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Country News
Step to Humanity Association and Akram Joma Forge Collaborative Partnership for Empowerment
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Calgary, Canada - August 24, 2023: This morning, a pivotal joint meeting took place between Akram Joma, the largest Islamic center in Western Canada, and The Step to Humanity Association from British Columbia. Mohannad Hajjo, Program Coordinator of Akram Joma, along with Moazzam Hossain, General Secretary of The Step to Humanity Association and Delwar Jahid a distinguished figure with a rich background in freedom fighting, and academia, convened to underscore the significance of collaborative initiatives that will drive positive change.In this coming together of visionaries, both organizations highlighted their commitment to undertaking partnership projects that will have a transformative impact. Delwar Jahid, an influential representative of The Step to Humanity Association, remarked on the organization's global efforts to uplift underprivileged communities in developing countries, most notably in Bangladesh. Their achievements encompass an array of endeavors including skill development training, educational scholarships, medical aid, clean water provisions, and emergency relief support. Jahid extended an invitation to both entities, inviting them to embark on a collective journey of empowerment and sustainable development. He stressed that by working collaboratively, the potential exists to create a lasting and affirmative change in the lives of the less fortunate. Jahid also highlighted an ongoing research initiative by the Coastal 19 Group in Bangladesh, in collaboration with the Bangladesh North American Journalist Network and with the support of Step to Humanity Association. This endeavor is aligned with their commitment to undertaking projects that foster positive change on a substantial scale.Moazzem Hossain, an accomplished agriculturist, echoed the sentiment of impactful change by acknowledging Step to Humanity Association's track record. Over the years, the association has successfully executed a variety of projects that have significantly improved the well-being of marginalized communities across developing countries like Bangladesh, India, Nigeria, and Pakistan. These initiatives encompass skill development, education, medical aid, clean water provision, and emergency relief efforts. Highlighting the "Empowering Women through Goat Rearing and Breeding in Bangladesh" initiative, Hossain noted that the association has provided sustainable livelihood opportunities to 300 families through goat distribution and training. The "Cataract Surgery and Awareness on Blindness in Bangladesh" project, having performed 100 cataract surgeries, stands as a testament to their dedication to transformative healthcare.
Mohannad Hajjo, Program Coordinator of Akram Joma, shed light on the center's role as an integral part of the charitable Muslim Community Foundation. Serving a vibrant community of over 25,000 Muslims in the Calgary Northeast region, Akram Joma prioritizes a range of events and initiatives spanning religious, educational, social, and faith-based domains. The center not only offers advanced education but also fosters unity, compassion, and peace among Muslims and non-Muslims alike.
Hajjo extended a heartfelt call to Step to Humanity, inviting them to propose partnership projects that would align their shared values and amplify their efforts toward empowerment and sustainable development. This collective endeavor is poised to chart a course of meaningful change and impact, setting a model for collaboration that uplifts and transforms lives.
Bangladesh gets Digital Cooperation Organization membership
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DHAKA, Sept 20, 2023 (BSS) - Bangladesh has become a member of the Digital
Cooperation Organization (DCO), a global multilateral body that aims to
enable digital prosperity for all by accelerating the inclusive growth of the
digital economy.
Bangladesh formally accepted the membership of the DCO yesterday at
Bangladesh permanent mission to the United Nations in New York, an ICT
Division press release said today.
To this end, State Minister for ICT Junaid Ahmad Palak signed the charter, on
behalf of Bangladesh, for becoming a DCO member state.
Speaking on the occasion, Palak said the Digital Cooperation Organization has
a huge market of 800 million people living in about 15 countries and
Bangladesh officially became a member of DCO.
"As we became a member of DOCOI, now scopes have been created for us for
availing four opportunities. The first one is that there will be an
opportunity to do business with digital entrepreneurship startups in
Bangladesh. Secondly, opportunity will be created to invest in Bangladesh
from different countries. Third, Bangladesh's cyber security will be
strengthened through mutual cooperation of 15 member state," he said.
Fourth, the state member said, works continue on startup passport - meaning
that startups of one country can work in the 15 countries.
DCO Secretary-General Deemah Al Yahya and Bangladesh's Access to Information
(A2I) Policy Advisor Anir Chowdhury were, among others, present.
Nation celebrates Pahela Baishakh amid festivity
- Details
DHAKA, April 15, 2017 (BSS) - Thousands of people thronged the streets and different popular places in the capital and elsewhere across the country as the nation yesterday celebrated its most colourful and traditional festival Pahela Baishakh to welcome the Bangla New Year 1424.
Cultural and musical groups started off the first day of the Bangla year with songs and other performances at city parks while students of the Institute of Fine Arts of Dhaka University and youngsters brought out a "Mongol Shobhajatra" (procession of good wishes) in the morning as part of the carnival.
