Dear Fellow Rotarians,
We are at the fag end of the Rotary Year 2007-2008. We served together to demonstrate that Rotary Shares. We also shared Rotary among members of our clubs as also the District and, in fact, the world. This is the last monthly letter of mine.
For me, it was a very eventful year. For you, it was yet another year of service to community and fellowship among the members of the club as also among all the Rotarians of the District. Our service to the community was appreciated, not only by the beneficiaries, but also the people and the leaders of the country and Rotary World.
During our year together, we had both good news and the bad news. First, I mention about some bad news. In August, our country experienced a very devastating flood. But I am happy to note that the Rotary clubs and the Rotarians of Bangladesh came forward to meet the challenge and faced the odds with courage and vigor. With the help of Rotary clubs, the Rotary District 3280 also rendered remarkable service to the suffering humanity. The aftermath of the devastating flood could hardly be settled when the southern part of the country was hit by the gigantic calamity SIDR making a number of administrative districts completely crop less, animal less, houseless making total economic and human disarray.
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It was again a great challenge for the Rotarians of Bangladesh. But they rose to the occasion, and Rotary Clubs and the District both collectively and individually stood by the side of the unfortunate people. Although no financial help was sent as they were busy facing more grim situation in Pakistan, Afghanistan and Sri Lanka, the RI President and TRF Chair sent messages of sympathy for the calamity trodden people.
The bad news also included the loss of lives of some very important and dedicated Rotarians including PDG Rtn. Ozair Farooq. May their souls rest in peace.
The good things included many important programs leading to improvement of quality of life of the materially less fortunate people of the country and image of Rotary.
On the very first day of the year at the Year Launching Ceremony, the Honorable President of the People's Republic of Bangladesh Prof. Dr. lajuddin Ahmed was apprised of the good and remarkable works done by Rotary in Bangladesh and in the world when he came to attend the function as Chief Guest. Earlier, these were widely publicized through a TV talk show in BTV in the peak hour 7:30 the same evening. Two supplements published in the national dailies on the same day contained this information too. The news of the Year Launching Ceremony was put on air by all the TV Channels of the country as also the leading dailies. Besides, on the previous evening (30th June) our news conference was covered by 4 (four) TV Channels and a number of news papers.
The Inauguration of the new District Web Site in a Press Conference in the Press Club on September 13, 2007 was also very well covered by all 6 (six) TV Channels and a number of national dailies.
As a result of this, as also the various works done by you all during the first half of the year such as service during the flood of August-September and SIDR, including donation of Tk. 5 lac to Chief Adviser's Relief Fund and Armed Forces Division's Relief Fund each, The Chief Advisor Dr. Fakhruddin Ahmed profusely praised the activities of Rotary in Bangladesh in the closing session of our District Conference (5th January, 08) which was prominently telecast on all TV Channels and National Dailies. This enhanced the public image of Rotary in a big way. The Foreign Advisor Dr. Iftekhar Ahmed Chowdhury lauded Rotary's contribution to world peace the previous day in the inaugural session of the District Conference.
The Conference also had the distinction of having a galaxy of Speakers from the elites of the country Like the President of Transparency International, Bangladesh Chapter former Advisor Prof. Muzaffar Ahmad, illustrious women rights Advocate former Advisor Sultana Kamal, Prothom Alo Editor Matiur Rahman, Bangladesh Red Crescent Society Chair Prof. M.A. Rob, UNICEF Representative in Bangladesh Mr. Louis-Georges Arsenault, Secretary to the Chief Advisor's Office Mr. Kazi M. Aminul Islam, Foreign Secretary to the Government Mr. M. Touhid Hossain, Health Secretary to the Government Mr. AKM Zafar Ullah Khan.
PDG Manjit Singh Sawhney and his charming wife Rita represented the R.I. President and his spouse respectively.
R.I. President's Visit
The kind comments with comprehensive resume of Rotary activities in Bangladesh and praises of both the Hon'ble President and the Chief Advisor - during the visit of RI President Wilf to them on 18th May proved, beyond doubt, that Rotary and Rotary activities were held in high esteem by all. Both of them thanked Rotary for the support given during the SIDR, other prominent Rotary service like Polio eradication and other pioneering projects like Arsenic mitigation, construction of cyclone shelters etc. President Wilf was visibly impressed and mentioned this at the Press Conference on 19th May, 2008.
RI President Wilfrid J. Wilkinson and RI First Lady Joan Wilkinson's visit to Bangladesh (May 17-19) provided the Rotarians the most coveted opportunity to meet and listen to RI President first hand on the one hand and the Wilf & Joan the occasion to see Rotary at work in Bangladesh. Wilf termed the visit as very successful in the Press Conference arranged on the eve of his departure from Bangladesh. He rated the visit's success "around 10 in a grading of 1-10. This press and electronic media conference as also the visit of R. I. President to the Honorable President and the Chief Advisor was covered by all the TV channels and the main national dailies.
