Muhammad Atiqur Rahman:
The annual ‘Mejban and Chattala Festival’-2025 has been held in Gazipur under the initiative of Greater Chittagong Samity-Gazipur.
On Friday (February 21), a day-long Mejban and Chattala Festival was organized at Hasna Hena Picnic and Shooting Spot in Pubail College Gate area of Gazipur metropolis. Children’s painting, ball throwing in basket, women’s musical chairs, men’s pot breaking, raffle draw, discussion meeting and pleasant cultural programs were organized. It was a festival of food and drink in Chittagong. Food and drink started from 12 noon. It continued till 3 pm.
In the afternoon, the discussion meeting was chaired by Mohammad Sohel Sadat, President of Greater Chittagong Samiti-Gazipur and Chairman of Shin Shin Group, and moderated by Alauddin Ahmed Russell, Executive Member. Religious Advisor Dr. A. F. M. Khalid Hossain spoke as the chief guest.
Fisheries and Livestock Advisor Farida Akhtar spoke as the special guest.
Among others, the following spoke: Former President of the Association and Former Inspector General of Registration (Senior District and Sessions Judge) Md. Shahidul Alam Jhinuk, Former President and Managing Director of Towel Tex Limited Mohammad Shahadat Hossain (Sohel), Former President and Chairman of JCL Group and Managing Director of Fashion Flos Limited Helal Uddin Ahmed, Former General Secretary and Chief Scientific Officer of Bangladesh Agricultural Research Council, Dhaka Dr. Faridul Alam, among others.
The main paper was presented by Dr. Faridul Alam, General Secretary of the Association and Senior Scientific Officer of Bangladesh Rice Research Institute (BRRI), Gazipur. Debjit Roy.
At the beginning, Md. Nazim Hossain recited the Holy Quran, Kartik Debnath recited the Gita, and Bhabatosh Tanchajya recited the Tripitaka.
Present at the time were Vice President-2 M Mahfuzur Rahman, Vice President-3 Sarwar Zaman, Vice President-4 Prabir Kumar Saha, Vice General Secretary-1 Md. Shahjahan, Vice General Secretary-2 Ahmed Hossain, Finance Secretary Md. Shahnewaz Tanvir, Publicity and Publication Secretary Muhammad Abu Taher, Education and Library Secretary Md. Nazim Hossain, Literature and Seminar Secretary Mustafa Iqbal Chowdhury Mukul, Sports Secretary Mohammad Shahnewaz, Cultural Secretary Briten Chowdhury, Office Secretary Mohammad Yusuf Ali, Health and Social Welfare Secretary Mohammad Humayunur Rashid, Women and Children Affairs Secretary Kamrun Nahar Tanzina. Executive Members 1. Kazi Mozammel Haque, 2. Shimul Barua, 3. Md. Manjurul Alam, 4. Md. Jasim Uddin, 5. Alauddin Ahmed Russell, 6. Arafat Sagar, 7. Md. Ejazul Haque, 8. Md. Chanaullah Chowdhury, 9. Md. Rezaul Karim, 10. Md. Azizul Haque, 11. Md. Elias, 12. Md. Ekramul Haque Bhuiyan, 13. Md. Shamimul Hasan, 14. Md. Niazuddin, 15. Md. Mofizuddin, 16. Pintu Das, 17. Syed Abu Solaiman, Duet Student Forum Chittagong (Gangchil) along with the life members of the association, guests and family members, more than a thousand people. Later, the regional cultural program of Chittagong with the performance of musicians and the distribution of prizes among the winners of the raffle draw began. The program continued until evening.
Earlier in the morning, on behalf of the association, the leaders of the association paid tribute to the language martyrs by placing a wreath at the main altar of the Shaheed Minar built in the field on the occasion of International Mother Language Day.
Speaking as the chief guest at the discussion meeting, Religious Advisor Dr. A. F. M. Khalid Hossain said, many students in Chittagong study in Poya Dhaa, there is no rice to eat, no clothes to wear. There are Hindus, Buddhists, Christians, Muslims here and I also give some scholarships to the Ministry of Education or the Ministry of Social Welfare. I give a small amount. They will be able to buy some books, clothes. They will contact me through the association. I am ready to cooperate with all the students of Chittagong who are studying in madrasas, schools, colleges, universities, technical institutes.
In her special guest speech, Fisheries and Livestock Advisor Farida Akhtar said, “We, the advisors, have come to work not only for Chittagong but also for Bangladesh. We have come not to take power, but to fulfill our responsibilities.”
Calling for the protection of Chittagong’s language, the advisor said that the languages spoken by the people of Chittagong are a combination of English, Arabic, Portuguese, and Arakanese. On Mother Language Day, I would like to say that Chittagong’s language is one of the best languages.
She said that like other places in the country, the people of Chittagong in Gazipur are involved in various reputable businesses and are playing a huge role in the country’s economy.
She also said that many people were martyred in the Bayanno Language Movement, the great Liberation War of 1971, and
the July-August uprising of 2024. However, most of those who lost their lives in the 24th are young people. When the people of Bangladesh were in a state of suffocation; they could not do anything, at that time the young people saved us – made us free.
Advisor Farida Akhtar said, Chittagong is the land of Auli-Auliya on one hand and the birthplace of Shefali Ghosh, Shyam Sundar Vaishnav, Ramesh Shil on the other, and we are proud of it.
She said, “When we talk about Chittagong’s problems and pride, they don’t understand anything except the host.” Maheshkhali paan has special qualities and is a GI product. The qualities of paan here are not found in any other paan in the country. Maheshkhali paan is our wealth and we have to come forward to protect it.
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