Feature

Star Campus Drishty Debate for Generation Next

Saif Chowdhury

Our next generation deserves to breathe in fresh air and have equal rights to live in a peaceful environment as we as well as our ancestors did. To provide them with a beautiful lifetime, we have to overcome pollution and natural calamities. Thus, we should prevent unplanned deforestation, manage traffic pollution, and make way for a pollution free atmosphere. With an oath to provide the future generation with a world free of natural disasters, The Daily Star and Drishty, Chittagong, together organised the Debate for Generation Next at Cider International School on the 30th of January, 2008.

This inter-class debate competition was based on the theme 'disaster and pollution management' and took place from the 21st to the 30th of the month, concluding with a grand ceremony. On the 21st of this month, the ceremony was inaugurated by Ms. Madhumita Das Gupta [Acting Principal, CIDER INTERNATIONAL SCHOOL]. Also present in the event were the judges throughout the 1st and 2nd rounds of the competition Ms. Sadia Afroz Chowdhury, Mr. Ibrahim Chowdhury, Ms. Shamim Ara Begum [teachers, CIDER INTERNATIONAL SCHOOL], and Mr. Alexious Serrao [Co-ordinator of extra-curricular activities, CIDER INTERNATIONAL SCHOOL]. The competition started with four debates in the first round, comprising 24 debaters in 8 teams of 3 members each. The debaters were all from classes six to nine. The winners of the first round were IX A, IX B, VI A and VI B. These four teams competed against each other on the 27th of January for the semi-final round. The winning glory was then received by the teams IX A and IX B, winning over the other two.

The final debate took place at the school's own auditorium on the 30th of January, 2008. The winners in the semi-final round took part in a tough debate on the topic 'The Scientists are Mainly Responsible for Natural Disaster.'

The judges in the debate, Mr. Ibrahim Chowdhury, Ms. Shamim Ara Begum [teachers, CIDER INTERNATIONAL SCHOOL], Afsana Rahman Chowdhury with Ms. Debleena Gupta, marked IX B, as the champion of the final debate. The program was conducted by Mr. Alexious Serrao, while the co-ordinators throughout the event were Afsana Rahman Chowdhury, Borhan Shaun, Reza Chowdhury, Saber Shah and Masudur Rahman.

articipators throughout the debate were : [VI A] Anika Binte Asgar, Akil Abrar Chowdhury, Suhiba Fariha Firuz; [VI B] Sanjaeed Siam Aziz, Shafiq Imtiaz, Samin Uzrat Wahhab; [VII A] Ibnul Alam, Rahatul Karim, Sakib Yasar; [VII B] Salsabil Hossain, Nazifa Chowdhury, Montasim Iqtidar Ur Rahman; [VIII A}Himel Chowdhury, Zohair Shaun, Sheikh Noman Bashir; [VIII B] Irtiza Ahmed, Alif Noor Chowdhury, Rifat Binte Munsur; [IX A] Zuhayer Shadman Khan, Shihabun Sakib, Md. Shahriar; [IX B] Shafkat Fahmid, Inteser Alam, Dawood Azeem.

CIDER INTERNATIONAL SCHOOL is a reputable English Medium school in Chittagong. The school is running successfully since 1997. It is a non-profitable organization run by a trustee board. The president of the school is Prof. Dr. Rabiul Hossain. The school has classes from Nursery to A Level. The school's main aim is to assist students build up a sound career in both academic and extra curricular activities. The school is achieving 100% success in O Level examinations every year. CIDER INTERNATIONAL SCHOOL also has significant achievements in extra curricular activities such as Divisional Champion and National Runner Up in Mathematics Olympiad 2007, champion in AKtel Drishty Debate Championship etc.

(Writer is General Secretary, Drishty, Chittagong)
All photos by: Zobaer Hossain Sikder