Students urged to make efforts to understand social issues

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Former adviser Syed Manzur Elahi (first from left) was present as the guest of honour.

The five-day 'Mutual Trust Bank-The Daily Star Debate Contest 2007' ended in the port city recently with a call for students to extend their horizon beyond academic studies and make efforts to understand social issues, says a press release.
The debate competition was divided into three categories -- school, college and university. Chittagong Collegiate School, Mohsin College and Chittagong University of' Engineering and Technology (CUET) seized this year's championship in their respective categories.
The runners-up are Silver Bell's Girls' High School, Government City College and Chittagong University (CU).
Takbirul Islam of Collegiate School, Urmi Atandrila of Mohsin College and Zinia Akhter of CU were adjudged the best debaters. Drishty Chittagong organised the competition at the Theatre Institute Chittagong (TIC) auditorium under the auspices of The Daily Star and Mutual Trust Bank.
Chairman of Mutual Trust Bank Samson H Chowdhury attended the prize giving ceremony as the chief guest while former adviser to the caretaker government Syed Manzur Elahi was present as the guest of honour.
Speaking on the occasion, Samson H Chowdhury called on the students not to be confined to textbooks only. Rather, they should also obtain knowledge from society, which will help them steer the country towards development, he added.
Syed Manzur Elahi said, "Reading enriches the mind, but healthy debate and discussion polishes it." Terming students the 'builders of future Bangladesh', poet Abul Momen called on them to build a society based oil logic.