Staff Reporter, Dhaka : The coworkers of BRAC Bank organized their annual mini-marathon, “BRAC Bank DOUR 2023 – The Marathon for Humanity “.

DOUR, beginning its journey in 2011, is the first marathon initiative by a Bangladeshi bank and is unique in how it serves society through its fundraising philosophy.

The bank’s coworkers voluntarily contribute token funds to join the run. The bank matches the fund from its CSR fund. The total fund goes to charity organizations working for the welfare of less advantaged people in the country.

Executive Director of Bangladesh Bank Nurun Nahar attended the programme at Hatirjheel in Dhaka on January 21, 2023. Managing Director & CEO of BRAC Bank Selim R. F. Hussain was present.

Apart from the bank’s coworkers, the officials of BRAC and the bank’s subsidiaries, film and sports celebrities also participated in the mini marathon. The marathon was dedicated to the person living with disabilities. Some 25 wheelchair runners of Suborno Nagorik Foundation took part in a special wheelchair-run on the occasion.

The marathon started at 0700am in the morning. More than 5,000 BRAC Bank coworkers and its subsidiaries participated in the marathon that began from the Police Plaza Point of Hatirjheel and ended at the same point covering 5.6 km. This year the coworkers raised a fund of Tk. 43 lakh, and the bank doubled it to Tk. 86 lakh from its CSR Fund.

The entire fund was donated to charitable organizations working for social welfare. They are –Blind Education and Rehabilitation Development Organization (BERDO), Hi-CARE, PFDA-Vocational Training Center Trust and Bangladesh Society for the Change and Advocacy Nexus (B-SCAN).

About the noble initiative, Selim R. F. Hussain, Managing Director & CEO, BRAC Bank Limited, said: “As a values-based organization belonging to the larger BRAC family, corporate responsibility is embedded in the DNA of the bank. I am encouraged to see the passion and spontaneity in our colleagues to contribute to society. DOUR is an amazing example of a coworkers-driven CSR initiative. We will take the annual marathon to a newer level in the coming years. We strongly believe we can make a difference in people’s lives.”

Sports and film celebrities – Captain of Bangladesh National Football Team Jamal Bhuyan, Captain of Bangladesh Women’s National Football Team Sabina Khatun, Captain of National Wheelchair Cricket Team Mohammad Mohasin, Film Actress Nusraat Faria, Film Actress Shobnom Bubly, Actor Ferdous, Tariq Anam Khan, Rafiath Rashid Mithila, Actress Toma Mirza, Ironman Imtiaz Ilahi, and Ironman Shamsuzzaman Arafat attended the ceremony.