A number of Upazela Election Officers of the People’s Republic of Bangladesh visited the Centre for the Rehabilitation of the Paralysed (CRP) on August 31, 2010 in order to inspect the various activities of the organisation and share their expertise.

The thirty five delegates visited CRP as part of their training program “Foundation Training Course” in Bangladesh Public Administration Training Centre (BPATC).

Valerie A. Taylor, Founder & Coordinator and Md. Emdad Moslem, Executive Director of CRP welcomed the delegates warmly and gave them an overview of the organisation.

Later, they visited different departments of the organisation and expressed their appreciation for staff members of CRP for the benevolent services to persons with disabilities, and presented crest to CRP’s Founder and Coordinator Valerie A. Taylor.

A University & College based voluntary organization Physically-Challenged Development Foundation (PDF) organized an Ifter Party for Poor Disabled Inpatients of Centre for the Rehabilitation of the Paralysed (CRP) on 31^th August 2010.

Representatives from British School of Law, British Council, YWSS, BHPI-CRP, Rajuk College, University College London, AIZ-BGMEA, Jahangirnagar University and Coordinator of PDF Md. Mizanur Rahman Kiron were present the Ifter Party.

At the ceremony the Coordinator of PDF Md. Mizanur Rahman Kiron expressed great aims of his organization to the disable persons and promised to be beside all the time in future.

Valerie A. Taylor, Founder & Coordinator of CRP started the occasion with her speech, whereby she thanked all the Members of PDF for their efforts and wishing them all the best.

A team of Lions Clubs Int. distributed zakat materials among 100 poor inpatients and organized a big ifter party for 400 persons on 29^th August 2010 at the Patients’ Dining room of Centre for the Rehabilitation of the Paralysed (CRP).

District Governor Lion Md. Abdul Baten, First Vice District Governor Lion Habibur Rahman Nannu, Second Vice District Governor Lion M.M. Muraduzzaman, Past District Governor Lion Muzibul Haque Chunnu, Cabinet Secretary Lion Dewan Nasirul Hoque, and Chairman of Ramadan Service Committee Lion M.A. Salam were present as the team members of Lions Clubs Int.

Valerie A. Taylor, Founder & Coordinator of CRP and Md. Emdad Moslem, Executive Director of CRP started the occasion with their speech, whereby they thanked all the Lions Clubs Team Members for their efforts and wishing them all the best.

At the zakat distributing ceremony the District Governor Lion Md. Abdul Baten expressed great concern for the disable persons and promised to be beside the all the time in future.

Students of the Dhaka Medical College (DMC) visited the Centre for the Rehabilitation of the Paralysed (CRP) on the 18 August, 2010 in order to gather sensible understanding on the subject of the Treatment and Rehabilitation for the physically challenged persons in the organization.

Twenty of fourth year students of MBBS courses visited CRP and Dr. Swapan Kumar Ghosh, Teacher of DMC led the team. After a basic brief about CRP by Executive Director Md. Emdad Moslem, they visited most of the departments including the Physiotherapy, Occupational Therapy and Speech and Language Therapy department, Special Seating Unit, Halfway Hostel etc.

Students of DMC expressed their high regard and appreciation for the noble services of CRP and for the great contribution of its Founder and Coordinator Valerie A. Taylor to individuals with disabilities across the country.

The 2010 Ramon Magsaysay Awardee A.H.M. Noman Khan, The Executive Director of the Center for Disability in Development (CDD), was felicitated at Centre for the Rehabilitation of the Paralysed (CRP) on 12 August 2010.

The Executive Director of CRP Md. Emdad Moslem said in congratulating Noman, “He got Ramon Magsaysay Award for his pioneering leadership in mainstreaming persons with disabilities in the development process of Bangladesh, and in working vigorously with all sectors to build a society that is truly inclusive and barrier-free.”

Valerie Ann Taylor, the Founder and Coordinator of CRP said, “He is the first Bangladeshi who got this award Ramon Magsaysay which is called Asian Nobel. By getting this award his responsibility to the neglected people with disability has become increased.”

Mr. A.H.M. Noman said in his welcomed speech, “This award is not for me alone, it is the achievement of all the members of CDD who have been working relentlessly for the supreme welfare of the disabled people.” As well he said that he was inspired first in taking such kind of challenges for disabled people by Valerie Ann Taylor who is called the Florence Nightingale of Bangladesh.

A consultation meeting entitled “Treatment and Rehabilitation of the Disabled Persons: Our Responsibility” was held on August 09, 2010 at the Saifur Rahman auditorium in Maulovibazar, organized by the Advocacy and Networking Department of the Centre for the Rehabilitation of the Paralysed (CRP).

