Call to raise awareness to combat AIDS

17 June 2010, 18:00 PM

Metro Desk

Bitopi Das Chowdhury, head of Corporate Affairs, Standard Chartered Bank, speaks at a seminar on 'Confronting AIDS challenges of the 21st Century: The student community' at the People's University of Bangladesh recently. Photo: Courtesy

Speakers at a seminar called for raising awareness among the youths and vulnerable groups about HIV/AIDS risk factors to prevent epidemic of the deadly disease in the country. The Trust for Social development (TSD) organised the seminar on 'Confronting AIDS challenges of the 21st Century: The student community' at the People's University of Bangladesh recently. Standard Chartered Bank supported the event as part of their global initiative titled 'Let's Fight HIV Together' More than 150 students and faculty members took part in the participatory seminar. They expressed their concern that available information was rather inadequate to understand the HIV/AIDS in a meaningful way. They also stressed the need for youth-friendly atmosphere for accessing counseling and treatment of infections. They also pledged voluntary blood donation so that safe blood are available for blood transfusion. Vice Chancellor of People's University Dr Aslam Bhuiyan, TSD Chief Executive Luthfur R Choudhury and Head of Corporate Affairs of Standard Chartered Bank Bitopi Das Chowdhury spoke at the seminar. The technical sessions were conducted by Dr Hashrat Ara Begum, medical adviser, Asia Marie Stops Clinic, and Ahmed Farooq, executive director of Chesta.