The 42nd founding anniversary of RDRS Bangladesh, a reputed non-government organization, was celebrated in all the seven upazilas in the district on Friday in a befitting manner.To mark the day, the organization chalked out the elaborate programmes cutting cake, arranging sports competition and holding cultural function. At noon, a discussion meeting was also held on the premises of district office of School Feeding Programme of RDRS Bangladesh with programme manager of the organization Porsia Rahman in the chair. Secretary of Gaibandha Press Club Abu Zafar Sabu addressed the function as the chief guest and vice present of the club Sircar M. Shahiduzzaman and executive director of Sinnomul Mohila Samity Murshedur Rahman Khan were present as the special guests while senior social development officer Abdur Rashid conducted the function. Programme manager Porsia Rahman in her introductory speeches said the organization was established in February 08 in 1972 in the name of Rangpur-Dinajpur Relief and Rehabilitation Services in cooperation with donor organization Lutheran World Federation. During its first five years, the organization provided a relief and re-habilitation services to all affected in the war-ravaged comer of north-west Bangladesh, she said. In course of time, the name of the organization was changed in 1976 and its name was kept Rangpur-Dinajpur Rural Service which conducted rural development programme to change the socio-economic condition of the backward poor and backward community, she also said. After two decades in 1997, the organization finally became an independent NGO namely RDRS Bangladesh and since then, it has been working in different sectors including education, agriculture, environment, health, food security, climate change, women empowerment, micro-credit, social awareness and monga mitigation, she added. At present, the organization is working at 689 unions under 98 upazilas of 19 districts of the country and 4,09,752 ultra poor people including women have been brought under different projects so far as beneficiaries, she further added. From 1972 to 2013, the organization received different awards and recognition including Prime Gold Medal for tree plantation, 1992, Helen Keller Recognition in 1995 of integrated homestead farming,National Award for tree plantation, 1997, Rural Development Academy for best rural homestead demonstration, 1997 and Expo Handover, Germany for integrated homestead farming, 2000, sources said. The organization also got Manusher Jonnoy Foundation Award, 2012 for compliance and financial management, The ACT alliance Climate Change Award for 2013 and City Group Award, 2013 for the best micro finance institution and good practice competition award, 2012 for safe home, safe society: stop violence against women, office sources said. The guests in their speeches urged the authorities of RDRS Bangladesh to introduce more welfare projects here to push forward the district towards desired progress and development through changing the socio-economic condition of the targeted people.A large number of people including the officials and field level staff of the organization, federation leaders, invited guests and journalists attended the function. -BSS, Gaibandha
