Molla Jalal BFUJ president

Journalist Molla Jalal has been elected the president of a faction of Bangladesh Federal Union of Journalists (BFUJ). Chief Election Commissioner Alamgir Hossain came up with the announcement at the Jatiya Press Club at 12:30 pm yesterday.

Although the results of the BFUJ election was announced on July 13 the result to the president post remained pending as the candidates applied for recounting of the votes in the post. Molla Jalal bagged 974 votes beating his nearest rival Omar Faruk. Syed Ishtiaque Reza of GTV and Shaban Mahmud of Bangladesh Protidin were elected vice- president and secretary general respectively of the BFUJ faction.

Buddhists celebrate Ashari Purnima

Buddhists in Chattogram city and district on Friday celebrated one of their major religious festivals Ashari Purnima with solemn devotion and traditional enthusiasm.

Ashari Purnima is celebrated by the members of the Buddhist community to commemorate three significant incidences of Buddha’s life which took place on this single day. On this day, restless and dissatisfied with his opulent prince Siddhartha, renounced his kingdom, even his wife and son when he was just 29 years old in quest of eternal truth. The festival is mostly important that Siddharta Goutom after attaining supreme enlightenment in six years rigorous meditation as Buddha preached his first sermon among his five disciples at Banaras of Sarnath in India.

The purnima is thirdly important as the Buddhist monks will go for three months long seclusion inside their monasteries for atonement of their defilement from the following day if any till another festival Prabarana Purnima.

    Independent/agency