The fifth edition of Bangladesh-India Cultural Fair has started in Rajshahi. Minister of State for Tripura Ram Prasad Pal arrived in Rajshahi on Friday to attend the festival. Besides, some other guests and cultural activists have also come to Rajshahi.
The main formalities of the reunion of the two countries will start from Saturday. For this, working day and night for the last two weeks, this city of ‘Padma bank’ has been decorated in a colorful way.
‘Friends of Bangladesh’ is organizing the golden jubilee of independence, the birth centenary of Bangabandhu and the 50th anniversary of Bangladesh-India friendship. It is sponsored by Rajshahi City Corporation (RCC). The festival will continue till next Monday. There will be cultural programs at Rajshahi College ground. On this occasion Rajshahi Chamber of Commerce and Industry has also organized a fair of various local products at Rajshahi College ground. City Mayor AHM Khairuzzaman Liton inaugurated the fair as the chief guest on Friday afternoon.
Meanwhile, Ram Prasad Pal, Minister of State for Tripura, India, arrived in Rajshahi by air on Friday afternoon. Besides, a group of 32 people including cultural activists and delegates came to Bangladesh on this day through Sonamasjid land port of Chapainawabganj. Upon entering Bangladesh, they paid homage to the tomb of Birshrestha Captain Mohiuddin Jahangir at the premises of Sonamasjid. Deputy Chief Minister of the Indian state of Tripura Jishnudev Burma will be the chief guest at the fair. Bangladesh Agriculture Minister Abdur Razzak will also remain present. Apart from this, Syed Shahnewaz Hossain, Minister of Bihar State Government of India and Dr. Humayun Kabir, State Minister of West Bengal State Government will also come. Actress Rituparna Sengupta is also scheduled to visit Rajshahi on Saturday.
State Minister for Foreign Affairs of Bangladesh Shahriar Alam and State Minister for Information and Technology Junaid Ahmed Polok will be with the Indian guests. Guests will pay homage to the mural of Father of the Nation Bangabandhu Sheikh Mujibur Rahman at the city's C&B intersection on Saturday. Then they will attend various events till Monday. Guests are also scheduled to visit Natore on Sunday. The organizers hope that the diplomatic and trade relations between the two countries will be further expanded and strengthened through this festival.