1,000 DU students to get The Daily Star free of cost

The Daily Star and Mutual Trust Bank Ltd sign an MoU yesterday to distribute free of cost 1,000 copies of the newspaper to selected meritorious and needy students of Dhaka University (DU) starting from January 1 next year. The above photo is of the signing ceremony, in presence of some recipient students, held at the office of DU Vice Chancellor Prof AAMS Arefin Siddique, centre. On his right is The Daily Star Editor and Publisher Mahfuz Anam and on his left is Mutual Trust Bank Managing Director Anis A Khan. Photo: STAR

One thousand resident students of Dhaka University will get a copy of The Daily Star each free of cost at their dormitories regularly from the first day of January next year.
The service will be provided under a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) signed between The Daily Star and Mutual Trust Bank Ltd.
The Daily Star Editor and Publisher Mahfuz Anam and Mutual Trust Bank Managing Director Anis A Khan signed the MoU at a ceremony at DU vice-chancellor's office yesterday.
"We consider this initiative as an input to the education of Dhaka University," said DU Vice-chancellor Prof AAMS Arefin Siddique, chief guest of the event.
Describing newspapers as an important source of information, he said, "Today's students will lead the country in future. So, they have to remain updated. And, I believe, this effort will help them achieve their goal."
Students in the master's level in different departments and institutes of DU have been chosen for the facility. Those who do not have the ability to subscribe to the newspaper daily were given priority, said DU officials.
As per the MoU, the service will continue for a year but both The Daily Star, the largest circulated English daily in the country, and Mutual Trust Bank officials expressed hope to extend the time in future.
Provosts of different DU dormitories, officials of the bank and the newspaper, and students' representatives were present at the programme.
The Daily Star Editor Mahfuz Anam said one of the targets of providing the service is to help students enrich their general knowledge and connect them with the world beyond their textbooks.
He called on the students to make the best use of the facility and hold group discussions over the contents of the daily.
Mutual Trust Bank Ltd MD Anis A Khan said they were happy that they could engage themselves in the initiative.
Masud Rana, an MBA student and one of those getting the service, said, "We read Bangla newspaper daily but cannot afford The Daily Star. It is indeed a great opportunity for us and we will surely be benefited much."
Apart from getting news, reading the English daily will help the students develop their efficiency in English, said Abdur Rashid, a student of sociology department.
Concluding the programme, DU VC Arefin thanked The Daily Star and Mutual Trust Bank authorities for introducing the service. He expressed hope that the service will expand in future.