The crowd that gathered at the Fars Hotel and Resort in the capital on Saturday evening, was not an ordinary gathering. There were people at their nineties and there were babies on their mother’s lap, overallit had a happy family ambience all around.
Pride was evident in the eyes of almost everyone present. However, it was pretty obvious. After all, watching your beloved mother being honoured publicly,is not an occasion which comes around too often.
Azad Products(Pvt) limited, one of Bangladesh’s leading printing solutions has been organising this unique award programme celebrating motherhood for the last decade.
Each year, it honours 25 of the proudest mothers at a simple ceremony titled ‘Ratnagarbha Ma’, in recognition of their achievements by bringing up children who have make their marks in their own fields.Yesterday, this year’s programmewas held.
Sayeda Masuda Khatun one of the awardees, for instance, brought up nine children (seven daughters and two sons), three of who became teachers, two engineers, a doctor, a chemist, a geologist, and a social worker.
Her grandson, NihadFerdous, a banker by profession, was present at the awards. He said, “I heard from my mother, what my grandmotherhas sacrificed for her children. Now she got her recognition.”
AbulKalamAzad, chairman of Azad Products, organiser and sponsor of the event said,by honouring some of the proudest and successful mothers each year, he indeed honours “motherhood”.
“A child can never repay the debt of his/her mother. I lost my mother at an early age and I didn’t get the chance to even try to repay the debt. By honouring other mothers, I am trying. It is something that I do from the bottom of my heart,” he said.
Education minister Nurul Islam Nahid, who graced the occasion as chief guest said, “My mother was not educated and I lost her at an early age. But she always wanted me to have education like every mother does. Mother is probably the single person who wants better the best for her children even at the cost of her own life.”
Former president of FBCCI, AnisulHaque said, “I am what I am now only because of my mother’s prayers. I loathe those who forget what their mother has done for them.”
Dr Abdul Malek Chowdhury, a director of popular pharmaceuticals ltd, whose mother WahidaKhanam Chowdhury received the award said, “Award like this would motivate our next generation to build themselves basedon family values.”
