<i>Sundarbans books final berth, Cox's Bazar in waiting list</i>
Tourism Promotion Association takes out a procession from Teacher-Student Centre at Dhaka University yesterday with a call to vote for the Sundarbans and Cox's Bazar to ensure their positions among the new seven wonders of nature.Photo: STAR
The Sundarbans, world's largest single block of tidal halophytic and salt-tolerant mangrove forest, was at last selected for the final round of the competition for being among seven wonders of nature on Tuesday night.
Another marvel of the country Cox's Bazar, the largest natural sea beach in the world, has been kept in the waiting list.
The Sundarbans has been selected to compete along with 27 other countries of the world for the final round of competition as announced by the Switzerland-based New Seven Wonders Foundation.
The results of the second round of votes to select the new seven wonders of nature were announced from Bern, the capital city of Switzerland, at 7:10pm (BST), said the member secretary.
Sundarbans Supporters' Committee (SSC) Bangladesh Convener Liakat Ali and Member Secretary Rafiqul Islam Khokan said the Sundarbans was named in the final list of 28 countries to retain its position as one of the seven wonders of nature after vying with 441 participants of 222 nations across the globe in the 2nd round early this month.
SSC sources said the voting for the final round to select the wonders of nature began yesterday which will continue till 2011 through e-mails and other online voting systems.
Liakat Ali, also the editor of the Dainik Purbanchal, and Rafiqul Islam visited India on November 3 last year as part of their hectic campaign to seek votes for the Sundarbans.
They met ministers of West Bengal state government, leaders of several development organisations and members of Kolkata Press Club and held separate meetings with them to mobilise their opinion and inspire them to launch campaigns in favour of the forest so that it can secure a place among the probable seven wonders.
Inaugurating a spectacular cultural show on Tuesday, Editor and Publisher of The Daily Star Mahfuz Anam also informed the enthusiastic audience of the Sundarbans' berth in the final round of the competition after winning its second round.
The spectacular show was held at Zia Hall as part of the five-day programme of 'Celebrating Life' which is a joint-venture initiative of The Daily Star and Standard Chartered Bank.
The Dainik Purbanchal and non-government organisation Rupantar have been playing a key role for the last one year in launching campaigns to help the world's largest mangrove forest retain its position among seven wonders of world.
“Our hectic campaigns have not after all gone in vain as the Sundarbans, the pride of 300 crore people of Asia, has been selected for the final round,” said both convener and member secretary of the organisation.
They called on the countrymen to cast their votes wholeheartedly in the final round.
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