Khulna: A discussion meeting focused on public welfare activities and the inauguration of an arsenic removal filter took place today in Khulna. The program was organized at Shaheed Hadis Park by the ADAMS Foundation, with support from the donor agency Bridge of Light, Germany.
According to Bangladesh Sangbad Sangstha, the newly inaugurated arsenic removal filter boasts a capacity of 30 liters and is a collaborative development between ADAMS Foundation, Khulna University of Engineering and Technology (KUET), and Japan’s Ritsumeikan University. The event highlighted Bridge of Light, Germany’s extensive support over the past 40 years, which has included financing various welfare-oriented projects in Bangladesh through ADAMS Foundation and other partners.
These initiatives encompass the establishment of technical training centers to enhance youth skills, the construction of 10-bed hospitals in remote rural areas, the implementation of renewable technologies to address climate change impacts, and the promotion of human and civic rights through the ‘Community Forum’ project. Assistance has also been extended during disasters such as Cyclone Sidr, Cyclone Aila, and the COVID-19 pandemic.
The event was graced by the presence of Professor Dr. Md Nazmul Ahsan, Vice-Chancellor of Khulna Agricultural University, who attended as the chief guest. Other notable speakers included Prof Dr. Sheikh Sirajul Hakim, the Head of Khulna University’s Architecture Discipline; Prof Dr. Hamidul Bari from KUET’s Civil Engineering department; Rajib Ahmed, Chief Executive Officer of Khulna City Corporation (KCC); Holger Tricho, Managing Director of Bridge of Light, Germany; former KCC mayor and Community Forum trustee Bir Muktijoddha Mohammad Moniruzzaman Moni; and Sheikh Kamruzzaman, President of the Community Forum Central Committee.
The event was presided over by S M Ali Aslam, Executive Director of ADAMS Foundation, and included a discussion in memory of Friedel Klipp and Methilde von Luninck Klipp, the late founders of the donor agency. Attendees included presidents, general secretaries, and members of Community Forums from different city wards, along with youth forum members and officials from ADAMS Foundation’s urban healthcare, climate, and other projects.