Feature

End of a golden chapter, beginning of a glorious sunrise
Annual General Meeting of CUDS 2008

Jewel Chowdhury

The chilly air of the winter got the comfort of warmth at the splendid function at 'Hotel Saymon', Chittagong, on January 4, 2008 with Chittagong University Debating Society (CUDS) successfully holding the Annual General Meeting 2008. Along with it the activities of the 8th working committee came to an end and it also happened to be the birthday of our outgoing president, Mr. Tazul Islam! The conclusion came in style and gave a reflection of the skill that CUDS has achieved in the last years. The completion of the 8th committee brought about the inauguration of the 9th working committee. To mark the day members of various debate organizations of Chittagong along with several former CUDS presidents, ex members, university teachers, NGO personalities and eminent business and media personalities were present at the meeting.

The program started off with the yearly report of the General Secretary of the 8th working committee Mr. M.A. Samad Hemal where he highlighted more than 40 successful events that CUDS has undertaken in the 8th working committee under the successful leadership of Mr. Tazul Islam (President 8th working committee). Among the programs the ADP, PDP, National TV Debate, TIB-CUDS Inter Dept. Debate, Inter School TV Debate and Al Amin-CUDS Jugpurti Onusthan etc. are worth mentioning. After the secretarial report presentation, welcome speeches were given by Mr. Sajid Raihan, founder general secretary and president 2nd working committee; Mr. Fuad Hasan, Asst. Professor, Dept. of Marketing Studies and International Marketing, CU and president 5th working committee; Mr. Saiful Abedin eminent lawyer and president 7th working committee, Mr. Moniruzzaman Bhuiyan, Asst. Professor, Dept. of Statistics, CU. Special note of encouragement of Dr. Gazi Salauddin, Dean, Faculty of Social Science, CU; Dr. Hussain Kabir, professor, Dept of Public Administration, CU and CUDS Moderator Dr. Mahabubul Hoque, Associate Professor, Dept of Bangla, CU, also enriched the function. In addition to this, CUDS paid homage to eminent professor, literary, dramatist and educationalist Chy Zuhurul Haque of CU who passed away on 8th January, 2008.

Hemal and Tazul Islam

The new committee includes:
M.A. Samad Hemal (President);
Hasina Akter Lubna (Vice President)
Md. Shahjahan Miah (Vice President)
Roashon Jahan Umma Fatema Moon (Vice President)
Md. Abdullah Al Mamun (General Secretary)

Afterwards CUDS' president M A Samad Hemal wished the immediate past president, Tazul Islam, 'Happy Birthday' and together with him blew the candle and cut the cake. The auspicious moment came when 'Award of Excellence' went to CUDS' out going president Tazul Islam, which was handed over by CUDS moderator Dr. Mahbubul Haque, for the outstanding performance and charismatic leadership.

“The vision of the CUDS is to create a rational Bangladesh through debate movement and to contribute in the world debate arena”, said CUDS president Samad Hemal while demonstrating the year plan of CUDS for the 2008 before the guests and members present prior to grand dinner. CUDS' successful AGM singed off after the enthusiastic and lively photo session.

Q: Tell us about your debating career.

A.S. Hemal: My debating career is close to 5 years. I used to do debating in my school. We had no opportunities in the college level. After getting admitted to Chittagong University I got involved seriously with Chittagong University Debating Society (CUDS) and started to do debates.

Q: What is the vision of your organization?

A.S. Hemal: To create a rational Bangladesh through debate movement and to contribute in world debate arena.

Q: What is your future plan or CUDS as its president?

Hemal: Organize a debate competition on January 19 with Disaster Management Bureau; CUDS Picnic at Srimongal, Sylhet on February 7-9; 5th Thematic Workshop in February; Inter department Debate Competition 2008 on April; Participate in AUDC 2008 in May in Malaysia; ADP 2008; PDP 2008; Inter School English Debate Competition; Open Air Debate Competition at Cox's Bazar in November this year; Inter University Debate Competition 2008 and Jugpurty on February, 2009; and Take Part in Worlds.

Q: Your comment about the debating culture of Chittagong University.

Hemal: Ours is a university often thought to be a backward one, which is not the case in reality. CUDS is the only organization in CU that upholds and uplinks the brand image of CU.

Q: Where do you want to see CUDS at the end of your term?

Hemal: I can see CUDS arranging international competitions and participating in international competition as well.

Chit-Chat with CUDS outgoing president Mr. Tazul Islam.

Q: Tell us about your debating career.

T. Islam: I used to do debating in school. Apart from this I learned singing and recitation which help me a lot to do better in debate arena. In terms of opportunity I am much luckier than Hemal. I got tremendous facilities at school, college and university. My debating career is almost 10 year old.

Q: What's your suggestion for young debaters?

T. Islam: Practice makes a man perfect. Besides this, patience, critical reasoning, study and devotion help one to be a good debater.

Q: What's your plan for CUDS as its ex-president?

T. Islam: As you know I am working for Radio Today as a RZ. So I will try my best to start a debate competition in Radio Today. In addition to this, I will always try to keep in touch with CUDS and from my special ground I will train them on pronunciation.

Q: You are given 'Award of Excellence' for your outstanding performance and charismatic leadership. Tell me something about this.

T.Islam: I don't know what I did but I tried my best to uplift the debate spirit and movement across the country to create a rational Bangladesh. My advice to CUDS is that they should continue the tradition in future.

Thank you very much for your time.

T.Islam: Thank you and I would also like to thank all the debaters, debate organizations and well-wishers of debate across the country and world as well.

(The writer is the Program Planning & Training Secretary, CUDS)

Dale Carnegie

Many people worldwide have benefited from the famous book “How to Win Friends and Influence People” written by Dale Carnegie. However, what people don't know is that Carnegie was born on a small farm in 1888 in utter poverty. Although he worked hard on his parents' farm he was interested in education and managed to study at the State Teachers College. Despite his modest upbringing he became famous for his emphasis on self improvement, salesmanship, and other courses and training programs. Carnegie was certainly a pioneer and he spread his thoughts on how to become a better person and change other people's behaviors simply by reacting to them differently.

Some of his most famous quotes:

1. You can make more friends in two months by becoming interested in other people than you can in two years by trying to get other people interested in you.

2. Take a chance! All life is a chance. The man who goes furthest is generally the one who is willing to do and dare.

3. Any fool can criticize, condemn, and complain - and most fools do.

4. If you can't sleep, then get up and do something instead of lying there and worrying. It's the worry that gets you, not the loss of sleep.

5. When dealing with people, let us remember we are not dealing with creatures of logic. We are dealing with creatures of emotion, creatures bustling with prejudices and motivated by pride and vanity.

Compiled by Star Campus Desk