Of love and living

In an atmosphere of fun, frolic and festivities, people across the country celebrated the Valentine's Day yesterday.

In the capital, thousands of couples, some with their friends, gathered on the Dhaka University campus and other popular hangouts in colourful apparels.

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While most girls were found wearing saris and flowers carefully, and quite enchantingly, tucked in their locks, their male partners were wearing traditional panjabis and some carrying bouquets.

Though different programmes were organised in the city for the lovebirds and hotels, restaurants and cafés came up with various offers, it was Dhaka South City Corporation that took the centre stage.

It organised an innovative programme titled "Pranoshokha Dhaka - Love for Dhaka" at Shahbagh intersection, considered the gateway to the DU campus for most of the city dwellers.

DSCC Mayor Sayeed Khokon inaugurated the programme that calls for a collective effort to keep the city clean and beautiful.

To strengthen confidence between the police and citizens, Abdul Jalil Mandal, commissioner of Chittagong Metropolitan Police along with other members of the force distribute flowers among many in New Market area of the port city on Valentine's Day yesterday. Photo: Anurup Kanti Das

"You all should think yourselves as the mayor and do your duties accordingly," Khokon urged an audience of more than a thousand people.

Many couples, who had came to the DU campus to celebrate the day, also joined the programme.

Shykh Seraj, director and head of news of Channel-I, at the programme said, "When I visited Uganda, a third-world country, I saw people observing community day for cleaning their houses for three hours every Saturday."

"It is mandatory for all of them," he said suggesting that the government do something similar in Bangladesh.

Litterateur Syed Shamsul Haque urged everyone to work together to restore the long lost glory of the 400-year-old city.

Nasrin Ahmed, pro-vice chancellor of Dhaka University, too spoke on the importance of the general people's awareness and efforts in keeping the city clean.