Nearly 10 thousand children, aged between six to eleven years, of three upazilas in Patuakhali and Barguna were taught how to swim to save themselves from drowning.

Centre for Injury Prevention and Research, Bangladesh (CIPRB), a non-governmental organisation, took the noble initiative.

The NGO yesterday arranged a swimming competition on Barguna's Taltali upazila premises where 36 children, who received training from the organisation, took part in four separate events.

The competition was followed by a discussion at the venue where Taltali Upazila Parishad Chairman Moniruzzaman Mintu was present as the chief guest.

Directors of Royal National Lifeboats Institute (RNLI), a UK-based organisation, Vice Admiral Paul Boissier and James Vaughan, and Steve Wills, head of the programme, and associate directors of CIPRB Kamran-ul-Baset and Jahangir Hossain were present as special guests.

According to CIPRB, under a project titled 'Vasa', that started in April this year and will continue till December 2019, they will teach thousands of children across the country how to swim.

Mohammad Amirul Islam, coordinator of CIPRB, said around 10,000 children of Taltali and Betagi upazilas under Barguna and Kalapara upazila in Patuakhali learnt how to swim this year.

Besides, under the project, around 5 lakh children of 21 districts were taught how to swim this year and around 750 people were given training on how to treat drowning victims.