Feature

Aktel Debate Championship '08
NSU, Cider Int'l School come out winners

Dwaipayan Barua

NORTH South University and Cider International School clinched the championship titles at the school and university level contests at the final round of the debate competition titled “Aktel Debate Championship-2008” held in Chittagong on 17 May, Saturday. Noted economist Dr Atiur Rahman was present at the prize giving ceremony as the chief guest at Theatre Institute of Chittagong auditorium with Drishty Chittagong Adviser Bilkis Rashed in the chair.

Aktel Head of Corporate Affairs Javed Tariq, Editor of Star Campus Shahnoor Wahid, former president of Bangladesh Debate Federation Bulbul Hasan and Drishty Chittagong Adviser Safia Gazi Rahman were present on the occasion as guests of honour. Drishty, an educational and cultural organisation, organised the English Debate competition which was sponsored by Aktel, one of the leading mobile phone operators in the country. Star Campus, a weekly supplement of The Daily Star, was the media partner. Terming English language as the 'gateway to world knowledge' Dr Atiur emphasised mastering the language to face the present global challenges. He also called on the students to study Bangla language properly side by side of English to become familiar with the enriched national history, heritage and identity. Javed Tariq hoped that Aktel would continue to cooperate in organising such competitions as it believes in enlightenment through education. The topic of the school-level competition was 'Bangladesh is gradually walking backwards'. Cider International defeated Bay View School in the run. Maliha Ahmed Chowdhury of the losing team was adjudged the best debater in the school-level competition.

Shafkat Fahmid was adjudged the best debater at the 'Best Debater Selection Round' where seven selected debaters from seven schools participated in United Nations model debates. The topic was 'United Nations is the main solution to establish peace in the world'.

A total of 12 English medium schools including Cider International School, Bay View School, Sunshine Grammar School, Child Heaven School, Chittagong Grammar School, Radiant School, Standard School, European Grammar School, Independent School, Cantonment English School, GEMS English Medium School and Chittagong Sunshine School participated in the competition.

The participating universities were Chittagong University (CU), Chittagong University of Engineering and Technology (Cuet), North South University (NSU), University of Science and Technology, Chittagong (USTC), Independent University Bangladesh (IUB), Premier University, Stamford University and International Islamic University of Chittagong (IIUC).