Vow to provide hands-on to rural people
A two-day seminar concluded here on Saturday evening with a pledge to provide rural people with hands-on for enhancing their quality of life.
The seminar on "Urban-Rural Architectural Linkage" (URAL-1) was held at The Daily Star Centre in the capital on Friday and Saturday.
Speakers at the seminar emphasised engaging interactively the livelihood, society and culture of rural people within the naturalness of their environment and their vernacular habitation, founded on high moral values, best religious practices, Bangalee patriotism, state-of-the art knowledge, and community safety, welfare and progress.
Organised as the first module of GERAMfERA (Global Education Research Awareness Motivation for Empowering Rural Architecture) as part of its 3-module programme to engage youths of urban and rural areas for the development of rural areas, the seminar was addressed by the organisation's chairperson Prof. Dr Shamim Z Bosunia.
Bosunia at the seminar outlined the importance of compatible, durable and economic building materials and technology.
The Daily Star Editor and Publisher Mahfuz Anam admitted the shortcomings of the media's role in putting forward positively the issues affecting Bangladesh's countryside, but he was optimistic about the gradual changes taking place.
Md Habibul Alam, Bir Pratik, speaking on volunteerism and community service, urged the youths to be self-motivated to seek gratification from committing towards the betterment of the society and thereby transform their patriotism to productivity.
Najma Shams highlighted the disadvantageous position of especially rural women, but stressed the need for close cooperation between men and women for overall development.
Major (retd) Quamrul Hassan Bhuiyan, freedom fighter, appealed to the present generation to reap the fruits of independence gifted by the past (his) generation.
Scouter Monir Sarkar, leader trainer, deliberated on the history and culture of rural Bangladesh as well on the intriguing topic of living minimally.
Brig (retd) Dr Mosharrof Hossain reflected on rural health, hygiene and nutrition.
In his lecture on agriculture and economy, Prof Md Hasanuzzaman Akand gave several tips on greater yield, and safer pesticides.
Researcher and poet Nazmin Mortuza brought to light the folk culture of Bangladesh and the diversity spread across people and religion.
Speaking on calamity in rural areas, disaster risk reduction consultant Shashanka Saadi highlighted the plight of people in villages of Bangladesh and possibilities of mitigating difficulties.
The seminar was moderated by Architect Prof Dr Nizamuddin Ahmed, who also made a presentation on GERAMfERA and stressed the need for "vernacular architecture."
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