Pledges pour in from across country

Three teams, each comprising five people, visited six districts of the country by three vehicles to collect pledges for changes from people from all walks of life in six districts yesterday as every single pledge can contribute to the change in society.
With the slogan 'Bodle Jao, Bodle Dao' (Change yourself, change others), leading vernacular daily the Prothom Alo sent the vehicles from its Dhaka office on Thursday as part of its 10th anniversary with a view to bringing about positive changes in society.
The teams covered Kishoreganj, Habiganj, Jamalpur, Sherpur, Barisal and Jhalakathi districts. The caravans will reach Moulvibazar, Sylhet, Patuakhali, Barguna and Mymensingh today.
On weekend holiday, people participated in the campaign amid much enthusiasm and signed their 'pledges' either to promote good work or do something to eliminate bad practices.
In Kishoreganj, cross section of people wrote their pledges on six banners in Kishoreganj town and on another banner at Katiyadi upazila.
“I would never take fee from any freedom fighter,” physician Sushil Kumar took an oath in Kishoreganj, while newspaper hawker promised that he would never drop litter everywhere but to throw them into dustbins.
Like them, others promised to speak in pure Bangla, not to get on the train without ticket, not to misuse gas and electricity, to read book on liberation war every day to know its history.
Promises were also written on four banners in Habiganj where people expressed that they would not take dowry, throw acid, smoke and take strong position against corruption.
Young people promised that they would not talk over phone during midnight.
In Jamalpur, people promised to fight repression and injustice to women and children and keep their area neat and clean.
There was hardly any space in four banners set up in Sherpur as people wrote their promises like “We would take steps for educating domestic helps and giving up smoking.”
Teachers, lawyers, writers and people of caste and creed converged on the footstep of 'Chetona', a sculpture of liberty, in Sherpur.
Rickshaw puller Habib of Barisal cannot write. But he with the help of a young chap wrote on the banner that he would never harass any passenger. Like Habib, people in Barisal city promised to play a role in saving environment, study regularly and never violate parents' words.
In Jhalakathi, the pledge collection campaign started with a song. Biswasjit Das vowed that he would not take dowry during his marriage. Another youth Roni promised that he would never give any missed call to anyone without any reason.
Mozammel Ali Howlader of Bankura village promised to plant saplings at unused lands at his union on his own costs.
Like them, thousands of people signed on the banners with the vows of bringing positive changes in their personal lives, families as well as in society.
The pledge inscribed banners will be put on display at the Cox's Bazar sea beach in the third week of June.
The Prothom Alo launched the fortnight-long campaign on May 21 to encourage individuals across the country to make pledges to change themselves or others.