4,100 students receive DBBL awards

Dutch-Bangla Bank Ltd (DBBL) Saturday awarded scholarships to 4,100 more meritorious but poor students to help flourish their talents breaking the barrier of poverty.
With this 10th phase of the bank's scholarship, taken as part of its social cause programme, around 20,495 students are enjoying the DBBL scholarship at present, officials said.
Finance Minister Abul Maal A Muhith as the chief guest handed over the scholarships to the students, who are studying at the graduation level in different universities and colleges after passing the HSC or equivalent examinations last year, at a ceremony held in the city.
Law, Justice and Parliamentary Affairs Minister Anisul Huq and Ambassador of the Kingdom of Netherlands to Bangladesh Gerben de Jong were the special guests at the function, held with chairman of DBBL's board of directors Sayem Ahmed in the chair.
Managing director of the bank K. Shamshi Tabrez offered vote of thanks at the programme.
The students will receive monthly scholarship worth Tk 2,500 and annual grant worth Tk 6,000 during their full academic years, bank officials said.
Appreciating the socially responsible initiative of DBBL especially in the education sector, Mr Muhith hoped that the awardees will build them utilising the funds and also contribute to the society in the future.
"Many students in the villages are deprived of obtaining higher education due to financial scarcity," Mr Huq said.
Lauding the DBBL's scholarship programme focusing on the rural brilliant students, the law minster said that the bank has set an imitable example for other banks in philanthropic activities in the education sector.
Mr Jong said that the DBBL scholarship is the biggest programme in its kind in the private sector in the country.
Education will help the underprivileged students build their future and in the long run contribute to the development of human resources of the country.
It will also facilitate achieve the status of middle-income country, he said and underscored the need for proper utilisation of the funds awarded to the students.
Mr Sayem Ahmed said that in the social and philanthropic programmes of the bank, a number of sectors are on its priority list including education, healthcare and rehabilation of distressed people.
DBBL's scholarships of all level are awarded to at least 90 per cent of the students coming from rural areas and minimum 50 per cent of the fund goes to girl students, the chairman added.
md.ali.du@gmail.com