HOMES 71 NSU PODIUM 2014

MLIS 1, champions in the main tournament, receiving their award.

Held from 10th of April to 12th, at the premises of North South University, 32 teams from 22 schools from across the country participated in the sport of debate. The tournament kicked off with the first two rounds on the 10th. Proceedings carried on into the 11th when the other four rounds were completed. Adjudicators from 11 universities attended the event.
NSU Podium set themselves apart from other debate tournaments by introducing the provision of a “Novice Break”. Young debaters who have just stepped into the circuit were given a chance to shine in a separate tab. (A tab refers to the points table in a debate tournament). Four teams qualified ('broke') from the novice category. RDDC 1 from RAJUK Uttara Model College broke first, with Sunnydale 2 from Sunnydale School breaking second. Eight teams broke from the preliminary rounds of the tournament for the knockout rounds on the main tab. Breaking first was JDC 1 from St. Joseph Higher Secondary School, and MLIS 1 of Maple Leaf International School broke second.
The knockouts were held on the 12th of April. SCHL 1 of Chittagong Collegiate School and Sunnydale 2 made it to the finals of the novice category, with SCHL 1 emerging victorious. The teams who made it to the finals of the main tournament were JDC 1 and MLIS 1, who broke first and second in the preliminary round. The motion for the final was: “This house would introduce a jury system in the judiciary of Bangladesh.” The government side in this contest, MLIS 1, consisting of Kazi Ashfaqul Huq, Shaikh Urfana Afrin and Zobayer Ahmed, were crowned champions. JDC 1, consisting of Sheikh Rifayet Daiyan Srijon, Awsaf Ashraf Enan and Labib Tazwar Rahman, ended up second best. Kazi Ashfaqul Huq of Maple Leaf International School was named 'the best speaker of the finals'. Sheikh Rifayet Daiyan Srijon of St. Joseph Higher Secondary School was named 'the best speaker of the tournament'. “NSU has certainly set the bar high for other institutions. It was an amazing experience participating here and I guess the smooth running of proceedings helped me in achieving what I achieved in this tournament,” he says.
The NSU Debate Club calls itself “the voice of NSU at home and abroad.” According to Masrura Mariam Oishi, Vice President of NSUDC, it's their goal to make students at the school level aware of the great institution that NSU is, through the spirit of debate. “NSU is looking to create a heritage of debating, and our VC has promised a scholarship for debaters in the near future to make that possible.”
The tournament drew its curtains on the final day with the prize giving and closing ceremony. It was attended by chief guest Professor Amin U. Sarkar, Vice Chancellor of NSU, and guest of honour Major (retd.) Abdus Salam Sarkar, Managing Director, Homes 71 Ltd. The Pro-Vice Chancellor of NSU, Dr. A.N.M. Meshquat Uddin and the Faculty Advisor of NSUDC, Dr. Salma B. Rahman, attended the ceremony as special guests. All the winners were given custom made trophies, a gift hamper from Cuppies and a book hamper by NSUDC.
This event was organised by NSUDC and hosted by NSU. The title sponsor of the event was Homes 71 Ltd, with media partners SHOUT and Independent Television, radio partner Radio Shadhin, ice cream partner New Zealand Natural, IT partner TechforS Ltd. and content partner jhalmoori.com.