On behalf of the Commonwealth Scholarship Commission (CSC) in the UK, the British Council hosted a Commonwealth Alumni Reception at the Radisson Blu Chittagong on 28 March, 2018. It was the first time that a programme was organised in Chittagong exclusively for the Commonwealth alumni residing in the port city and around 50 alumni joined the event. The aim of the programme was to reach out to the alumni in Chittagong and to include them in the activities of the Bangladesh Association of Commonwealth Scholars and Fellows (BACSAF).
Towhidur Rahman, Regional Manager, South Asia – CSFP British Council opened the event with a welcome note for the participants and briefly outlined the background of Commonwealth alumni work and their journey in Bangladesh. The guests were also provided a brief about the services of British Council in Bangladesh and the potential for future engagement to utilise the skills and knowledge of the alumni. Furthermore, the alumni were invited to join the Commonwealth Alumni Mentorship Programme being run by the British Council to foster engagement and knowledge transfer between Commonwealth alumni in the country. Bangladesh UK Alumni Network and its values were also highlighted during the event. The alumni shared their thoughts and ideas for future programmes in Chittagong during the question and answer session. M Jahir Uddin, Head of Chittagong Centre British Council closed the programme with a thank you note and expressing his hope that the alumni will participate in various British Council activities in the city.
The event concluded with a networking dinner. The participants greatly appreciated the programme as it strengthened their network and commitment towards upholding the Commonwealth values. Given the positive reception received by the British Council from the alumni, it plans to arrange alumni and community engagement activities in the port city in the coming days to give them the opportunity to contribute to the society.