Staff Reporter:
Officers’ Club Dhaka General Secretary Mesbah Uddin has pledged that he will work to turn the organisation of the government officials into a smart one if he is re-elected in the post during its Executive Committee election, scheduled to be held on 23 February.
While talking to the media, Mesbah, a former secretary of the Ministry of Youth and Sports, shared his plans and pledges to ensure facilities and establish amenities for the welfare of the club members.
“I will set up a complete healthcare centre with specialised doctors, a physiotherapy centre, and a diagnostic centre where the members can do tests at nominal costs, along with three separate swimming pools for men, women, and children, four badminton courts, four tennis courts, separate rooms for billiards, yoga, cards, and chess, and a 1,200-seat auditorium,” he said.
Besides, freedom fighters’ corner, cafeteria and lounge for senior citizens, cineplex, beauty parlours for men and women, women’s corner, kids’ zone, grocery shop, medicine corner, and an underground car park facilitating parking for 450 vehicles will be established among others, the general secretary said.
Although two aspirants, including Mesbah, are vying for the post, the former government bureaucrat is far ahead of his rival in terms of popularity and campaign, according to an opinion poll.
Members of the club believe that Mesbah will emerge victorious in the election again for his role in implementing the pledges he made in the previous term.
Two beautiful complexes of 12-storey-building are being constructed on the Officers’ Club premises. Before Mesbah took charge, the floor area of the new building was 3.5 lakh square feet. It was expanded to 5.5 lakh square feet as he assumed the post.
During his tenure as the youth and sports secretary, he had developed a tennis court with an allocation of Tk3 crore. He also built Camellia Greenhouse on the third floor of the club building at a cost of Tk50 lakh with the help of Dhaka Zila Parishad, and a ramp on the ground floor with the assistance of the Public Works Department for the persons with disabilities and elderly members of the club.
Mesbah said, “During the post-Covid period, the club faced an extreme financial crisis. In this tough time, I tried to have the country’s famous sponsors to deal with the crisis and ultimately, the club has benefited.
“I have always tried to implement the promises I made in the last election. I have sincerely given efforts to ensure accountability in the organisation with the cooperation of all to eliminate financial irregularities.”
Sources at the Officers’ Club said the debt of the organisation was Tk4 crore when Mesbah took charge of it. But, as per his action plan, the organisation has become debt-free today. Moreover, the club has a fund of Tk7 crore. He also took measures to pay the municipal taxes which were never repaid since the club’s establishment.
In addition, Mesbah was conferred with the “Covid-19 Hero Award” by Rotary International for his distinctive role in ensuring healthcare services for the club members during the pandemic.
Established in 1967, the Officers’ Club Dhaka now has more than 7,000 members and is run by an Executive Committee headed by the cabinet secretary. Its members are elected through secret ballots every two years.
In the 23 February election, nine aspirants are vying for the vice-chairman post, six for the joint general secretary post, two for treasurer, and 41 for member posts.
