A weeklong festival began at Alliance Francaise in the city yesterday to celebrate Francophonie, a forum of world wide cultural and linguistic unity.

The forum's motto is equality, complementarity and solidarity.

At a press conference on Francophonie at the Alliance Francaise, Linda Bourdreau of Canada said this will remind that French is used in many countries for domestic and official purposes.

The language, she said, was to promote human rights, peace and justice.

Ambassador of France Jacques-Andre Costilhes spoke at length about Leopold Sedar Senghor of Senegal who began Francophonie.

Deputy Chief of Egyptian Mission Sherif El Gammel said the spread of French in his country began with Napolean's conquest of Egypt and his country takes part in the festival by providing books and films.

Ambassador of Switzerland Dora Rapold said French is one of the official languages of her country and in Switzerland it is compulsory to study French.

Ambassador of Vietnam Ngo Van Hoa spoke of unity through dialogue of a common language like French.

He said his country is all out to be friends with French speaking countries and places where French is understood.

Houror, ambassador of Morocco, also spoke on the occasion.

1,103 more held

UNB, Dhaka

Police arrested 1,103 people on various charges from different parts of the country in the last 24 hours ending at 6:00am yesterday.

During the drive, the lawenforcers also seized seven firearms, two other weapons and 31 bullets, said a police headquarters release.