World Post Day today

The World Post Day is celebrated every year on 9 October across the globe to create awareness on the role of the postal sector in everyday lives. The day also aims to increase awareness of the positive effects the postal sector has had on the economic and social progress across the world.

The day will be celebrated across the country through various programs.

The Department of Posts is organising discussion, essay writing competition and Bangladesh Radio and Bangladesh Television will broadcast discussions marking the Day.

The theme for World Post Day 2022 is 'Post for Planet'.

The United Nations (UN) - announcing the theme for this year - in a statement said, "Although the circular economy may no longer be a new concept, it is now more clear than ever that we must align with the principles of the circular economy; we must raise awareness of the Post's potential to tackle the climate crisis, and we must drive overall resource mobilization across sectors."

Post and Telecommunication Minister Mustafa Jabbar issued a message on the eve of this day.

"Our biggest challenge was to bring the struggling postal service to a better position, and we have already done a lot of that….The post office has now become a reliable institution for e-commerce," he said.

He said that there is no other institution in the country except the post office with huge infrastructure and manpower nationwide. This organisation delivers daily essential products to the customers in remote and inaccessible areas, he added.

Highlighting the contribution of the postal service in delivering medical equipment from farmers' fruits and vegetables during the Corona period, the minister said that the post office was not closed even for a day under the emergency service.

On 9 October, 1874, the 'Universal Postal Union' was formed at an international conference held in Bern, Switzerland, with the participation of representatives of 22 countries.

Later on, 9 October, 1969, was declared as the World Postal Day by passing a resolution raised by this organization at the United Nations.

Bangladesh became a member of Universal Postal Union (UPU) and International Telecommunication Union (ITU) in 1973 under the leadership of Father of the Nation Bangabandhu Sheikh Mujibur Rahman.

Since then the World Postal Day has been celebrated every year in the country.

The minister wished the overall success of the Day.

More than 150 countries have been celebrating World Post Day in several ways. In some countries, the day is observed as a working holiday. According to the UN, in some parts, employees - engaged in the sector - are also rewarded for good service.

On this day, several philatelic exhibitions are organised, and new stamps and date cancellation marks are issued. Other activities include the display of World Post Day posters in post offices and other public places, open days at post offices, mail centers, and postal museums, the holding of conferences, seminars, and workshops, as well as cultural, sports, and other recreational activities, the UN said. Some postal administrations also issue special souvenirs such as T-shirts and badges.

In 2015 on this day, countries all over the world committed themselves to work together towards achieving sustainable development goals, aiming to end extreme poverty and hunger, fight inequality and injustice, and take action to reverse climate change.