Feature

Battle of Logic A Debate Festival in RUMC

Nishat Tasneem Nandiny

WITH the slogan ‘Jukti Khuley Dik Aalor Duwar’ a debate festival was held in Rajuk Uttara Model College in association with Trust Bank. Rajuk Uttara Model College is a very prominent name among the schools and colleges of this country not only for its success in the academic field, but also for its success in the extracurricular activities. Rajuk College regularly arranges various cultural and sports programs but this is the first time that the college has organized a debate festival that took place in its campus. The Trust Bank Rajuk Uttara Model College Debate Festival went on from 16th to 19th June. 26 schools and 10 colleges from all over Dhaka city, including ViqarunNisa Debating Club, Saint Joseph Debating Club, Notre Dame Debating Club, and many others have participated in this festival.

The event was well organized and the campus was decorated adequately to give it a festive mood. At the opening ceremony on June 16, Abdun Nur Tushar, president of Bangladesh Debate Federation (BDF) was the special guest along with Colonel S.M. Mushfiqur Rahman, principal of Rajuk Uttara Model College. “It was surely a very good initiative by the Rajuk College to arrange this event for the first time on college campus. I am honoured to be a special guest of this event and I am touched by the environment that has been created by all these upcoming debaters,” said Tushar.

On the opening day, 21 debate sessions at school and college level took place. From these debates 8 teams - both from the school and college levels - were selected for the quarter finals. Then on June 17, the quarter and semi-finals successfully came to an end to bring out the finalists who were given a break on June 18.

June 19, Thursday, was the day of the final. Syed Ataur Rahman, secretary of education, Government of Bangladesh was the chief guest and Dr. Hayat Mahmud was the special guest. Ideal debating Club 1 won the final in the school level defeating Ideal Debating Club 2. At the college level Notre Dame Debating Club defeated Residential Model College Debating Club and won the championship. On the closing day the college campus was decorated even more gorgeously. The auditorium was full with students, teachers and guardians. Everyone looked very excited.

“This has been a dream for our students to arrange this debate festival for a long time. All our volunteers worked very hard for this and we also got the support from our ex-debaters. Now we are happy that the event has come to an end,” said Sharmeen Rahman, moderator and Head of the department of Bangla in Rajuk Uttara Model College.

Everyone from the Rajuk Uttara Model College was very happy about this event. All the other participants from other schools and colleges enjoyed this 3-day-long festival.