Awareness Meeting on Child Rights and Drug Abuse Held in Paikgachha

An awareness meeting on preventing child labor, child marriage, school dropouts, and drug abuse was held in Khulna's Paikgachha upazila. The Islamic Foundation and World Vision Bangladesh jointly organized the event at the Officers Club Auditorium on Tuesday, May 19.

Upazila Nirbahi Officer (UNO) Wasiuzzaman Chowdhury attended as the chief guest, while Islamic Foundation Field Supervisor Bilal Hussain chaired the session. World Vision Bangladesh Program Area Manager Biplob Isaac Sardar delivered the welcome address.

Special guests included Upazila Women's Affairs Officer Reshma Akhter, Police Second Officer Atiqur Rahman, Upazila Model Mosque Imam Maulana Ashraful Islam, Father Jewel Macfield, and Priest Subrata Chakraborty.

Moderated by World Vision’s Palash Hubbard Biswas, the event featured speeches from ASI Shahnaz Akhter, Kazi representative Al Amin, Press Club Vice President Md. Abdul Aziz, and Shawkat Hossain of the Islamic Foundation.

During the discussion, speakers stressed the urgent need to eliminate child labor and underage marriage, reduce school dropout rates, and build a drug-free society through strict law enforcement and broader public awareness. Imams from various local mosques, dignitaries, journalists, and World Vision officials also attended the meeting.