Md. From Manikganj. Masudur Rahman
The day-long International Children’s Day was celebrated at the Manikganj District Sports Association auditorium with the slogan ‘I want a safe and pesticide-free childhood for children’.
Prof. Jagadish Chandra Malo presided over the function and Md. Shafiqul Islam, Deputy Director, Local Government Branch of the district was present as the chief guest. In addition, more than a hundred children and parents from BARCIK’s working areas (Singair and Manikganj municipalities) participated in the Children’s Day program.
‘Once we were all children’ said the chief guest at a free dialogue on Children’s Day. ‘We all have children in our house. The children are the leaders of the future. We have a responsibility to build a secure future for our children’-he added. He went on saying, ‘Parents need to make sure that toys, food and clothing are free from harmful ingredients when they handover them to their children. Harmful chemicals are a threat not only to children but also to the health of adults. Children need time and importance from our part.’
SAC’s Executive Director Advocate. Deepak Ghosh said, ‘Now a days, we are so busy that we do not have time to allow children to talk with us and we seldom allow them to sing and play which crate a distance between us and the children. It is our responsibility to create free air, safe food and safe environment for children.’
Ms Laxmi Chatterjee a women right activist said, “Due to being busy wee many times buy food for our children in the market and shop which is not hygienic and safe for children. She asserts, ‘We have to make food suitable for the children so that they are not exposed to chemical mixed foods. We should give them a chemical free safe childhood.’
Lecturer Basudeb Saha, eminent sports organizer Sudeb Saha, Md. Iqbal Hossain, BARCIK’s director Pavel Pertha and central coordinator Jahangir Alam also spoke on in the event and shared their concerns regarding giving a safe and chemical free world for the children.
Earlier, after the welcome speech of Bimal Roy, Regional Coordinator of BARCIK, the children who came at the beginning of the day’s celebration enlivened the day by reciting poems and singing songs. In addition, uncultivated food plants which are safe was introduced to children and the experienced farmers who conserve these plants shared regarding the nutritional value of these food plants.
However, the children were found very happy having the opportunity to display their art works at the gallery which they have been preparing for a week.
Translated by Silvanus Lamin