Flourishing pottery industry can enhance rural economy: Speakers

RANGPUR, Mar 1 (BSS): Flourishing of the eco-friendly and century-old pottery industry could enhance rural economy to improve livelihoods of the potters through alleviating their abject poverty, speakers said here on Friday.
They were addressing the concluding ceremony of a fortnight long training course styled 'Flourishing Pottery Industry and Rural Development' organised by the Social Service Department at Projapara (Paulpara) Community Centre in Pirganj upazila.
Pirganj upazila administration extended cooperation in arranging the training course for the potters from February 12 to 28 under the Upazila Governance Project.
Representative of the Upazila Governance Project Jahangir Hossain attended and addressed the ceremony as the chief guest with Pirganj Upazila Social Service Officer Mossarraf Hossain in the chair.
Pirganj Upazila Youth Development Officer Abul Kalam Azad Khan, Madankhali union chairman Noor Mohammad Manju and Kumedpur union chairman Abdus Salek addressed the concluding ceremony as special guests.
Twenty-five male and female potters from different villages of Chondipur, Sonerhat, Mithipur and Sadar unions under Pirganj upazila participated in the course to improve their expertise and skills on making pottery products, marketing and other related issues.
The speakers put special emphasis on adopting of the latest technologies and methods for enhancing production of the household pottery products like earthen flower pots, tiles and many other items still having huge demand in the local markets.
They called upon all concerned including local public representatives and authorities for extending their cooperation in reviving and boosting up of the eco-friendly pottery industry to create employment opportunity for improving rural livelihoods.
They suggested the participants to properly utilize the knowledge they acquired from the training course in producing quality earthen products when the household products made of aluminium, melamine and ceramics have been threatening the pottery industry.
Stipend ceremony
Another BSS report says: Speakers at a stipend distribution ceremony here have asked the students to acquire proper and time- befitting knowledge through studies for becoming efficient and enlightened citizens to serve the nation in future.
Sonali Bank Limited (SBL) organised the ceremony at its principal office here for distributing education stipends among meritorious poor students including heirs of the freedom fighters under its Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR) Programme on Friday afternoon.
General Manager of Rangpur Divisional General Managers' Office of the bank AFM Ali Asgar presided over the ceremony participated by the stipend recipient students, their guardians, teachers, officials and employees of the bank.