Celebrate with service

'Celebrate with service' seems to be what the specialists at the Bangabandhu Sheikh Mujib Medical University (BSMMU) have settled on.

On Friday, they will provide free consultations in the BSMMU outdoor unit in what the vice-chancellor says would be observing Bangabandhu’s birthday with “service”.

Prof Pran Gopal Datta told a press briefing on Tuesday specialists of 30 departments including medicine, surgery, cardiology, paediatricts, dentistry, orthopaedic and neurosurgery would see patients between 9am and 1pm.

“It will continue even beyond 1pm if we get patients,” Datta said, “we want to remember Bangabandhu by providing service.”

Bangladesh celebrated the 94th birth anniversary of its founding father Bangabandhu Sheikh Mujibur Rahman on Monday.

It was a national holiday and was also observed as the National Children’s Day.

Sheikh Mujib was born on this day at Tungipara in Gopalganj in 1920.

He evolved into a natural leader of the Bengalis and guided their struggle for freedom from oppressive Pakistani rule.

He became the first president of independent Bangladesh.

Mujib was assassinated on Aug 15, 1975 with most of his family members.

Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina is his eldest daughter.

The medical university named after him draws between 3,000 and 4,000 patients a day in its outdoor unit.

Bangladesh Medical Association Secretary General Prof Iqbal Arslan was present among others at the press briefing.