The day broke with the chirping of birds as usual, but the singing of "Esho hey Baishakh esho esho" everywhere in Bangladesh gave the day really a festive dimension.
Men in traditional pajamas and 'punjabi' and women in white and red saris joined the celebrations along with children in colourful attires, streaming through Dhaka streets as the first light of the sun rang in Bangla New Year.
National dailies have brought out colourful supplements while state-run Bangladesh Television and Bangladesh Betar and private TV channels and radio stations aired special programmes to mark the occasion. Festive mood gripped all major cities and towns with different programmes of cultural groups.
Ramna Batamul appeared as the main attraction of the New Year celebrations as "Chhayanaut" and other cultural groups have been staging traditional functions since morning.
The day was a public holiday.
President Abdul Hamid and Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina in separate messages greeted the countrymen on the occasion of Pahela Baishakh.
They wished peace, happiness and prosperity of the people and the country in the New Year.
The traditional Mangol Shovajartas (processions of good wishes) were also brought out at divisional, district and upazila levels to reach the traditional programme to grassroots as it earned the UNESCO recognition.
However, business communities, especially in the rural areas opened their traditional 'Halkhata', new account books to mark the day.
Important buildings and establishments as well as city streets and islands were illuminated with colourful lights and graffiti were painted in the walls signifying the arts, culture and heritage of the country.
Sammilita Sangskritik Jote organised solo and chorus folk music, dance and recitation of poems at Mirpur, Dania, Rayerbazar and different places in the capital city in the afternoon.
Bangla Academy staged cultural function and solo lecture at Rabindra-Chattar on the premises of the academy since 7.30am while a 10-day book-fair titled "Boier Arang" began marking the festival.
Besides, Bangladesh Small and Cottage Industries Corporation and Bangla Academy organizesd a 10-day Baishakhi Fair on the academy premises.
Dhakeswai National Temple also organized fair while Jatiya Press Club arranged a variety of traditional food items for the members and their family on the club premises. Dhaka Reporters' Unity also arranged identical programme.
Intensified security measure was ensured across the country including capital Dhaka to avert any untoward incident on Pahela Baishakh celebration.
Ramna Park and Suhrawardi Udyan areas have been taken under complete CCTV surveillance while Police in uniform and in undercover were deployed in and around the function arenas including Ramna Park. Visitors entered the venue through archways and metal detector checking, witnesses said.
Watchtowers have been installed in all the important places to monitor the movement of people while DMP also supplied pure drinking water to citizens and organized blood donation camp.
The local administrations arranged procession, cultural functions, village fairs and discussions at the divisional, district and upazilla levels on the occasion.
Improved diets of Banglee food was distributed among the inmates of jails, hospitals and orphanages in the capital and elsewhere across the country.
Cultural functions were also arranged at jails and orphanages across the country.
Bangladesh National Museum, Bangladesh Folk and Craft Arts Foundation, and archaeological sites under Department of Archaeology remained open for children, students and persons with disabilities to visit free of cost.
All educational institutions of the country including Rajshahi, Chittagong and Jahangirnagar universities also celebrated the day separately with enthusiasm and traditional gaiety.
Reports reaching here said Pahela Baishakh was also celebrated in Chittagong, Khulna, Rajshahi, Sylhet, Barisal, Jhalokathi, Rangpur, Faridpur, Madaripur, Gopalganj, Shariatpur, Mymensingh, Habiganj, Magura, Narayanganj, Munshiganj, Rangamati, Bagerhat, Kurigram, Kushtia, Joypurhat, Panchagarh, Khagrachhari, Laxmipur, Moulvibazar, Natore, Narail, Shariatpur and other districts amid huge enthusiasm.
According to historical records, celebrations of Pahela Baishakh, the first day of the Bangla Calendar Year, started from Emperor Akbar's reign when it was customary to clear all dues on the last day of the Bengali month of Chaitra with businessmen opening "halkhata" or new book of accounts in their shops.
In line with the tradition, the rural Bangladesh, with people thoroughly scrubbing and cleaning the homes, bathing early in the morning and dressing in fine clothes, rises with a new hope on this day.
Subcategories
- Additional Resources:
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- Agro-Ocean
- Bangabandhu Development and Research Institute (BRDI)
- Bangabandhu's Bangladesh
- Bangladesh Heritage
- Bangladesh North American Journalists Network
- Bangladesh Heritage and Ethnic Society of Alberta (BHESA)
- Coastal 19
- Delwar Jahid's Biography
- Diverse Edmonton
- Dr. Anwar Zahid
- Edmonton Bichitra
- Edmonton Oaths
- Motherlanguage Day in Canada
- Samajkantha News
- Step to Humanity Bangladesh