The 45th National Cooperatives Day was observed in the country on Saturday through various programmes.
The programmes included rally, hoisting national and cooperatives flags, screening documentary films, electing gates, decorating roads and road islands, discussion meeting, prize distribution and cultural functions.
The theme of the day this year was ‘Somobayer Darshan – Tekshoi Unnyan’ (sustainable development is the viewpoint of cooperatives).
The department of cooperatives had chalked out elaborate programmes to observe the day in a befitting manner.
The main programme in Dhaka began through colourful rally from Matsha Bhaban to Osmani Memorial Auditorium in the morning. State Minister for LGRD and Cooperatives Mashiur Rahman Ranga led the rally.
The rally was followed by hoisting of the national and cooperatives flag on the premises of Osmani Memorial Auditorium. LGRD and Cooperatives Minister Khandaker Mosharraf Hossain raised the national flag while Sate Minister Mashiur Rahman Ranga the cooperatives flag.
The Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina joined the National Cooperatives Day function at Osmani Memorial Auditorium as the chief guest.
Addressing the function, the Prime Minister called for strengthening cooperatives movement in the country, saying cooperatives can play a big role in the socioeconomic development of the nation.
Minister for LGRD and Cooperatives Khandakar Mosharraf Hossain, chairman of the Parliamentary Standing Committee on Ministry of LGRD and Cooperatives Abul Hasnat Abdullah and State Minister for LGRD and Cooperatives Moshiur Rahman Ranga attended the function as the special guests.
Prashanta Kumar Roy, secretary of the Rural Development and Cooperative Division, was in the chair while president of the Cooperatives’ Association of Bangladesh Sheikh Nadir Hossain Lipu and registrar and director general of Department of Cooperatives Mofizul Islam spoke on the occasion.
The Prime Minister distributed the National Cooperative Award, 2014 among five cooperative societies and five individuals in different categories for their outstanding contribution to development of the cooperatives in the country.
The function ended through a cultural programme.
Along with the central programme, the day was observed at upazila, district and divisional levels.
