Remembering the Good Times at the Alumni Reunion Picnic

On Saturday 21 January, an Alumni reunion picnic was held at the Matlab International Training Centre. For the first time ever, 100 retired Matlab friends plus 60 travelers from Dhaka came together to laugh and share their memories of their working days at the Centre on a sunny winter day.
 
Having the newly installed Matlab SWA officers and many current staff join the picnic underscored the Centre and Matlab’s strength in sharing resources and community building. With over 200 guests, organizers J. Chakraborty and Mr Reza skillfully decorated a shady shamiana with tables, chairs, delicious food and a good audio system.
 
The guests picnicked on hand-made pitas with tea, attended the reunion program inside the training centre, followed by a fine Gomes-cooked lunch with local ingredients. There was also the opportunity to mingle with a group of our dedicated bari mas (volunteer ladies who have worked for over 25 years to supply ORS and good advice to their communities), listen to Alumni members’ testimonials, win raffle prizes and enjoy a cultural show.
 
During the Matlab reunion ceremonies, guests stood for silent minutes to remember those employees who have passed away. A few leaders also publicly reminisced about their work at Matlab during the assembly. Executive Director, Dr. David Sack, pointed out that we must remember and applaud the well-known contributions to the CRL/ICDDR,B made by Matlab staff. This event marked a 40th Year Celebration of the Demographic Surveillance System (DSS), started at Matlab in 1966.
 
The success of the Alumni Reunion Picnic was demonstrated by the large number of guests who attended, combined with the enthusiasm and joy experienced on the day.