Chief Whip Vice-Principal Abdus Shaheed was the Chief Guest of the Program and the Founder and Coordinator of CRP Valerie Ann Taylor, Deputy Commissioner of Maulovibazar Mostafizur Rahman, the Executive Director of CRP Md. Emdad Moslem, district Police Super Md. Harun-or-Rashid, former MP Azizur Rahman and district Civil Surgeon Dr. Golam Razzak were present as special guests at the meeting.

The purpose of the consultation meeting was to raise awareness on disabilities, and the overall process of rehabilitation following treatment. In this program different aspect of disabilities including its causes, effects and expansion of treatment facilities in Bangladesh was discussed. The speakers agreed that, treatment facilities for disabled persons are insufficient compared to the demand across the country. Thus there arises an urgency to establish Divisional Units at all divisions across the country to ensure a better quality of life, health and well-being for people currently living of physical impairments.

Azizul Haque Manik joined the Center for the Rehabilitation of the Paralysed (CRP) Head Quarter as a Communication & Publication Officer on August 1^st, 2010. He has completed his graduation and post graduation in the department of Bangla from Jahangirnagar University. In addition to publishing five books he has also completed different types of training courses and workshops from various reputed organizations. He worked as a Research and Publication Associate at the National Institute of Local Government (NILG), as a Research Associate at the Bangladesh Public Administration Training Centre (BPATC), as a Research & Publication Associate at the Janabiggan Foundation. He has also worked as a freelance contributor & regular writer for different national daily, weekly and monthly magazines before joining CRP.

The capping ceremony of first year Diploma in Nursing Science and Midwifery course, session 2009- 2010 of Bangladesh Health Professions Institute (BHPI) was held on 07 August 2010. The Chairman of Trusty board of The Centre for the Rehabilitation of the Paralysed (CRP) Major General Dr. Mohammad Nurul Haq was the chief guest at the programme and capped the devoted students.

Bangladesh Health Professions Institute (BHPI) is an academic institute of CRP every year helps to develop a good number of health professionals through providing necessary training and academic support on these types of useful practical oriented courses in Bangladesh.

During the ceremony the chief guest and other guests urged the future nurses to devote themselves to serve the affected sickness and sufferers, to be beside them as their dear one and honest with committed to their profession. They were asked to get inspiration from Florence Nightingale who devoted her life for the betterment of the sufferers. Among other the founder and coordinator of CRP Valerie Ann Taylor, The Principal of Dhaka Nursing College Tahatun Nahar, The Executive Director of CRP Md. Emdad Moslem, The Principal of BHPI Professor Dr. M. A. Kader were also present at the colorful ceremony.

Students of the Shaheed Suhrawardy Medical College (SSMC) in Dhaka visited the Centre for the Rehabilitation of the Paralysed (CRP) on the 2^nd August, 2010 in order to gather practical knowledge on the subject of the treatment and rehabilitation for the physically challenged persons in this organization.

Thirty-five fourth year students of MBBS courses visited CRP and Dr. Md. Akbar Hossain, Assistant Professor of Community Medicine led the delegates. After a basic brief about CRP by Executive Director Md. Emdad Moslem, they visited most of the departments including the Physiotherapy, Occupational Therapy and Speech and Language Therapy department, as well as the Special Seating Unit.

Students of SSMC expressed their high regard and admiration for the noble services of CRP and for the great contribution of its Founder and Coordinator Valerie A. Taylor to individuals with disabilities across the country. Dr. Md. Akbar Hossain, stressed the launching of the services to all the divisional hospitals in the country to ensure effective treatment of patients with spinal cord injuries.

Mr. Steenbeek, the PD Advisor of Christian Blind Mission (CBM) in Germany, and Md. Shahnawaz Qureshi the Country Officer for Bangladesh visited the Centre for the Rehabilitation of the Paralysed (CRP) on August 1^st, 2010.

The purpose of their visit was to view and monitor the CRP’s different services and activities in order to take back ideas to advance their own organization’s purpose. Founder and Coordinator of CRP Valerie A. Taylor and Executive Director Md. Emdad Moslem were very pleased to receive Mr. Steenbeek and Md. Shahnawaz Qureshi. They exchanged views on different issues, specifically on the different treatment and rehabilitation for the spinal cord injury patients.

They expressed their esteem and admiration for the work being done with the spinal cord injury patients and physically challenged students as well as for the insight provided by its founder and coordinator Valerie A. Taylor since the inauguration. They communicated that the visit had been very helpful and that they look forward to maintaining good ties with the organisation in the future.