Nevada County Picayune and Gurdon Times Newspaper Archive

Visitors From Bangladesh Meet With Local Rotarians

A sharing of cultures took place recently when a Group Study Exchange team from Bangladesh visited Prescott.

The GSE team, from Rotary International district 3280, came to Prescott as part of a month-long tour of Arkansas.

Team leader Sana Ullah Shaikn, an engineering and management consultant, said the team was fortunate to be selected to make the trip to Arkansas.

He said since their arrival the team has met people who have opened their hearts to them. "We've been warmly received," he said. "The world would be a better place if governments of the world could adopt programs such as GSE and live other places for four to six weeks."

Shaikn said during their trip, the team tries to convey how they live in Bangladesh and their issues of concern.

Tayseer Rahan Siddiqui, an executive in the Credit Analysis Department of Arab Bangladesh Bank Ltd., expressed his appreciation at being a GSE members and told of the warmth of the Arkansas people.

He was followed as a speaker by Zahiruddin Babar, who is a shipping executive working in marketing and sales with "K" Line Bangladesh Ltd.

Babar was the only single member of the GSE team. He said the GSE program has allowed him to learn about other countries and the way of life there, while he helps teach others about Bangladesh.

Roohi Shamima Choudhury, the lone female member of the team, gave the Prescott Rotary Club members an overview of Bangladesh.

The country, she said, is surrounded on three sides by India, and the fourth by the Bay of Bengal.

Bangladesh is famous for the Royal Bengal tigers and spotted deer.

Choudhury said there are 120 million people living in the 56,000 square mile nation.

She said the people of her nation are very friendly and love to entertain guests and tourists.

A major difference, though, is the people of Bangladesh treat their senior citizens better. The elders, she said, are looked after by their children.

Nasir Muhammad Mahboob, an agronomist in Padma Oil Co., Ltd., was the final team member to speak.

He thanked the people of Prescott for their hospitality, saying the team had a wonderful tour of the Potlatch plant. "We're sorry we don't have time to meet with you longer," he said.