High Commission of India

Dhaka

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High Commissioner’s remarks at Art Exhibition in Barishal

(12 October 2019)

Hon’ble Mayor, Serniabat Sadik Abdulla,

Mr. Susanta Ghosh, Convener, Mrit-shilpi Sammelan,

Distinguished Artists and guests,

• I am honoured to be present here today. I would like to express my gratitude to Mrit-shilpi Sammelan for inviting me.
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• As I was in India for the Hon’ble Prime Minister’s visit, I was not able to come for the honour bestowed on the artists on 4-5 October 2019 at the 11^th Mrit-shilpi Sammelan. I congratulate the organizers for this commendable work of promotion and preservation of cultural heritage and arts.
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• Barishal is known for producing people of eminence in art and culture- Jibanananda, Mukunda Das, Debabrata Biswas, Utpal Dutta, Manabendra Mukhopadhyay, Pannalal Ghosh and many more.
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• More than 160 potters and clay artisans from different regions like Kalaskati, Bakerganj, Baufal, Barishal, Mymensingh, Tangail, Naogaon, Shariatpur, Faridpur and Rajshahi participated in the event. A total of 14 artisans were honoured in 10 categories.
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• We were honoured to be able to support this excellent initiative this time as in the past.
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• I understand the honourable Mayor surprised everyone by making a clay pot. This shows that there is a hidden artist in each one of us and initiatives like this provides an opportunity to express one’s talent.
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• I will not go into the details of the bilateral relationship which is currently at its peak. Let me just focus on the cultural aspect of the relationship.
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• High Commission has a specific organisation, the Indira Gandhi Cultural Centre that carries out courses in vocal music, yoga, Hindi and Sanskrit courses.
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• Rabindranath Tagore is our shared pride and Government of India has renovated the Shilaidaha Kuthibari in Kushtia, we also have a Tagore Chair in Dhaka University. Many famous names of Rabindrasangeet in Bangladesh like Rezwana Chowdhury Bannya are ICCR scholars alumni of Viswa Bharati University.
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• The Tagore Award for Cultural harmony 2015 was conferred on ‘Chhayanaut’ in recognition of its outstanding contribution to cultural harmony.
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• In May this year, Prasar Bharati, India’s largest public broadcasting agency and Bangladesh TV signed a Memorandum of Understanding to broadcast BTV in India and Doordarshan in Bangladesh. I am happy to note that, within a period of 4 months, the broadcast of BTV World Series programs through Doordarshan’s DD Free Dish is going to begin.
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• Our shared history, common heritage, linguistic and cultural ties underpin our knowledge of each other. The shared experience of the 1971 Liberation War and our shared ideals of democracy and liberal, secular values will remain with us forever.
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• Thank you once again.

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