The week that was

A visitor looks at photographs displayed in an exhibition titled “Smile” by Didarul Alam Chowdhury at Alliance Francaise auditorium in the port city of Chittagong on Thursday. Photo: STAR

Call to follow DAP to upgrade Chittagong city
Speakers at a roundtable in the port city on Saturday called for carrying out infrastructural development and urbanisation following the Detailed Area Plan (DAP) to upgrade Chittagong as commercial capital and ensure urban facilities.
They stressed the need for coordinated efforts by the government and non-government organisations, involving the people through creating awareness.
Society for Social Study -- a social, economic and political research organisation -- organised the roundtable at Theatre Institute Chittagong (TIC) auditorium.
The speakers at the roundtable urged the authorities concerned for developing infrastructure and urban facilities including housing, education healthcare services under short, medium and long-term projects following the master plan.
They also emphasised the need for involving the people to help manage waste, water and sewerage system and save the city from environmental degradation.
Bangladesh Institute of Planners (BIP) President Engineer Ali Ashraf, Chittagong Port former project director Sirajul Islam, CDA Chief Town Planner Shahinul Islam Khan and Chittagong City Corporation Chief Architect Rezaul Karim spoke at the roundtable.
Architect Bishwajit Barua presented the keynote paper at the roundtable with Society for Social Study President Kazi Mahmud Imam Bilu in the chair.

Photo exhibition begins
An eight-day solo photographic exhibition titled “Smile” began at Alliance Francaise, Chittagong gallery in the port city on Thursday.
As many as 36 photos of smiling faces of people of all walks of life have been displayed at the exhibition by Didarul Alam Chowdhury, an artiste of Photo Bank of Chittagong.
Alliance Francaise Chittagong Director Dr Samuel Berthet attended as the chief guest at the inaugural ceremony where Photobank Gallery Director Shoeb Faruquee was the special guest.
Alliance Francaise Chittagong organised the exhibition.
Didarul, who won five awards from different photographic exhibition abroad, chose the rare theme with a message for everyone to be happy and always smiling.

Training on skill development held
A programme was held on Friday providing training on industry-oriented skill development and knowledge on basic business processes of strategic procurement and procurement planning.
Chittagong Skills Development Centre (CDSC) -- an industry-driven skills training institute and Public Private Partnership -- organised the programme at Chittagong Club Guest House Complex.
Muhammad Azizur Rahman, head of procurement of Brac, conducted the programme emphasising aligning purchasing decisions with corporate objective.
The programme also provided participants with practical business tools to design and develop strategic procurement action plan and effective implementation strategy through demonstration of performance measurement techniques, including strategic maturity assessment.
Fourteen corporate trainees from MM Ispahani, PHP Group, Sunman Group, Coats Bangladesh, Lub-rref Bangladesh Ltd, UCEP, Aramit Group, Super Refinery Pvt Ltd and AKK Group participated in the programme.
Former state minister for forest and environment Jafrul Islam Chowdhury MP distributed certificates as the chief guest among the participants.

Tk 1 lakh for CEITC
Bangladesh Mahila Parishad Central Committee Member Noorjahan Khan handed over a cheque for Tk 1 lakh to CEITC Managing Trustee Prof Dr Rabiul Hussain on Wednesday for setting up a bed in the name of her late husband Saifuddin A Khan, a freedom fighter and social worker, at Chittagong Eye Infirmary and Training Complex (CEITC).
While receiving the cheque Prof Rabiul said such a donation would inspire other well-off people of the society to come forward to the aid of the distressed humanity and encourage service-oriented organisations to strengthen activities.

600 patients get free treatment
Robi, a leading mobile phone operator, held a health camp titled “Shustho Nari, Shustho Paribar” providing healthcare service to the underprivileged women and children in the port city on Tuesday.
Around 600 women and children were given free medical treatment -- consultancy and medicine -- at the health camp at Pahartoli College in collaboration with Marie Stopes. The patients were also enlisted and given health cards to enjoy discount in treatment at Marie Stopes clinics.
“Shustho Nari, Shustho Poribar” is a part of Robi's year-long programme under Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR). Under the programme health camps were also held in Dhaka and Rangpur. Robi plans to reach healthcare services to all corners of the country under the programme.
Mohiuddin Babar, Head of Communication & Media Relations of Robi, MM Ershad, deputy director of Family Planning, Chittagong, Dr Mohammad Sharif, additional director of Clinical Contraception, Md Shahed Kamal, programme officer (management) of Marie Stopes, local ward councilor Md Mahfuzul Alam and female ward councillor Arju Shahabuddin were present on the occasion.