HOPE: Now official

The sky was overcast on Wednesday, April 25, 2007, but that didn't stop the lounge in Campus 4 from lighting up with sheer energy, as Help Our People Empathize (HOPE), launched the first ever community service network in the Independent University, Bangladesh (IUB). Senior faculty members and administration officers of IUB attended the programme.
MC'd by Sarah Fatma Ahmad (PR Officer, HOPE), the programme opened with HOPE co-ordinator Munsia Naureen Ahmed speaking about the vision that led to the inception of the organization. This was followed by the official launching of the programme by IUB's Vice Chancellor, Professor Bazlul Mobin Choudhury, with a slideshow presentation created by Taskin Rahman (Brand Manager, HOPE), which was accompanied by the popular Phil Collins song 'Another Day in Paradise'.
Sabrina Fatma Ahmad, Publications Manager, HOPE, spoke about the organization and outlined the activities of the team. This was followed by a speech by Sadia Kalam, Event Support Manager (HOPE)/Liaison Officer for Streetwise, where she presented Streetwise, an NGO for the rehabilitation of street children. The students of Streetwise recited poetry to the amusement of the audience, and earned laughter and applause through a comic skit they enacted. They were then presented by token gifts by the Vice Chancellor.
Pro-Vice Chancellor Dr Omar Rahman spoke on the occasion, praising the initiative taken by the students, and particularly their emphasis on the concept of 'empathy'. He was followed by the Vice Chancellor, who announced the introduction of a new credit system for community service, to be introduced to the academic program at IUB from Autumn 2007, and added that the members of HOPE had already earned their credit point.
Dr Ahaduzzaman M Ali, Director of the Department of Media and Communications, also spoke on the occasion, lauding the efforts of the students, and appeared visibly moved by the achievements of the group.
The launching ceremony concluded with the rendition of the HOPE anthem 'Amra ebhabe aalo jalabo' by Farshid Alam and Adnan Islam (Logistic Support Officers).
After the launching, the action moved downstairs to the HOPE Headquarters in Room 103, where the Vice Chancellor inaugurated an exhibition of paintings by students of the Dhaka Deaf Welfare Association. The paintings on display depicted scenes from the 1952 Language Movement, and the theme was 'Amar Ekushey'.
Meanwhile, the entrance to Campus 4 was packed with action as a third faction of HOPE, headed by Food and Beverages Co-ordinator and other HOPE members conducted a charity food sale. Featured at their stall was an assortment of fresh fruit drinks, tehari, chotpoti, brownies, kabab, rolls and dry snacks donated by BD Foods Ltd. The conclusion of the 2-hour sale saw all the items being sold out, and according to HOPE Treasurer Efaz Rahman Khan, the total funds generated from the sale amounted to Tk 7000.
The functions ended on a celebratory note, and it is hoped that future HOPE events will be just as successful.