Dr. Muhammad Mahtab Hossain Mazed

Today Thursday is World Frugal Day'2024. This day is observed on 31 October every year. The day is celebrated with a call to be thrifty. Every year on this day everyone is reminded to be frugal for the welfare of family and nation. The day was started in 1924 according to a decision taken at the First World Congress of representatives of various savings banks held in Milan. Since then savings banks have been celebrating the day internationallyThis day is mainly observed with the intention of drawing public attention to the importance of thrift and savings. The day is also officially celebrated in Bangladesh every year and the National Savings Directorate undertakes various programs on the occasion. On the occasion of the day, various voluntary-social and political organizations of the country hold various programs. According to experts, frugality means moderation in spending or spending according to income. Moderation in expenditure also means frugality. Every year, about 130 million tons of food is wasted in the world, which is about 60 lakh crores in Bangladeshi currency. But every day in the world 170 million people spend their days in a state of hunger. The upper class of the society waste food worth billions of rupees. And the people on the side of the road have to pay for it. In 1921, the initiative to observe 'National Savings Day' was first taken in Spain and the United States. Later in 1924 a conference was held in Milan, Italy. Representatives of banks from different countries of the world were present there. Representatives of 29 countries to strengthen the global economy; Agreed to increase the trend of saving according to people's comfort and to give idea of saving in people's mind. The last day of this international conference is declared as World Frugal Day. The next year in 1925, the first World Thrift Day was observed. Currently, the day is observed in more than 80 countries of the world. Thrift is a special quality of human character. On the other hand, extravagance is a major symptom of poverty. Every person should be frugal. The need for this trait is immense to make life successful. If resources are spent considering the needs, just as one's own welfare is done, surplus wealth can be used for the greater welfare of the people. So frugality is good for individual and national life. People acquire wealth and accumulate it. Saving is a natural tendency of humans. Humans not only accumulate wealth but also spend it. In fact, money is earned for spending, people spend money to meet various needs of life. We have to remember that the expenditure is in line with the income. If the aspect of income and expenditure is not taken into consideration, there will be financial crisis as well as endless misery in daily life. A king's treasury may be exhausted one day only if the avenue of expenditure is open. That's why it's said 'Gather with two hands, spread with one hand'. Dear readers brothers and sisters, you all know this popular saying, spend wisely. The true identity of a man is found in how he spends his earned money. We all become more or less unaccountable while meeting the demands of the family. And there are many who do not make any calculations while spending. Such tendencies never bring goodness to life. That's why the poet says: 'He who lights a candle in his heart on public day / He will not see a candle in his house soon.' A lot of money is wasted in the hands of the extravagant and the hands are empty in the day of great need. Extravagance wreaks havoc on individual lives, and causes irreparable damage to social and national life. Therefore, while spending resources, the need and rationality of spending should be considered. The resources earned in return for hard work should not be wasted. And through the appropriate use of resources, happiness can be enjoyed in life. There is a special need for frugality in life as it can benefit the people. Human income generation cannot be expected to be at the same pace forever. There are obstacles and conflicts in human life. In our world there is sorrow, there is danger, there is insult and humiliation; Here are the frowns of fear and danger, the pangs of despair, the sorrowful gloom of defeat, and the heart-rending blows of grief and sorrow; These features of life are part of life itself. Maybe someday the source of income will stop. Then life will be difficult without savings.

Due to this, savings system has been developed in human economic system. Provision is made for saving surplus money- so that surplus money can be spent when required. Thrift is a virtue of human life. Finally, the developing countries of the world put special emphasis on saving day. Banks and financial institutions of these countries have an important role in this field. Just as the assurance of a secure life for every citizen is behind making people save around the world, so is the effort to build the world economy on a strong foundation.

So let us all avoid wasteful expenditureThere are more people without resources and money in the world. We must dream of frugality to cheer the heart of the poor, to develop sympathy for the wealthy. The best course is to dream of a benevolent thrift nation, rather than tossing and turning as an obligation of divine precepts and religious precepts. The honor of the advanced nation will hang in the forehead of all people only if humane perspective can be awakened. An abundance of money and a way out of the arrogance of wealth will open up. The inactivity of collecting wealth through unfair and illegal means will be prevented. Wealth and abundance will serve as a sufficient example to realize that all the pleasures of life are not comforts. Although the trend of earning money is very slow among the rich, poor, poor, beggars. Here the matter of satisfaction is taken into consideration as main, main. Deen-poor, hide-and-seek, bhukha-nanga also earn money.

Wasters can do nothing not only for themselves, but also for society, family and nation. Scientist Franklin said in this context, 'Be careful with small expenses. A small hole can sink a very large ship'. So on today's Thrift Day, 'Let us all be thrifty and thrifty; We will build a beautiful and prosperous life' - this is our pledge.

The writer is a, organizer, columnist and researcher Founder and Chairman, Jatiya Rogi Kallyan Society