*The 8th AIBDPA District Conference of Asansol – a brilliant experience.*===========*(Subrata Misra, ACS)*

After a long time, I had the privilege of witnessing a truly remarkable conference. The success of a conference cannot be measured solely by the number of attendants, although the presence of over two hundred members at a district level conferences is no small feat. But success depends on many other factors. And that was evident in 8th District Conference of AIBDPA in Asansol held at GM Office, Asansol on 12-04-2025. Members aged from their early sixties to those over eighty attended the conference with enthusiasm. Some participants, currently living as far as 150 kilometers away from Asansol, left home at 4 AM to join. The most striking part was the presence of family pensioners, which reminded me of those colleagues who are no longer with us in this world. Punctuality was one of the key highlights of this conference. Most members had arrived by 10 AM. There were counters for pending donations and also for collecting copies of medical card  and life certificates for revalidation works. I noticed great sponteneity there as well.

I’ve always believed that in a successful conference, leaders should speak less, and general members should speak more. This conference fulfilled that objective beautifully. As a circle representative, I have highlighted all the essential issues but kept my inaugural speech brief. I successfully brought up the important points that needed to be emphasized within a short time, something even many of my senior comrades acknowledged. Former DGMs, CAOs, DETs and my former colleagues were all present. Many of them live in far-off places, so we rarely get to meet. This reunion made all of us happy and deeply moved. They were my constant companion back when we were regular employees and the organizers of the BSNL Employees Union. Seeing them again filled my heart with joy. We presented mementos to the members aged over eighty as a token of lifelong gratitude from the organization. It was a moment of great pride for us and deeply emotional for them. In trembling yet powerful voices, they chanted, “AIBDPA Zindabad”, that was a fantastic situation. Nine members participated in the discussion, not just participated, but truly  guided the organization in these challenging times. The biennial report presented by Com.Mridul Chatterjee, District Secretary stood out in its richness and relevance. The audited accounts were placed by Com.Dipak Chakraborty, Treasurer. The presidium Comrades N B Pal, Shyamal Ganguly and Sutapa Roy controlled the proceedings. Fraternal friends from other Pensioners’ Organizations, in their brief speeches, highlighted how the current Central Govt. is acting against the interest of employees and retirees. Similarly, the representatives from BSNLEU and BSNLCMU, which are part of our BSNL Co-ordination Committee, also congratulated the conference and briefly spoke on the acute problems we currently face. Finally a new team of office bearers was elected unanimously with Com.N B Pal (President) Com,Mridul Chatterjee (District Secretary) and Com.Dipak Chakraborty (Treasurer).

There was, however, one regret. Yesterday was also the day of BSNLCC state conference at Kolkata.I truly felt sad about not being able to attend it. I have mentioned this in my speech also. But this District Conference had been scheduled long ago, and all preparations were scheduled much earlier. All preparations were completed beforehand. Also the intense heat in Asansol was another reason why postponing the conference wasn’t an option. The temperature is already high and expected to rise in the coming days. Still, six delegates from here did manage to attend the BSNLCC Conference. In any case, yesterday’s 8th District Conference proved that the members’ faith in the organization remains unwavering. We still have a long way to go. The road ahead may be full of thorns, but there is no question of stopping.  There will always be disappointment over unresolved demands, but I didn’t see any expression of anger.These are my personal reflections on the conference. We must continue to move forward, clearing obstacles along the way, on a journey that stretches much further ahead. We shall overcome.