The Week That Was

Students of different schools and colleges from Chittagong perform at a function at MA Aziz Stadium on Wednesday organised by the district administration, marking the Independence Day (top); Chief of Naval Staff Vice Admiral Sarwar Jahan Nizam, second from right, gives away a crest to Alhaj Dr Nurul Islam, third from left, at a ceremony organised by 69 Fellowship and Welfare Club at Hotel Agrabad in the port city on March 29. Club President HM Hakim Ali is also seen (bottom left); Education Adviser Hossain Jillur Rahman distributes prizes among the students at the annual prize giving ceremony of Ispahani Public School and College (IPSC) in Chittagong on Saturday. On his right is Principal Hasina Zakaria and on his left are Ispahani Group of Industries Managing Director Mirza Salman Ispahani, Chittagong Education Board Chairman Prof Dr Mohammad Yusuf and Additional Deputy Commissioner (Revenue) Zafor Alam(bottom rightPhoto: STAR

Call to increase cultural activities
Speakers at a discussion underscored the need for increasing cultural activities at regional level throughout the country and patronising the artistes working at grassroots level for developing the national culture and heritage.
They were speaking at an open discussion titled 'Task of national organisations for the patronisation of grassroots level artistes' at Islamabadi Memorial Hall on Thursday.
Bangladesh Institute for Theatre Arts (BITA) organised the discussion with a view to preparing recommendations on the issue.
Prof Abul Mansur, actor Pijush Bandapaddhaya, singer Kalpana Lala and lyricist Abdul Gafur Hali were the panel discussants at the programme with Prof Zia Haider in the chair.
Artistes working at different cultural sectors like drama, dance, recitation, 'kabi gaan' and 'jatra' in Chittagong, representatives of different non-government organisations and journalists participated in the discussion.
Speakers placed several recommendations regarding welfare and development of the artistes working at grassroots levels.
Prof Hossain Kabir, cultural activists Shariar Khaled, Pankaj Baiddya, Manash Pal, Mili Chowdhury, Abhijit Chowdhury, Dr Dipankar Dey, journalist Shawkat Bangali, Faruk Taher and Ahmed Munir spoke at the discussion.

Demand for trial of war criminals reiterated
Speakers at a discussion said demand for trial of the war criminals and collaborators has now become the demand of mass people of the country.
They urged the caretaker government to start the process of the trial so that the elected government can not avoid the trial.
They were addressing the concluding session of the four-day Swadhinata Mela (Liberation Fair) at Municipal Model High School on Saturday.
Swadhinata Mela Udjapan Parishad organised the fair.
Actress Kabari Sarwar was the chief guest at the function with former deputy commissioner (DC) Shamsul Hoque in the chair.
Dr Nimchanmdra Bhoumik, who was jailed on charge of creating unrest on the Dhaka University campus last year, was also accorded a reception at the function.
General Secretary of central Muktijoddha Sangsad Md Salahuddin, Chittagong Bar Association President AKM Sirajul Islam, north district commander Md Idris, poet Farida Farhad, freedom fighters Mahiuddin Rashed and Pantu Lal Saha were the special guests.
The speakers said freedom fighters have been united again like of 1971 to raise the demand for trial of the war criminals.
Later, singers Anup Nandi, Maya Chowdhury, Fatema Tuz Johara, Farman Reza, Dilip Hor, Krishna Das and Tanha Matin rendered songs a cultural programme.

Children's festival ends
The two-day children's festival titled Shishu Utsab ended on Saturday amid enthusiasm.
Speakers at a discussion on the occasion urged the guardians to inspire their children for reading books to raise their inherent merits.
Artist Hashem Khan was the chief guest at the discussion with Prof Dr Gazi Saleh Uddin in the chair.
Historian Muntasir Mamun, former Chittagong Press Club (CPC) president Abu Sufian, journalists Shamir Bhattacharjee and Arun Das Gupta and Chamber Director Ferdous Khan Alamgir were the special guests.
Medha Bikash Kendro-Shishuder Pathshala, an organisation for children, organised the festival.
Speakers urged the guardians to grow up their children as good citizens so that they could lead the nation and the country properly in future.
In the second session chaired by Zinnah Chowdhury, the recipients of scholarships received prizes and certificates.
Later poets Sathi Das, Bijon Mazumder, Arun Sen, Nazimuddin Shyamal and Fauzul Kabir recited at a poetry recitation programme.

'Autism is curable’
Experts at a seminar on 'autism' said the disease is curable if it is identified at the initial stage.
Chittagong Maa Shishu O General Hospital organised the seminar at its conference room on Thursday.
Prof Helen Mc Naki of Clinical Psychological department of University of New Castle, United Kingdom presented the keynote paper at the seminar with hospital director Nurul Islam Khan in the chair.
Professor Naila Jaman Khan, head of Neurology Department of Dhaka Shishu Hospital, also spoke at the seminar.
The experts emphasised the coordinated efforts by the government and the non-government organisations to address the autism immediately as the number of autistic baby is increasing everyday in the country.
Later Prof Helen and Prof Naila visited the Child Development Centre and Neurology (Children) Department at the hospital and discussed with the doctors, psychologists and the therapists about the autistic babies at the hospital.

Publication ceremony of album held
Speakers at a publication ceremony of an album said it is essential to discuss the situation prevailed during the War of Liberation to realise the real spirit of the war.
They were addressing the publication ceremony of a sketch album titled 'Ekattore Jolchhe Jokhon Bangladesh' by artist Enayet Hossain.
Academy of Performing Arts and local daily People's View jointly organised the programme at Chittagong Shipakala Academy on Thursday.
Freedom fighter Dr Mahfuzur Rahman was the chief discussant at the ceremony with People's View editor Osman Gani Mazumder in the chair.
Artist Sabih Ul Alam, Faruq-e-Azam Bir Pratik, and Honourary Consul of Japan Nurul Islam were the special guests at the ceremony.
Artist Enayet said he prepared the album to introduce the new generation with the real picture of 1971.