Rotarians urged to contribute more to humanity

Artistes perform a dance number at the inaugural ceremony of the Rotary Club District-3280 Conference 2008 at Bangladesh-China Friendship Conference Centre in the city yesterday.Photo: Focus Bangla

Rotarians from home and abroad yesterday began a two-day district conference, aiming to spearhead their agenda for the greater cause of humanity and serve the people who need external support better.
The district conference, the biggest event in the rotary calendar, is being attended by a number of Rotarians who contribute money and endeavour to improve the quality of lives for the poor through supports for health, education and disaster management.
Foreign Affairs Adviser Iftekhar Ahmed Chowdhury inaugurated the opening session of the conference at Bangladesh-China Friendship Conference Centre in the city yesterday while Chief Adviser Fakhruddin Ahmed will attend today's concluding session.
“Rotarians have a proven record of serving humanity over centuries and I give them thanks for their recent endeavours to stand beside the cyclone-hit people in the coastal areas,” he said, declaring the conference open.
He said the caretaker government is designed to create Bangladesh a corruption-free, pluralist society where values of justice, equity and human rights would prevail.
And the Rotarians, who are considered to be solvent and enlightened part of society, could contribute significantly to fulfil the agenda, he added.
The foreign adviser also urged the nation to combine their endeavours in a consensual manner to achieve these goals.
Representative of Rotary International President Manjit S Sawhney, District Governor Rafique Ahmed Siddique, district governor elect 2008-09 Mohammad Hafizullah, district governor nominee AKM Shamsul Huda, renowned artiste Mustafa Zaman Abbasi, Rotarian Mosud Mannan and Chairman of Conference Dr Ishtiaque A Zaman also spoke on the occasion.
Iftekhar also praised the humanitarian service of the Rotary International and said the district conference might have further device their ways and strategies to contribute more for the needy.
“The funds that will be saved from the conference would be spent for the construction of cyclone shelters in the coastal areas,” said Conference Chair Dr Zaman, citing the long history of Rotary services to different issues, including emerging infectious diseases and natural disasters.
Editor of the daily Prothom Alo Matiur Rahman, who joined a technical session, said Rotarians have long been engaged in charity services in Bangladesh. Only with 15 members in 1937, he said, Rotary had started its journey in Bangladesh and now it has 4,000 active members.
He said that Rotary services during any catastrophe could inspire others to follow the suit.
Later, the foreign adviser spoke to media about prices of rice and said, “You have all seen in the newspapers today the market is stabilising. Under the leadership of the Chief Adviser Fakhruddin Ahmed the government has made a series of decisions.”
“We all, including the Foreign Ministry, are working relentlessly in a coordinated fashion to address the situation,” he added.