Rotarians in Bangladesh spent more than Tk. 6.5 crore in various welfare activities including relief and rehabilitation work in SIDR & Floods as per entries submitted by clubs for District Award. The actual amount would be much more as the activities of many clubs could not be enumerated owing to non submission of entries.
The District's token donation of Tk. 5 lac each to the Chief Advisor's Relief Fund and the Armed Forces Division Disaster Fund, a joint cooperative project with American Chamber worth Tk. 8 lac for post flood rehabilitation of small poor weavers of Belkuchi of Sirajganj, and the Shelter Boxes sent by Shelter Box UK, worth about Tk. 7 crore under the auspicious of Rotarians of RIBI- are examples of work beyond club level.
The sustained support from the Club Presidents, Assistant Governors, Deputy Governors and, of course, the District Leadership which includes, among others, - DRFCC PDG M Jamaluddin, PDG Zainul Abedin, PDG Selim Reza, DGE M Hafizullah, DGNs Shamsul Huda and Dr. Monzur helped the District to achieve its goals to the extent it was possible. The service of ever-ready-to- help District Secretary Rashed and the amiable District Treasurer Alamgir is worth mentioning. Chairs of all District events did their jobs wonderfully, of course, with the support of the participants, facilitators and guest speakers (special mention must be made of speakers in District Conference - thanks to Conference Chair Ishtiaque).
Leadership Seminar, Award Ceremony were all very well attended and meaningful thanks to their hard work of the respective Chairs along with all members of their committees. The Presidents and members of the organizing clubs also deserve thanks.
A mention must be made of a number of District Committee Chairs who worked hard and with dedication. They were the Training, Publication, TRF Stewardship, Grants, Award, Rotary World Peace Fellowship, Rotary Youth Exchange, Rotaract, Interact, Combat Hunger, Cleft Lip Operation, Arsenic Mitigation & Polio Plus, District Conference, District Assembly, PETS/SETS, GSE. I am grateful to all and each of them. Thank you team mates. PDG Prof. Jalal U Ahmad, Chair, District Publication Committee distinguished himself for the sincerity and dedication with which he performed his responsibility continually and regularly. The distinguished Council of Past Governors always extended their kind support to me. I acknowledge this with humble gratitude.
In the matter of Stewardship of TRF funded activities, the invaluable guidance and help by PRID Noraseth Pathmandnd and PDG Gulam Vahanbaty, the special Advisor and the Asstt. Advisor respectively, and the valuable contribution by all the members of the District Stewardship Committee as also meticulous implementation of the decisions - took the District to a laudable height. This was appreciated by no less than TRF Trustee Board Chair Bob Scott & Vice Chair Mark Maloney. I acknowledge my heartfelt gratitude to PRID Noraseth, PDG Gulam and all the members of the District Stewardship Committee.
We received approval for 16 MG Projects this year worth $ 4,10,000.00 equivalent to approximately Taka two crore eighty seven lac. Two of those have already been completed - the District Literacy Backpack (School Bags with Educational Materials & Umbrella) project - under which 4025 bags were distributed to poor and meritorious girls students of class ix through 58 clubs and the Clothing & Food project of Narayanganj Midtown for students of an orphanage in Narayanganj.
Contribution to TRF crossed $ 100,000.00 mark and the amount is still growing. However, I believe and hope that my dear Team Mates - the Presidents can make all the clubs, who has not contributed any amount yet, - pay some payment - even $ 100 dollar per club and be a contributing club.
Official club visits were the most important and fulfilling events to me as District Governor. I could have practical insight in to the affairs of the clubs - their problems and prospects, potentials and needs of the members. The tremendous zeal and sincerity of the Rotarians to do something for the community and their fellowship really impressed me. However, Member education, to my mind, is the area that should be looked into more seriously by the club and District Leadership. The genuine cordiality, hospitality and the respect shown by the members of the clubs in receiving and attending the DG is something that made me really humble. It was fellowship at its best. I thank you all. Thank you my friends.
I also take this privilege to express my gratitude to Nazera and to all my children, daughter-in-law, son-in-law for their support and encouragement in carrying out my responsibilities in spite of the fact that it deprived them of my company because they too love Rotary. Thank you!
May the Almighty continue to bless us with the ability and the will to always stand by the side of the comparatively unfortunate fellow human being and extend Service Above Self. Wish you all the best.
Yours in Rotary
