History of RC Ramna

49 Year Journey of RC Ramna
Crafted by Rtn PP Shahed Akhtar MPHF

The journey of RC Ramna is remembered for improving lives of millions of Bangladesh. The Rotary  Club of Ramna was chartered by Rotary International on 25 April 1977.

PDG Habibullah Khan of the Rotary Club of Dhaka was the Chartered President and PDG Mustafa Zaman Abbasi the GSR. The first meeting was held in early 1976 at 35 Hare Road, the official residence of Rtn Azizul Haq (R.C.), the then member of the Council of Advisors of the government. Later, the venue shifted to Ramna Restaurant during the Presidency of Rtn Habibullah Khan and to the IBA premises at the initiative of Prof M. Shafiullah Director, IBA.

The Charter Presentation Ceremony was held on July 28, 1977 with 21 members under District 329- (comprising Bangladesh, Nepal, West Bengal, Assam, Meghalaya, Nagaland, Mizoram, Monipur, Tripura, Sikkim, Andaman and Nicobar Islands). The Charter was presented by District Governor (1977-78) Rtn Probhat Kumar Sinha, and Rotary International President (1977-78) Rtn Jack Davis and the theme of the year was “Serving to Unite Mankind”.

The Office bearers of the Charter Year (1977-78) were: President: Rtn Habibullah Khan; Vice President: Rtn Md. Ismail Hossain (Former IG Police); Secretary: Rtn Zahirul Karim; Treasurer: Rtn A. C. Nath and Directors: Rtn Dr. Muzaffar Ahmed, Rtn Isa Kazmi and Rtn Khurshid Anwar. The sponsored Rotaract Club of Ramna was under the chairmanship of Rtn Anil Chandra Nath. The leadership of the Club during those early years were provided by our illustrious Rotarians and Presidents like PP Atiq R Mahmood, PP Saudur Rashid, PP M O Ghani and Rtn PP Syed Rezaul Karim. Their efforts in outreach activities and defining the goal of the club towards service to the communities deserve a special mention.

This resulted in various international partnership that led to membership of the club with diverse nationalities and several international cooperation projects. RC Ramna still continues the legacy by implementing sustainable global grant projects.

The Club Bulletin named “Krishnachura” was first published in 1978 and is still continuing with able leadership of Rtn PP Parvin Ahmed Khushi. The Club had the distinction of receiving award of 3-H Banner Club for its contribution of USD 15 per member towards the 3-H Fund of Rotary International 1981-82. The RC Ramna later established “Atiq Memorial Fund” in 1986 with Taka 8 lac for activities in rural areas in Rtn. PP Atiq’s memory. This fund is providing vital support to the Club activities through its earnings. The capital now stands over 16 lac.

One of the major achievements of the club was the successful implementation of MOSTI (Manually Operated Shallow Tube-wells for Irrigation) project with installation of 482 shallow tube wells in rural areas. Another Project titled Tube-well for Irrigation and Sanitation obtained approval of the RI in the year 1986 with a 3H grant of USD 4,50,000 which was equivalent to approximately of Tk: 1.5 crores using the exchange rate at that time. The project was formulated by Rtn PP Dr. Rezaul Karim in consultation with Pdg Rtn Aziz-ul-Haq for approval of RI, and the implementation was conducted by him in consultation with Pdg Rtn Aziz-ul-Haq. Later, the implementation was coordinated by Rtn PP M A Matin till he left for an overseas assignment, followed by Rtn PP ABM Siddique who completed the implementation.

This project was completed with sinking of 16 deep tube-wells, 75 mechanized shallow tube wells, 2560 manual tube-wells (MOSTI), and installation of 15,000 water sealed sanitary latrines. The project also included setting up of 120 no. 3-R (Rotary, Rotaract, and Rural) societies for management of the project outputs after completion of the project. This was a very successful project of RC Ramna that provided urgently needed nutrition support to rural communities of Bangladesh, and the benefits of some components are continuing proving the sustainability of the project.

In 1988-89 Rtn Habibulah Khan was elected the District Governor of District 328. Earlier, he served as Cabinet Minister and as High Commissioner to South Africa in 1995. Another flag ship project of RC Ramna, was inaugurated by Nobel Laureate Mother Theresa. District Floating Hospital Project, which was initiated by our former club member Rtn Alimur Rahman Khan whose daughter Rtn Barrister Ayesha Taasin Khan is now a second-generation Rotarian of RC Ramna. The Floating Hospital project has grown into an expanded hospital project to treat the poor people living in the char areas of greater Rangpur District. RC Ramna has yet another global project to meet the health need of the people of the region. Rtn PP Asheq Ul Islam played a vital role in establishing the global grant project.

