President M Abdul Hamid on Monday urged scout leaders, guardians, teachers and public representatives to come forward to build efficient future leadership through scout movement. “Scouts are change-makers…inspire the children, teenagers and youths in scouting as it can play a significant role in grooming new generation as a modern, progressive and creative nation,” he said while addressing the 47th Annual General Meeting (AGM) of the National Council of Bangladesh Scouts at Krishibid Institution Bangladesh (KIB) here.
The President, also the Chief of Bangladesh Scouts, said: “Selfishness, jealousy, greediness and moral degradation are putting negative impact on the children-juveniles…simultaneously worldwide terrorism, militancy and misuse of technology are also misleading them. The scout movement can play an effective role in this regard”.
He emphasised intensifying the institution-based scouting activities at all vicinities and colonies to make the new generation ideal and worthy citizens.
Abdul Hamid also stressed making new generation self-confident, patriot, service-oriented and good citizens with good character, which will help turn the Father of Nation Bangabandhu Sheikh Mujibur Rahman’s “Sonar Bangla” into a science- and ICT-based “Digital Bangladesh”.
Noting that an obliging and volunteer scout can attain affection and love of all, the President said simultaneously scouting can play an effective role in different welfare activities, including ensuring safe road, gearing up anti-militancy and drug campaign, ensuring health services, electricity and sanitation, tree plantation and saving environment. He said the scout leaders must inspire children, juveniles and youths to be educated with moral and practical education, being imbued with the patriotism.
“Let the scouts know the actual history of country’s struggle of independent and liberation war.”
Abdul Hamid lauded the initiatives of scouts as work continues to increase its members to 2.1 million from existing 1.7 million in line with the ‘Bangladesh Scouts National Strategic Plan 2021’. He expressed his heartiest congratulations to the award recipients who were conferred with different scout awards for their outstanding contribution to the recent scout movement.
“Try and leave this world a little better than you found it”, the President quoted Robert Stephenson Smyth Baden-Powell, the modern scouting movement founder, as saying.
He hoped that the scouts would contribute more to the country’s socioeconomic development in line with the global scout movement. Education Minister Nurul Islam Nahid, Planning Minister AHM Mustafa Kamal, Primary and Mass Education Minister Mostafizur Rahman, Bangladesh Scouts President Abul Kalam Azad, Chief National Commissioner of Bangladesh Scouts Dr M Mozammel Haque Khan were, among others, present on the occasion.
