Bashundhara Shuvosangho holds children's competitions and prize giving at Dakshin Gailjani Primary School in Ullapara

The Ullapara upazila branch of Bashundhara Shuvosangho held competitions and a prize-giving ceremony to develop children's talent, intellect and creativity at Dakshin Gailjani Government Primary School in Bangala Union, Ullapara upazila of Sirajganj. The event was held at the school on Thursday (12 November).

Students from different classes of the school took part in the competitions, arranged to give children a chance to show their talent in a joyful environment alongside their studies. The programme included drawing, poetry recitation, dance, song and an intelligence test, among other competitions. Organisers said the children's participation turned the school premises festive.

The chief guest at the event was Ullapara Upazila Primary Education Officer Mostafizur Rahman. He said the Shuvosangho initiative to develop and encourage disadvantaged children's talent was commendable. Distributing educational materials among the winners would make children more interested in their studies, he commented.

Mostafizur Rahman called for such activities to continue for disadvantaged students in remote areas. Such initiatives would also play an important role in improving the quality of primary education, he said.

The school's head teacher Shalki Rani said she had not seen such a creative event in her 26 years of teaching. Such programmes are effective in developing children's talent, she commented, adding that holding them every year would encourage students further. She thanked Bashundhara Shuvosangho.

Rabiul Alam, chief adviser of the Shuvosangho's Ullapara branch, said the organisation has long run various service and social activities under the slogan ‘Shuvo Kaje Sobar Pashe’. This competition was arranged as a continuation of that work to develop children's talent and creativity. He expressed hope that such activities would continue in different educational institutions of the upazila.

Tasin, a Class Five student who took part, said he was happy to join the drawing, recitation, song and dance competitions. Mosammat Zakia Khatun of Class Four said she liked the event very much and that much can be learned from such programmes. Mosammat Ayesha Khatun of Class Three also expressed joy at taking part.

Conducted by journalist Ataur Rahman Raju, the event was also attended by Assistant Upazila Education Officer Tarikul Islam and head teacher Shalki Rani as special guests, along with the branch's general secretary ShahAlam Sarkar, organising secretary Monirul Islam, members Sharmila Swapna, Shamima Afroze and Alomoni, and other members of the organisation.

After the competitions, the guests handed prizes and educational materials to the winning students in different categories.