The 55th National Cooperative Day was celebrated in Gopalganj on Sunday with various programmes organised jointly by the district administration and the Department of Cooperatives.
The day's programme began with the hoisting of the national flag and the national anthem in the presence of invited guests, including Gopalganj Deputy Commissioner and District Magistrate Md Arif-Uz-Zaman.
A colourful rally was later brought out, parading through important streets of the town. This year's theme was "Let's Build Cooperatives, Build the Country, A Bangladesh for All."
An discussion meeting was held at the conference room of the District Cooperative Office, chaired by Additional Deputy Commissioner (General) SM Tarek Sultan.
Deputy Commissioner Md Arif-Uz-Zaman attended the meeting as the chief guest.
Superintendent of Police Md Habibullah, BPM-Seva, District Council Administrator and District BNP Convener and freedom fighter Sharif Rafiq Uzzaman, Gopalganj Sadar Upazila Nirbahi Officer Kaushik Ahmed, District Cooperative Officer Akleema Khatun and District Cooperative Association President Sheikh Masudur Rahman attended as special guests.
Officials and employees from different government departments and representatives of various cooperative societies also took part in the programme.
Addressing the meeting, speakers said cooperatives could play a significant role in economic development, employment generation, poverty alleviation and improving the living standards of marginalised communities.
They said cooperatives were not limited to economic activities but also served as an effective means of building a self-reliant society through mutual assistance, collective initiatives and partnerships.
The speakers also stressed ensuring transparency and accountability in cooperative societies, alongside efficient management, the use of modern technology and necessary training for members to strengthen the cooperative movement.
