The New Nation - Internet Edition

BSS, Chittagong

Cherie Blair, a renowned international lawyer and wife of former British Prime Minister Tony Blair, yesterday spent a busy day in the port city.

Also an advocate of human rights, she handed over Cherie Blair Fellowship to 10 meritorious students of the Asian University for Women (AUW) for their excellent academic feat and outstanding leadership skills.

Following the announcement of the awards, Cherie addressed nearly 300 students and faculty members of the AUW on its temporary campus in the city's Mehedibag area. She also joined launch with the Cherie Blair fellows.

Later, Ms Blair attended a civic reception, accorded by Mayor of Chittagong Alhaj A B M Mohiuddin Chowdhury on the AUW's Bayezeed Bostami campus last evening.

Addressing the function, Cherie said Chittagong and Liverpool cities share many common things and termed the port city a right place for establishing the AUW. "Chittagong is also becoming a city of universities," she observed.

Underling the importance for increased women education, particularly their empowerment, Cherie was highly pleased saying that Bangladesh is governed by a woman as Prime Minister while Leader of the Oppositions in Parliament is also a woman.

"The primary and secondary education in Bangladesh is praiseworthy but tertiary education is very limited and that is why AUW is so important in Bangladesh," she observed.

Cherie hoped that the AUW would enable the women with much ability and potential to meet the society's challenges for an effective as well as positive change through an innovative rigorous curriculum, encompassing the liberal arts, sciences, and professional training.

"Liberal Arts will broaden the human faculty and build thoughtful and ethical leaders in society" she said. Mayor Alhaj A B M Mohiuddin Chowdhury presented a key of the port city to Cherie Blair.

Chairman of Chittagong Development Authority (CDA) M A Salam also spoke on the occasion and presented two crests, one of CDA and the other of the newly floated Chittagong Metropolitan Chamber of Commerce, to her.

Acting Vice Chancellor of the AUW Hoon Eng Khoo and Mayor's son Barrister Mohibul Hasan Nowfel, also a Cherie fellow in London School of Economics, spoke on the occasion.

The reception was attended, among others, by former adviser Rokeya Afzal Rahman, Vice Chancellors of the universities, academics, journalists and elite of the city.

Ms Blair is an ardent campaigner for the Asian University for Women globally. She visited Hong Kong, Qatar, United Arab Emirates and Brunei last year to rally support for the University.