The New Nation - Internet Edition

BSS, Dhaka

The Diabetic Association of Bangladesh on Wednesday accorded a reception to Foreign Adviser Dr. Iftekhar Ahmed Chowdhury for his role in the passage of a Bangladesh resolution adopted by the UN General Assembly to observe the "World Diabetic Day" on November 14 as the United Nations Day.

The United Nations unanimously passed the resolution 61/225 on December 20, 2006. Dr. Chowdhury was the Permanent Representative of Bangladesh to the UN at that time.

The function was held at the BIRDEM auditorium with Prof. A K Azad Khan, president of the association, in the chair. Mr. Saif Uddin, secretary general and Prof. Hazera Mahtab, member of the national council of the association, also addressed it.

Speaking on the occasion, Dr. Chowdhury paid glowing tributes to the founder of the organization Dr. Mohammad Ibrahim and said thousand of people have been benefited by his noble work.

He said that it was an arduous job to get a resolution passed particularly for a non-communicable disease by the United Nations. But, he said that 192 members of the body passed it unanimously on December 20, 2006. He described it as a 'diplomatic milestone' for Bangladesh.

Prof. Azad Khan said that although the Diabetic center in Bangladesh is the biggest of its kind in the world, it could cater services to only 25 percent of estimated 60 lakh patients. He said that a total of 32 lakh diabetic patients die each year across the globe.

Prof. Hazera Mahtab said that BIRDEM is the biggest health service provider in the country and 55 affiliated organisations are working across Bangladesh to provide service to the diabetic patients.