The Bangladesh-India joint celebrations of the 150th birth anniversary of Nobel
laureate poet Rabindranath Tagore have kicked off in the city.
Prime minister Sheikh Hasina on Friday inaugurated the three-day programmes at the Bangabandhu International Conference Centre in presence of Indian vice-president M Hamid Ansari.She also released four commemorative stamps on the occasion.
At the inaugural session, a replica of 'Padma Boat', used by Tagore, was handed over to the Indian vice-president, who arrived in Dhaka on Thursday to attend the programme.Writer Ahmed Rafiq and singer Ajit Roy were also honoured with Rabindra Award for their lifelong contribution to Tagore studies.
With information and cultural affairs minister Abul Kalam Azad in the chair, the inaugural programme was addressed, among others, by state minister for cultural affairs Promode Mankin and acting secretary to the ministry Suraiya Begum.
The programmes in Delhi will begin on Saturday where planning minister A K Khandker will lead a delegation on behalf of the Bangladesh prime minister.
Hasina will not be able to attend the Delhi programmes as she will take part in the LDC-IV in Istanbul then.
The decision to jointly celebrate the 150th birth anniversary of Tagore —born on 25th Baisakh in 1861, according to the Bengali calendar— was made during Hasina's visit to New Delhi in January last year.
Hasina told the inaugural programme that her government had taken initiatives to set up Rabindra University at Shilaidaha in Kushtia and to preserve the memories of the poet in Patisar and Shahzadpur.
As part of the joint celebrations, a special train, 'Sonar Tori' would run between Dhaka and Kolkata, she added.
"A train, named 'Moitree' has also been plying between Bangladesh and India as a mark of friendship between the two countries," Hasina said.
"As long as Bangladesh lasts" she said "Bangla language and its culture will remain, and Rabindranath will live in the heart of all Bangladeshis."
The prime minister said Rabindranath had married Bhabatarini, a lady from Khulna. "Later he named her Mrinalini."
The Indian vice-president said both countries had separately celebrated Tagore's birth centenary half a century back, but "this time we are celebrating the poet's 150th birth anniversary jointly".
"I am delighted to be here today to represent the government of India," he said.
Bangladesh has allocated Tk 60 million to celebrate Tagore's 150th birth anniversary programmes. The allocation is Tk 200,000 at divisional level, Tk 100,000 at district level and Tk 50,000 at Upzaila level.
PROGRAMMES IN INDIA
Apart from exhibitions of Tagore's paintings, seminars, workshops, commemorative publications and joint productions and performances of dances and dramas, based on the stories written by Tagore, Rabindra Sangeet and a film, will be organised as part of the programmes.
The Indian government had constituted a National Committee, under the chairmanship of prime minister Manmohan Singh, and a National Implementation Committee, headed by finance minister Pranab Mukherjee, to oversee the celebrations.
Dhaka and Delhi are also planning to launch a tourism circuit called 'Rabindra Tirtha', which would include Jorasanko, Shantiniketan, Shilaidaha, Shahzadpur and other places related with Gurudev's legacy in both Bangladesh and India.
During the inaugural ceremony in Delhi, the National Implementation Committee members will present to Manmohan and A K Khandker important commemorative items, including Rabindra Chitravali, which is a distinctive– first of its kind – compilation of around 2000 paintings of Tagore brought out with support of the Ministry of Culture of the Indian government.
A set of DVDs of "Tagore Stories on Film" and Satyajit Ray's documentary on Tagore will also be released on the occasion. The DVDs were put together from restored archival materials by India's National Film Development Corporation and subtitled in English.
A commemorative stamp on Tagore will also be released, along with commemorative coins.
laureate poet Rabindranath Tagore have kicked off in the city.
At the inaugural session, a replica of 'Padma Boat', used by Tagore, was handed over to the Indian vice-president, who arrived in Dhaka on Thursday to attend the programme.Writer Ahmed Rafiq and singer Ajit Roy were also honoured with Rabindra Award for their lifelong contribution to Tagore studies.
With information and cultural affairs minister Abul Kalam Azad in the chair, the inaugural programme was addressed, among others, by state minister for cultural affairs Promode Mankin and acting secretary to the ministry Suraiya Begum.
The programmes in Delhi will begin on Saturday where planning minister A K Khandker will lead a delegation on behalf of the Bangladesh prime minister.
Hasina will not be able to attend the Delhi programmes as she will take part in the LDC-IV in Istanbul then.
The decision to jointly celebrate the 150th birth anniversary of Tagore —born on 25th Baisakh in 1861, according to the Bengali calendar— was made during Hasina's visit to New Delhi in January last year.
Hasina told the inaugural programme that her government had taken initiatives to set up Rabindra University at Shilaidaha in Kushtia and to preserve the memories of the poet in Patisar and Shahzadpur.
As part of the joint celebrations, a special train, 'Sonar Tori' would run between Dhaka and Kolkata, she added.
"A train, named 'Moitree' has also been plying between Bangladesh and India as a mark of friendship between the two countries," Hasina said.
"As long as Bangladesh lasts" she said "Bangla language and its culture will remain, and Rabindranath will live in the heart of all Bangladeshis."
The prime minister said Rabindranath had married Bhabatarini, a lady from Khulna. "Later he named her Mrinalini."
The Indian vice-president said both countries had separately celebrated Tagore's birth centenary half a century back, but "this time we are celebrating the poet's 150th birth anniversary jointly".
"I am delighted to be here today to represent the government of India," he said.
Bangladesh has allocated Tk 60 million to celebrate Tagore's 150th birth anniversary programmes. The allocation is Tk 200,000 at divisional level, Tk 100,000 at district level and Tk 50,000 at Upzaila level.
PROGRAMMES IN INDIA
Apart from exhibitions of Tagore's paintings, seminars, workshops, commemorative publications and joint productions and performances of dances and dramas, based on the stories written by Tagore, Rabindra Sangeet and a film, will be organised as part of the programmes.
The Indian government had constituted a National Committee, under the chairmanship of prime minister Manmohan Singh, and a National Implementation Committee, headed by finance minister Pranab Mukherjee, to oversee the celebrations.
Dhaka and Delhi are also planning to launch a tourism circuit called 'Rabindra Tirtha', which would include Jorasanko, Shantiniketan, Shilaidaha, Shahzadpur and other places related with Gurudev's legacy in both Bangladesh and India.
During the inaugural ceremony in Delhi, the National Implementation Committee members will present to Manmohan and A K Khandker important commemorative items, including Rabindra Chitravali, which is a distinctive– first of its kind – compilation of around 2000 paintings of Tagore brought out with support of the Ministry of Culture of the Indian government.
A set of DVDs of "Tagore Stories on Film" and Satyajit Ray's documentary on Tagore will also be released on the occasion. The DVDs were put together from restored archival materials by India's National Film Development Corporation and subtitled in English.
A commemorative stamp on Tagore will also be released, along with commemorative coins.
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