The club received contribution of Tk: one lac during 1994-95 towards the club fund for its vocational services by Rtn Yusuf Abdullah Harun. A scholarship fund of Tk: 2,50,000 was received from the advertisement. Also Project fund of Tk: 1 lac was created under the title Mahamudul Ahsan (Babu) scholarship fund by PP CAM Mohiuddin during 1994-95.

The Club supervised a donation of USD 50,000 received from the Rotary Club of Spokane, Rl District 5080 USA for a hospital established at Nalta, Satkhira by a leading Orthopedic Surgeon Rtn Dr. AFM Ruhul Huque PHF, former Cabinet Minister of Health. An Ambulance was procured for the Nalta Hospital, at Satkhira by District 328. The project grant was sponsored by Rotary Club of Spokane and RC Ramna, RID 328 with a total cost of Tk: 6,79,307 where Tk: 1,00,000 was supplemented by the members of RC Ramna.

During the devastating cyclone and tidal surge of 29th April, 1991 along the coastlines of Bangladesh, our Club with the initiative of PP Rtn. M A. Kalam started: “The Cow Bank Project”. Large number of families’ benefited. Our Club has always supported any vagaries of nature with innovative projects.

The Club acknowledged patronage of PDG Rtn Aziz-ul-Haq, an icon, well-wisher who advised of RC Ramna in various stages and needs, passed away in the Rotary Year 2002-2003. Though not a member of the Club, he was closely involved in establishing the Rotary Club of Ramna.

The 99th anniversary of Rotary International was celebrated by RC Ramna. Education program with Tk: 52,900 were completed with benefit to street children, needy and blind students of ABC (Assistance to Blind Children). Free Medicine was offered to poor patients at Akhalia Medical Centre at Narshingdi.  Presently, the Farida Hashem International School & College with Global Partnership of Rotary Club of Ilsan Jayuro of Republic of Korea providing education facility for the rural communities of Narshingdi.

The Club organized tree plantation with Dhaka City Corporation (which is now DCC South and North) at the garbage dump sites at Matuail and Amin Bazar. Tree plantation as service projects continues every year as a part of RC Ramna’s environment program. The first lady President of Rotary Club of Ramna was Rtn Dr. Shahida Rahman for 2004-2005, was the centennial President. She took the Club to higher pedestal and Club received 18 awards from the District

During Presidency of Rtn PP AKM Nozmul Haque MPHF, in RY 2009-10, Club’s “RC Ramna Endowment Fund” was initiated. Presently the fund stands at over Tk 33,00,000 (33 lac) part of the interest accrued from the fund is used for Club Projects, with more members joining as Trustees of the fund. The club has also another project fund of Taka 16.5 lac established through the efforts of club presidents, and using the unspent balance from club fund.

Club under Presidency of Rtn PP Fawzia Naaz MD organized a seminar attended by Rotary International President Kalyan Banerjee, and the keynote speech presented by Hossain Zillur Rahman, former advisor to the caretaker government of Bangladesh in 2007-2008, was highly acclaimed by all other the Clubs.

Rotary Club of Ramna sponsored a new club in the District namely; Rotary Club of Baridhara during Rtn. PP M A Hashem’s tenure RY 2005-6 during the same year PP M A Matin was the Governor’s Special Representative(GSR) appointed by the then District Governor now PDG Selim Reza.

The club is fortunate to recognize the first AKS of Bangladesh late PDG M Ali Mahbub in our Club who with his generous contribution to TRF encouraged RC Ramna to prepare the Global Grant to establish the Jillur and Jahanara Eye Care Centre at TMSS Hospital in Thengamara, Bogura with the TRF grant money of nearly US$200,000 in which half the fund was his contribution. The club takes pride that this contribution of this illustrious Rotarian led the club to successfully undertake eight global grant projects in the RI priority areas of disease prevention and education sectors with a total TRF grant of US$665,369. together with international partnership of clubs from Republic of Korea and India. To follow this success RC Ramna also became international partners of two very important health related projects in India. Unfortunately, because of the Non-District status of Bangladesh since February 2024, we do not have access to TRF funds and cannot undertake global grant projects. The club is, however, continuing the international projects with bilateral club to club cooperation of the Rotary Club of Ilsan Jayuro.