Underprivileged working children in Bangladesh get support from Members of Australian Bar Association
UCEP Executive Director Brigadier General Aftab Uddin Ahmad (Retd.) receiving the cheque from Mr Dan O’Gorman representing the Australian Bar Association.
Eminent members of the Australian Bar Association (ABA) today presented a cheque for Taka 2,334,000 to sponsor underprivileged working children of the UCEP general and technical schools. The funds were raised primarily by the Queensland Bar Association from members of the Association and the Queensland Judiciary. This was the 5th time that the ABA has donated money to UCEP. A total of Taka eighty lac (approx AU$135,000) has been raised and donated to date.
Members of the Australian Bar have been travelling to Bangladesh since 1996 to conduct a ten day long Intensive Trial Advocacy Workshop that focuses on strengthening the independence of the court system. All of the members involved in the training program volunteer their time to conduct the workshop.
Australia’s Charge d’Affaires, Ms Kilmeny Beckering Vinckers, thanked the Australian Bar members for their continued interest in and assistance to this vital area. “Not only have members devoted their time voluntarily to conduct specialist training, but they have also taken an interest in the wider community through supporting the education of underprivileged working children which will hopefully enable them to become self-reliant. I would also like to commend UCEP for providing these children with the means to gain important skills”, commented Ms Beckering Vinckers.
Justice Murray Kellam, on behalf of the Australian Bar said he was very pleased to be able to assist the important work being undertaken by UCEP. Brigadier General Ahmad, Executive Director of UCEP thanked Australian Bar Association members and their associates for their continuing generous support for improving the lives of vulnerable Bangladeshi children. “The donation would go a long way in improving the lives of these children”, he added.
Australian High Commission, Dhaka
21 December 2009
For further information please contact
Senior Political & Economic Research Officer, AHC, Dhaka.
Tel: 8813105, E-mail: [email protected]