Zia Rahman Foundation vice-president Dr Zubaida Rahman has called for ensuring proper education, healthcare, sports and a healthy natural environment for children, to help develop their latent talents, lofty ambitions and potential. She visited Blue Sky, a school for children with special needs run by the Bangladesh Air Force in the capital’s Agargaon, on Tuesday afternoon. She made the call while speaking as chief guest at a cultural programme held afterward.
Describing children as the great soldiers who will build the country of tomorrow, Zubaida Rahman said: “Coming here, one thing comes to mind — that for any ambition, the open sky is the only limit. Children and young people will move forward with sky-high ambitions and potential, because today’s child is tomorrow’s great soldier in building the nation. Children are the future of the nation.”
Highlighting the historic significance of establishing the Bangladesh Shishu Academy for children’s development, and later creating free higher-education opportunities for girls, she said: “The Shishu Academy was established for exactly this purpose — the development of children. Later, education at the higher levels was made free of cost for girls. Through cultural and sports competitions like Notun Kuŗi, they are getting the chance to prove their excellence.”
The Zia Rahman Foundation vice-president said: “Every child’s life is full of countless sky-high thoughts. All they want is a proper education system, arrangements for their mental and physical health, the opportunity to play and roam in green open fields amid nature, and assurance of treatment for any illness — and it is on all of us to create these things. So that no child or adolescent, in any of Bangladesh’s 64 districts, upazilas, 599 unions or 9,990 villages, is left behind through neglect. So that every child stays safe with their guardians and family.”
Praising the children’s cultural performances, Zubaida Rahman said: “With the right training and guidance, children can prove their limitless talent. Achieving success as a team, and a sporting mindset, will later give them the strength and morale to grow up as good citizens of the country.”
She said: “Children are the beloved and valuable assets of society and the state. Sky-high dreams live in all of them — they will spread their wings and fly in the blue sky. Their wish is to move forward with sky-high morale.” She added: “The children have proven today what it means to accomplish something together — which is also essential in sports. This lesson will give them the morale and strength to grow up as good citizens later. You will shine like stars and light up Bangladesh’s name.”
Highlighting the role of the Bangladesh Air Force Women’s Welfare Association (BAFWA) in women’s empowerment and skills development, Dr Zubaida Rahman said such training and handicraft initiatives by BAFWA for the development of the country’s 51 percent female population were highly commendable and innovative. She also thanked the students of Golden Eagle School and wished them well in reaching the height of their potential.
Before her remarks, Dr Zubaida Rahman toured the Blue Sky school and then enjoyed a cultural programme featuring performances by the school’s special-needs children and students of the BAFWA Golden Eagle Nursery. During the event, the children with special needs performed songs, dance and a fashion show, among other items, in front of Zubaida Rahman. She also highly praised BAFWA’s humanitarian initiatives in providing education and therapy for children with special needs and in helping women become self-reliant.
Afterward, chief guest Zubaida Rahman took part in a photo session with the young students of Blue Sky School. She was then presented with a memento and, as a special gift, a photograph of martyred president Ziaur Rahman, by the Bangladesh Air Force Women’s Welfare Association and the Officers’ Wives and Children’s Club. A video presentation on BAFWA’s programmes and the Blue Sky school’s activities was also screened.
Welcome remarks were delivered by Saleha Khan, chairperson of the Bangladesh Air Force Women’s Welfare Association and the Officers’ Wives and Children’s Club. Also speaking was Blue Sky school principal Group Captain Mohammad Nur Ullah, psc. The event was attended by the assistant chief of air staff (administration), BAFWA central committee vice-chairpersons, representatives of BAFWA’s A K Khandker and Bashar chapters, and senior air force officials.