Longadu (Rangamati) Correspondent

The 52nd National Cooperative Day was celebrated in Longadu with the slogan 'We are building a country through cooperatives, Bangladesh will be smart'.

On Saturday at 11 a.m., a colourful rally was organized by the Upazila Administration and Cooperative Department and marched through the main road of the city and ended in front of the public library auditorium. Later, the national flag and cooperative flag were hoisted in front of the upazila public library auditorium. At the end, a discussion meeting was held at the Upazila Public Library auditorium.

Upazila Chairman Abdul Barek Sarkar was present as the chief guest in the meeting under the chairmanship of Cooperative Office Inspector Noor Mohammad and Upazila Assistant Commissioner (Land) Akib Osman.

Longadu police station officer in charge Iqbal Uddin, female vice chairman Anwara Begum, upazila cooperative officer Md. Mizanur Rahman, joint general secretary of truck owner cooperative society Md. Abdul Halim, brave freedom fighter Shahnewaz, contractor Saiful Islam, general of wood traders cooperative society spoke as special guests. Editor Md. Nazrul Islam, various leaders of cooperative organizations were present.

Speakers in the discussion meeting said that the motto of the developed countries of the world is to build a society based on cooperatives. Developed countries have prospered by following the cooperative system. Father of the Nation Bangabandhu Sheikh Mujibur Rahman called for turning cooperatives into mass-oriented movements. In addition, the father of the nation called for a second revolution.

Many farmers and cultivators have become self-reliant through cooperatives. Bangabandhu reformed land administration and waived rent on land up to 25 bighas. Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina has been giving importance to cooperatives since coming to power in 1996. The current government has adopted a multifaceted development plan with the aim of building a happy, prosperous and developed Bangladesh free from hunger, poverty, discrimination and corruption.

The government is working to create employment, meet food and nutrition needs in the country through optimal utilization of agricultural land and other resources through cooperatives.