, we can see non-Nepali stars advertising various

products. Does this mean that Nepali advertising agencies do not meet the standard required by the MNCs? Or is it that Nepali artists are not good enough to be ambassadors of

international brands? I believe that adverts should reflect “localness” to make maximum impact on the local targeted audience. If the MNCs showed a little more faith in Nepali

advertising agencies, they would undoubtedly sell more products here.

On the other hand, this would help raise the standard of Nepali advertising.

Manoj Thapa, via e-mail

Shocking:

The photo of small kids playing with disposable syringes (THT, June 13) was enough to make one cringe. The three kids seem totally oblivious of the dangers of playing with used syringes. The government must make proper arrangements for the safe disposal of used syringes. Children too should be warned of the risks of playing with syringes which could transmit

serious communicable diseases.

Alisa Amatya, via e-mail

False image:

The advertisement of Fair & Lovely cream may send a wrong message to the audience. I think being fair does not necessarily make one beautiful. Beauty is much more than having a fair complexion. But the cosmetics industry may have its own reasons.

A line of the advert goes “With beauty you can change the world”. One wonders whether there is any relationship between the complexion of girls’ faces and changing the world.

Rhea Gurung, Shital Marg, Maharajgunj