Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina today inaugurated the National Insurance Day to enhance public awareness about the insurance for further development of the sector.
She opened the day virtually from her official Ganabhaban residence here this morning.
The day is being observed with the theme "Bimay Surokkito Thakle Agiye Jabo Sobai Mile" (If protected with insurance, we will advance together).
Finance Ministry and the Insurance Development and Regulatory Authority (IDRA) jointly organised the inaugural function of the day at the Bangabandhu International Conference Centre (BICC) in the city.
Finance Minister AHM Mustafa Kamal presided over the event remotely while Secretary of Financial Institutions Division, Ministry of Finance, Sheikh Mohammad Salim Ullah gave a welcome address.
Chairman of the IDRA Dr. M. Mosharraf Hossain and Bangladesh Insurance Association (BIA) President Sheikh Kabir Hossain, also spoke on the occasion.
On behalf of the prime minister, Sheikh Mohammad Salim Ullah handed over the "Bima Padak" to five persons for their outstanding contribution to the insurance sector and "Bangabandhu Surokhya Bima Policy" to two differently able children.
Former lawmakers and insurance personalities Mokbul Hossain and Mostafizur Rahman have been awarded posthumously with lifetime achievement for their significant contribution to the development of the insurance sector.
Insurance personalities, Sheikh Kabir Hossain and Nasir Uddin Ahmed Chowdhury were awarded for their special roll in the development of the insurance sector while former secretary of the government Nazrul Islam Khan was also awarded for his contribution to make a documentary on insurance sector and Bangabandhu's contribution to development of the sector.
A video documentary on the insurance sector was screened at the ceremony.
On 1 March, 1960, Father of the Nation Bangabandhu Sheikh Mujibur Rahman started working at the then-Alpha Insurance Company. Therefore, the government has decided to celebrate March 1 as the National Insurance Day, every year.
The government has upgraded the "National Insurance Day" from 'B' category to 'A' category commemorating the great architect of independence, greatest Bangalee of all time and Father of the Nation Bangabandhu Sheikh Mujibur Rahman.