The Week That Was
Members of Prama Abritti Sangathan recite at a function marking the May Day organised by different cultural organisations at the open stage of DC Hill on Thursday (left); Visitors flip through the books at a book fair organised by University Press Limited at Studio Theatre in the port city on Sunday (right).Photo: STAR
Hadi made CPA member
Md Hadi Hussain took the office of Member (Admin and Planning), one of the four posts of Chittagong Port Authority (CPA).
He is the first person to be appointed to the new post of member proposed in 1995.
Hadi, former chief of planning of CPA, started his career as a first class officer in 1977.
Hadi participated in courses, workshops and international seminars on port management and port planning in different countries like the USA, the UK, the Netherlands, Belgium, Germany, Malaysia, Sri Lanka and India.
Hadi, freedom fighter, was conferred honorary citizenship by the Mayor of Orleans city in the USA for his outstanding performance in 1997. He is also a life member of Bangladesh Statistical Association.
FFs demand allowance
Freedom fighters at a meeting on Thursday demanded allowance for them and extension of the age limit to 65 years for retirement.
They said only some of the distressed freedom fighters are getting honorarium, but around 9,000 employee freedom fighters do not get any honorarium or recognition from the state.
The demands were made at a meeting of Chittagong Port Institutional Command Muktijoddha Sangsad at Bandar Thana Command Office.
The Chittagong Divisional Institutional Command Samannaya Parishad Convener Fazal Ahmed was the chief guest at the meeting with Joynal Abedin in the chair.
The Parishad Member Secretary Abul Kashem Bhuiyan and freedom fighters Harunur Rashid, Mohammad Abu Zafar Azad, Humayun Kabir, Syed Mahmudul Haque, Mohammad Ali Mintu, Abdur Razzak, Abdul Quddus Patwari, Rabbani Mian and Kalu Mian spoke at the meeting.
Community police launched
Speakers on Sunday called upon all to come forward and wage a social movement alongside the police force to build a modern society.
They made the call at the inaugural ceremony of the “Community Policing Activities” in city's Fishery Ghat area.
Sonali Jantrik Samabaya Samity organised the ceremony where Chittagong Metropolitan Police (CMP) Deputy Commissioner Mostafa Kamal was present as the chief guest.
Speakers said fish traders have a great contribution to country's economy and police have to ensure their security.
CMP Kotwali Zone Assistant Commissioner Babul Akter, organisations' leaders Prof Kazi Mohammad Saif Rahman, Mohammad Ali Sawdagar, Babul Sarker and Mohammad Selim also spoke at the function.
Later, Mostafa Kamal handed over uniforms, batons and whistles to 14 members of the community police.
Trust Bank naval branch opens
A new branch of Trust Bank Limited was inaugurated at the BNS Issa Khan Naval Base in the port city on Sunday.
Bangladesh Navy Chief Vice Admiral Sarwar Jahan Nizam inaugurated the branch.
Navy chief hoped that the new branch would help social and economic development of the area.
The Bank Managing Director Iqbal U Ahmed, other bank and naval officials were present at the function.
Scholarship giving ceremony held
Chittagong City Corporation (CCC) Acting Mayor M Manjur Alam said kindergarten schools have been playing a vital role in expanding the primary education in the country.
“If the pace can be kept uninterrupted we would be able to achieve our ultimate goals,” he said.
He was addressing the prize and scholarship giving ceremony of Bangladesh Kindergarten Association Chittagong Divisional Unit at Chittagong Zila Parishad auditorium on Wednesday.
The unit President Mohammad Didarul Islam presided over the ceremony while the association Central Secretary General Iskandar Ali Hawlader was the key speaker.
World Press Freedom Day observed
Speakers on Saturday emphasised the need for press freedom as it helps ensure transparency, accountability and good governance in a country.
“Though right to expression is a fundamental right but all the governments always tried to control the media in different ways,” they said.
They were addressing a discussion organised marking the World Press Freedom Day at Chittagong Academy auditorium. Sushasoner Jonney Procharavijan (Campaign for Good Governance) Chittagong chapter organised the discussion.
Local Daily Suporabhat Bangladesh Chief Reporter M Nasirul Haque presided over the discussion while the organisation Assistant Secretary Mohammad Harun presented the key-note paper.
Speakers said journalists have been providing objective news to the people risking their lives and right to information is badly needed to ensure the access to the government information.
They underscored the need for taking steps from the government to ensure security of the newsmen.
Chittagong Union of Journalists' (CUJ) General Secretary Nazimuddin Shyamal, Daily Sangbad Chittagong Bureau Chief Hasan Ferdous, organisation member Dr Syed Didarul Munir Rubel, Advocate Jane Alam and Prof Mohammad Jahangir spoke at the discussion.
6 tubewells set up
Bangladesh Muslim Welfare Society and Hazi Abdur Razzak Foundation jointly set up six tubewells at city's Pathar Ghata ward.
The initiative aimed at addressing the ongoing water crisis that has been experiencing by the city dwellers since the beginning of the summer.
Founder of the Society M Nazim Uddin launched the project on Friday while the Society Vice Chairman Ismail Bali, Abu Mohammad Jamal, Abdul Ahad Azad, Mohammad Manhur Mian, Didarul Alam Diadar and Abul Hasnat Manik were present.