The British Council partnered with Standard Chartered Bank and organised a colourful Young Learners’ Art Competition on 21 December 2017 at the Dhaka University campus office. This awareness campaign was observed in connection with the World Sight Day. The theme of the competition was ‘Every Vision Counts,’ and, as signified by the title, it addressed one of the globally significant issues, which is blindness. The concern has become increasingly relevant to Bangladesh, where we have one of the highest reported rates of untreated cataract in the world. The competition, therefore, was arranged to raise awareness of blindness and vision impairment among the people of Bangladesh. Young learners from all over Bangladesh took part in the Art Competition. Around 1000 kids (aged between 4 -14) from all over Bangladesh took part in the Art Competition. Among them, 30 winners were selected and awarded certificates and prizes in the ceremony.
Sarwat Reza, Head of Cultural Centre, British Council and Ln. Shakhawat Hossain, Chief Advisor, Lions Club Motijheel Royal attended the ceremony to discuss the relevance of the competition.
“Avoidable blindness is a key health issue in Bangladesh, where we have one of the highest reported rates of untreated cataract in the world. Standard Chartered Bank has been working in the eye health sector for quite some time now,” said Bitopi Das Chowdhury, Head of Corporate Affairs, Standard Chartered Bank. “In fact, ‘Seeing is Believing’, the Bank’s global initiative to tackle avoidable blindness, was first designed and launched by Standard Chartered Bangladesh in 2003.” Since then, the programme has reached millions around the world through medical interventions, eye examinations, health education and health worker training.
There was also a voluntary eye camp, supported by Lions Club Bangladesh, for all the guests at the event.