The  Bureau of Manpower Employment and Training (BMET) has undertaken an exceptional endeavour to provide over 200 bicycles to students in the flood-hit areas of the country including Sylhet instead of providing them traditional relief materials. 

As part of the programme, BMET Director General (Additional Secretary) Shahidul Alam today (Tuesday) distributed 104 bicycles, helmets and T-shirts among students of six educational institutions and technical training centers including Technical Training Center (TTC), Sylhet, and Goainghat Imran Ahmad Girls' School and College. 

The BMET has taken the initiative to provide 220 bicycles, helmets, and T-shirts among the underprivileged students of nine educational institutions and training centers in the flood-affected areas including Sylhet, Sunamganj, Kishoreganj, Kurigram, Netrokona and Gaibandha districts with money collected from one day's salary of BMET officials and employees. Among the students, 120 are male and 100 are female. 

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During the distribution of bicycles at Sylhet TTC, Deputy Commissioner of Sylhet Mojibur Rahman, BMET Deputy Director Rafiqul Islam, Assistant Director Kamrul Hossain, Sylhet Women TTC Principal, Goainghat Government College Fazlul Haque and other senior officials were present.  Sheikh Mohammad Nahid Niaz, Principal of Sylhet Technical Training Center presided over the function, says a press release on Tuesday evening. 

Speaking at the function, BMET Director General Shahidul Alam said the initiative of free bicycle distribution has been taken as an alternative to relief to encourage skills and developmental training as a tool for sustainable development. 

He said the bicycle will be a symbol of speed, good health, and success. The participation and contribution of those who can afford it can easily bring the society towards development. 

BMET sources said, one day's salary of BMET officials amounting to Tk 2000,000 (twenty lakh)  was collected last June for distribution of relief among flood-affected people. As the flood situation, in the meantime, improved, the authorities decided to distribute bicycles among the underprivileged students as an alternative to speed up their lives. 

The bicycles were provided under the banner of JanoShakti Krira O Sangskritik Forum, an entertainment organization for BMET officials. 

The remaining bicycles are scheduled to be handed over on September 16.