Grameenphone Ltd. has embarked upon a CSR partnership with Special Olympics, Bangladesh, to sponsor the Bangladesh Team's participation in the upcoming 2007 Special Olympics Summer Games, to be held in Shanghai, China from October 2 to 11, 2007.
An agreement to this effect was signed between Grameenphone and Special Olympics Bangladesh at a ceremony at the Radisson Hotel today. Mrs. Geeteara Safiya Choudhury, Adviser for Women & Children's Affairs and Social Welfare and Mr. Tapan Chowdhury, Adviser for Youth & Sports, graced the occasion. Mr. Erik Aas, Managing Director of Grameenphone, and Mr. Ashraf ud Dowla, Chairman of Special Olympics Bangladesh, signed the agreement on behalf of their respective organizations. Kafil H.S. Muyeed, Director, New Business Division of Grameenphone, along with a number of representatives from different foreign Missions, were also present at the ceremony.
In his speech, Mr. Aas stressed on the importance of private-public partnership in the process of rehabilitating challenged individuals as well as the country's development as a whole. He said "We want to create a friendlier and enabling environment for those individuals who need our support and encouragement to succeed, by empowering them and building their confidence in their own capabilities."
As an extension of its support, Grameenphone also plans to assist in developing the capacity of Special Olympics, Bangladesh, as well as its athletes by organizing regional and national competitions to search for new talents and train them for future Special Olympics Summer World Games.
Special Olympics Bangladesh is a non-profit organization, accredited by Special Olympics International, and created to help people with intellectual disabilities to develop self-confidence, social skills and a sense of personal accomplishment through sports training and competition.
The Bangladesh team has been participating in the Special Olympics Summer World Games since 1995. In the 2003 Special Olympics Summer World Games alone, 10,000 athletes from around 160 countries took part. The Bangladesh team has so far won 37 gold, 22 silver and 19 bronze medals from the last three World Games.
As a responsible corporate citizen of Bangladesh, Grameenphone recognizes its duties towards the less privileged members of society, and aims to empower them through sustainable initiatives that focus on awareness and capacity building.
Grameenphone has been providing support to the Tauri Foundation, which runs a school for intellectually challenged children in Dhaka City, it also provided support to the Center for Disables' Concern, an NGO that works with disabled individuals in Chittagong.
Recently GP donated 100 rickshaws in Sylhet to the Green Disabled Foundation, the Sylhet Foundation, and the Freedom Fighters Association in Sylhet, who work with poor and disabled individuals (including poor Freedom Fighters) in Sylhet. These rickshaws have been donated to serve as alternative income streams for these non-profit organizations.
Grameenphone has also joined in the emergency relief efforts in response to the current flood situation in the flood-affected areas of Dhaka, Rajshahi and Sylhet divisions. Grameenphone has been undertaking this initiative in collaboration with Government agencies such as the Joint Armed Forces, local Deputy Commissioners' Offices and designated Relief Coordination Cells, as well as local NGOs, GP's CSR partners and distributors.
Yesterday, in Dhaka division, GP handed over 302 sacks of rice, 200 sacks of chira, 800 bottles of Soya Bean oil, 50 sacks of Mosurer Dal (lintels), 50 sacks of salt, 44,000 packets of oral saline, 12,000 water purifying tablets, and 18,000 packets of biscuits to Bangladesh Army and Dhaka District Administration authorities for necessary distribution. GP employees also distributed relief materials at Keraniganj and Nowabganj of Dhaka district and Shibaloy of Manikganj district. Relief will also be distributed at Harirampur and Singair of Manikganj district and Dohar of Dhaka district over the next couple of days.
In Rajshahi division, relief was distributed in Sirajganj yesterday. Relief support will be continued in Sirajganj, Gaibandha and Kurigram. And in Sylhet division GP have distributed relief in Jagannathpur, Sadar Bazar and Raniganj. Relief activities will be extended in Sunamganj, Companiganj, Sylhet city and Baniarchang during this week.
Over the next few days Grameenphone has made provisions to donate 3,000 family packs in Dhaka Division, 5,000 family packs in Rajshahi Division and 2,200 family packs in Sylhet Divison. Each Family Pack contains 3 kg rice, 1 kg daal, 1 litre Soya-oil, 1 kg Chira, 500 gms of Salt and Gur, 3 packs of biscuits, 3 packs of oral saline, 6 candles sticks and a lighter. Since it started its relief operations yesterday, a sizable amount the relief (over 3,300 family packs) have already been distributed.

Information Department
Grameenphone Ltd.
Phone: 9882990
email: info@grameenphone.com