The week that was

Bangladesh Sangharaj Bhixmu (Buddhist monk) Mohashava takes out a peace procession at Jamal Khan Road in the port city of Chittagong on Friday on the occasion of Buddha Purnima.Photo: STAR

Fruit festival begins
A month-long seasonal fruit festival began on the Bangladesh Agriculture Development Corporation (BADC) Office premises in city's Sholoshahar area on Sunday.
BADC, Golden Valley Agro Products and Nizampur Agro Products Limited jointly organised the festival where chemical-free seasonal fruits are being sold.
Local Daili Azadi Editor MA Malek inaugurated the fair at a ceremony with Golden Valley Agro Products Limited Chairman Prof Kazi Shahadat Hossain in the chair.
Speakers at the inaugural function said due to use of chemicals in the local seasonal fruits, consumers are suffering from various types of diseases.
A section of the traders are responsible for harming the human health through selling local seasonal fruits in an unhealthy way, they said, urging the government to take action in this regard.
Chittagong Press Club President Abu Sufian, former deputy commissioner Abdul Haque, Agriculture Scientist and Researcher Dr Sabjal Uddin, BADC Deputy Director Kamal Uddin, Academician Principal Mohammad Hossain Khan, Pahartali Agriculture Research Institute Chief Scientific Officer Mahbubur Rahman and Nizampur Agro Products Limited Managing Director Kamal Uddin spoke at the function.

Reception to freshers at CU
Chittagong University (CU) Vice Chancellor Prof Dr Abu Yusuf said students should be studious from very beginning of their academic sessions to attain the goal through good results.
He called upon the teachers to perform their duties with utmost sincerity so that students can pass their sessions in time.
He was addressing the freshers' reception and farewell ceremony of the CU Anthropology Department at Social Science Faculty auditorium on Sunday.
The department Chairman Dr Rahman Nasir presided over the function while Pro-Vice Chancellor Prof Dr Mohammad Alauddin, Social Science Faculty Dean Prof Dr Jyoti Prakash Dutta and Prof Dr Farid Uddin Ahmed spoke at the function.

Environment Day observed
'World Environment Day' was observed in the port city amid elaborate programmes on Saturday.
Department of Environment (DoE) organised processions, discussion and essay competitions to mark the day with the slogan 'Many Species, One Planet, One Future.'
Primary and Mass Education Minister Dr Afsarul Ameen was the chief guest at the discussion held at Muslim Institute hall with the DoE Chittagong Acting Director Mustafizur Rahman Akhand in the chair.
Speakers at the discussion emphasised the need for conserving biodiversity as well as the environment at any cost to keep the world liveable maintaining ecological balance.
Chittagong University Institute of Forestry and Environmental Science Director Prof Dr Mohammad Al Amin presented the keynote paper at the discussion while Additional Divisional Commissioner Shyamapada Dey and Deputy Commissioner Foyaz Ahmed were present as the guests.
An essay and painting competitions were also held.
Meanwhile, different organisations including Bangladesh Nari Pragati Sangha, Jana Udyog and Reckitt Benckiser (Bangladesh) Limited also observed the day chalking out different programmes, including procession, rally and tree plantations.

'Make youths familiar with country's culture'
Speakers underscored the need for more cultural programmes at school level to make the young generation familiar with country's rich culture and heritage.
Young generation could easily be motivated by the foreign cultural aggression in absence of widespread practice of own culture, they said.
They were addressing a day-long conference of Bangabandhu Sangskritik Goshthi Chittagong city unit on Thursday.
Central President of the organisation and popular film actor and producer Masud Parvez popularly known as Sohel Rana inaugurated the conference at the central Shaheed Minar in the morning.
Premier University Vice Chancellor Prof Dr Anupam Sen was the chief guest at the inaugural ceremony while central General Secretary Parimal Ghosh was the special guest.
Later, a discussion was held at Muslim Institute Hall with city unit President Pankaj Baiddya in the chair.
Eminent cultural personality Syed Hasan Imam, Sohel Rana, Dr Bikiran Prashad Barua and Advocate Rana Das Gupta spoke among others.
Around 400 students who participated in the cultural and painting competitions held earlier received certificates, crests and prizes at the programme.
Later, a cultural function was held participated by the artistes of Swadhin Bangla Betar Kendro.

Samoyer Samata launched
Speakers urged the well-off section of the society for playing more role for the welfare of the people with disabilities side by side with the government initiatives.
They were addressing the publication ceremony of a book titled 'Samoyer Samata' written on late NGO worker Selim Nazrul.
Editor of the Bengali daily Azadi MA Malek as the chief guest unveiled the cover of the book at the programme at Chittagong Press Club auditorium with Agrabad Women's College Principal Prof Anwara Alam in the chair.
Human activist Zia Habib Ahsan wrote the book on life of Selim Nazrul, who being a physically challenged person played notable role for the people with disabilities.
Terming the book a 'recognition' of Nazrul's role, speakers thanked the author for such an initiative.
Eminent writer Fahmida Amin, Prof Manjurul Hoque Chowdhury and Chief of Ypsa Arifur Rahman spoke at the programme.