BD-India cultural meet starts in Rajshahi

Rajshahi,  the city of mango, has assumed a festive look to celebrate the four-day 'Bangladesh-India Cultural Meet, Rajshahi-2022' programme to mark the birth centenary of Bangabandhu Sheikh Mujibur Rahman, the golden jubilee of Bangladesh's independence and the 50th anniversary of the Bangladesh-India friendship.
A delegation of 60 people including Indian State of Tripura Home Minister, and Welfare of Minorities, Shree Ram Prasad Paul along with his wife , BJP leaders and a cultural team and media representatives arrived in Rajshahi from India on Friday to take part in the meet. Indian High Commissioner in Dhaka, Doraishwami is supposed to join the programme.
Friends of Bangladesh, an organisation that works to develop the relationship of Bangladesh with its neighboring countries, is arranging the programme to mark the golden jubilee of Bangladesh's independence and the 50th anniversary of the Bangladesh-India friendship.
Rajshahi City Corporation Mayor and the ruling Awami League presidium member AHM Khairuzzaman Liton said the festival would begin on today through paying homage to the portrait of the Bangladesh's founding president Sheikh Mujibur Rahman at the CNDB (City Nagar Bhaban Building) intersection of the city. All Ministers and Members of Parliament of the Awami League from Rajshahi division including Food minister Sadhan Chandra Majumd, the State Minister for Foreign Affairs M Shahriar Alam and State Minister for Information and Communication Technology Junaid Ahmed Palak will take part in the gala inauguration programme.
A ceremony will be organised on Rajshahi College ground in the afternoon where the invited guests will give their speeches about the harmony between the two countries, and a cultural programme will be held where artists from Bangladesh and India will take part, the organiser said.
On the following day, the invited guests will visit the historical places including Barindra Museum, Puthia Rajbari, Bagha Masjid, Natore Rajbari, Uttara Gonobhaban and others on February 27.
Khairuzzaman Liton said that this cultural meet would keep the friendship of the two countries alive forever.
Food minister Sadhan Chandra Majumder addressed the preparation meeting as chief guest.
"Through this cultural event, we will be able to address the issues of both countries, including business, agriculture and all other issues, socially and politically. This will further strengthen the ties between Bangladesh and India...the members of "Friends of Bangladesh" will jointly work to address all issues under a umbrella," coordinator of Friends of Bangladesh ASM Shamshul Arefin said.