ICRC lauds bdnews24.com for ‘making the first-ever disability cricket tournament a success’

The International Committee of the Red Cross (ICRC) has lauded bdnews24.com for its role in promoting the cause of physically-challenged people that the recent five-nation Twenty20 cricket tournament in Bangladesh sought to highlight.

The first-ever international tournament, hosted by ICRC in Dhaka last month, featured disability cricket teams from England, Bangladesh, India, Pakistan, and Afghanistan.

England won the title. Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina was present on the first day to formally open the competition.

The Geneva-based humanitarian organisation also handed over a crest of appreciation to the bdnews24.com on Wednesday for giving “prominence to the cause of the people with physical disabilities, in Bangladesh and beyond”.

“The positive spirit the bdnews24.com conveyed regarding our cooperation -- from the Editor-in-Chief to all of his colleagues -- has proved to be the key element in the success of the Tournament,” said Deputy Head of the ICRC delegation in Dhaka Boris Kelecevic as he met bdnews24.com editors.

He handed over the crest to bdnews24.com Editor-in-Chief Toufique Imrose Khalidi at the latter’s office in recognition of Bangladesh’s largest news publisher’s role as Media Partner.

“We are extremely pleased to be associated with you on this project and are very grateful for the way your media house gave prominence to the cause of the people with physical disabilities, in Bangladesh and beyond,” Kelecevic said in a statement by the ICRC’s Dhaka office.

Khalidi said bdnews24.com was “proud” to be part of the process.

“It’s been a privilege to be associated with ICRC trying to promote such a cause,” he told the ICRC team.

The ICRC said it had taken the initiative to highlight the plight of the physically challenged for their better social integration.

The organisation plays a humanitarian role globally in cases of natural disasters and war situations. The ICRC had played a similar role during Bangladesh’s War of Independence.

After five years of operation, it decided to close its Dhaka office in 1975, but re-established it in 2006.

It is running a physical-disability rehabilitation project at the Centre for Rehabilitation of Paralysed (CRP).

Kelecevic said: “Together, we have highlighted the challenges faced by the people with disabilities and the need for those persons to enjoy the same opportunities in life, including sport.”

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Added Khalidi: “I am glad that the partnership worked and that our efforts generated millions of page views in both Bangla and English.”

“This means we could reach so many people, possibly make them aware of the issue and, I believe, sensitise them to the challenges the people with physical disabilities faced in our societies.”

ICRC Dhaka’s Communication Delegate Michael Kifle and Communication Officer Rayhan Sultana Toma, bdnews24.com News Editor Gazi Nasiruddin Ahmed, and Senior Executive Tamanna Raina were present among others.