Uttaran, a voluntary organisation of students and teachers of the University of Chittagong, on Sunday awarded scholarships to 40 financially disadvantaged students.
The organisation claimed that this was the highest number of students awarded scholarships at a single event by a voluntary organisation at the university.
The scholarships were distributed at Uttaran’s annual scholarship distribution and financial presentation programme at the university’s Library Auditorium.
Following the distribution, the organisation presented its activities and income-expenditure accounts for the past year and discussed its plans for student welfare.
Uttaran president Rifat Khan Shishir said the annual scholarship programme was intended to help financially disadvantaged students continue their studies.“We plan to continue this support initiative in the future,” he said.
Shishir said Uttaran had provided various forms of support to around 4,000 students over the past five years and spent Tk 900,000 on providing meals to financially disadvantaged students.
Uttaran advisers Tarek Mahmud, Farzana Priya and Nur Nabi Robin were present at the programme. Former CU pro-vice-chancellor and International Relations professor Dr Kamal Uddin, Communication and Journalism professor Dr Asgar Chowdhury, Dr Rowshan Akter, and Shirin Akter, professor of the Philosophy department, also attended.
Uttaran started its activities in 2022 to support financially disadvantaged students in continuing their education. It is run by current and former students and teachers of the university.
Besides scholarships, the organisation provides free meals to financially disadvantaged students at Pritilata Hall, Deshnetri Begum Khaleda Zia Hall, AF Rahman Hall and Shahid Abdul Rab Hall. It also arranges sehri and iftar for students during Ramadan.
The organisation also runs blood donation programmes, skill development training, mental health services and the ‘Uttaran Tuition Service’.
