Walkathon to raise fund, awareness

The walkathon started at IDB Bhaban at Sher-e-Bangla Nagar in the city with colourful banners and festoons and ended in front of the Jatiya Sangshad Bhaban with the slogan 'Fight Hunger, Walk the World'.

Deputy Executive Director of WFP Rome John M Powell, Country Representative of WFP Bangladesh Douglas Broderick, Food and Disaster Management Minister Chowdhury Kamal Ibne Yusuf and a host of representatives of different organisations, individuals and students participated in the walkathon.

The walk also took place in Jessore, Rangpur, Rangamati and Chittagong with huge response.

John M Powel said, 'Walk the World' is an event for all who are concerned about hunger and WFP was able to reach 96 million people in more than 80 countries last year.

He also lauded Bangladesh's achievement saying in many ways it is ahead in food aid development activities.

"We want to make it clear that we will continue to emphasise and highlight the issue of child hunger around the world including Bangladesh," Douglas Broderick said.

In Bangladesh, about 50 per cent children under the age of five are underweight and stunted which results in a reduced mental capacity and physical development, he said adding that the walk boosted people's morale to continue the efforts to improve the quality of life of the poor school going children.

WFP provided school meals for 21.7 million children in 74 countries last year. It plans to reach 50 million school children by 2008.

More than 700,000 million people in over one hundred countries across 24 time zones have walked five kilometres to highlight the battle against child hunger. This number also includes children throughout Africa, Latin America and Asia.