Junior Chamber to help jamdani weavers recover flood losses
Star Business Rexort
A forum of young entrepreneurs yesterday announced cash assistance for the flood-affected jamdani sari weavers to help them recover losses caused by this year’s flooding."We have already raised a Tk 10 lakh fund for disbursement among the worst affected weavers," said Data Magfur, president of Junior Chamber International (JCI), Bangladesh, at a press conference in Dhaka. Magfur said they are now identifying the worst affected weavers. "We'll start disbursement after the recession of floodwaters so that thm weavers can resume production and prepare themselves for selling the items during next Eid season. He said JCI Bangladesh, the local chapter of Junior Chamber International (JCI), a worldwide forum of young entrepreneurs and professionals, provided free medical treatments for 500 flood victims in Dhaka's Bhasantek area on Wednesday. JCI World President Fernando Sanchez-Arias, now in Bangladesh on a three-day visit, was present at the free medical camp of JCI. Sanchez-Arias said JCI provides training for the young entrepreneurs on how to make a business plan and how to manage funds to s|art a business. "We believe educated and well-trained citizens can build a better country." Talking to The Daily Star on the sidelines of the press conference, Safina Rahman, a high official of JCI Bangladesh, said they are also working on other social issues including environment, tree plantation and control of air pollution. A team of JCI Bangladesh members along with the visiting JCI President is scheduled to meet Environment Secretary today to discuss the issues, she said. "Environment will be the main focus of JCI in 2005," Safina said. JCI Bangladesh is going to take a number of environment related programmes for next year. "We are planning to arrange a workshop where we'll invite about 500 truck drivers to inform them of the negative impact air pollution and to create awareness among them about traffic rules," she said. According to Aftab Mahmud Khurshid, a director of JCI Bangladesh, the chamber formed in 1999 has 135 members and has got the affiliation of the Federation of Bangladesh Chambers of Commerce and Industry. JCI Bangladesh Secretary General Farzana Chowdhury and former president Waqar Chowdhury were also present at the press conference.
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