B'desh to work for economic welfare of S Asia people: PM
Dhaka, May 6 (UNB) – Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina on Sunday said Bangladesh would work for the economic welfare of the people of all South Asian countries to turn the region into a prosperous and developed one.
“We want to make South Asia prosperous and developed, and this is our aspiration,” she said at the closing ceremony of yearlong Bangladesh-India Joint Celebration of 150th Birth Anniversary and the celebration of 151st Birth Anniversary of Nobel Laureate poet Rabindranath Tagore held at the Bangabandhu International Conference Centre.
Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina joined the programme as the chief guest while Indian Finance Minister Pranab Mukherjee as the guest of honour.
Addressing the function, Hasina said Bangladesh wants friendly relations with all its neighbours, including India. There might be problems between the neighbouring countries, but all such problems could be resolved through dialogue.
She termed Rabindranath Tagore the “poet of Bangla, Bangalee, liberal humanism, and world peace.”
The Prime Minister said Rabindranath established a bridge between the people of Bangladesh and India through his creations. National anthems of both Bangladesh and India are the creation of the great poet, she added.
She said Rabindranath was the “source of inspiration in all our movements”, including the great language movement led by Father of the Nation Bangabandhu Sheikh Mujibur Rahman.
Hasina recalled the contributions of then Indian Prime Minister Indira Gandhi and the people of India for extending generous cooperation during the War of Liberation in 1971.
She mentioned that the political outlook of Rabindranath Tagore was very clear and bold, saying that in 1892 he proposed to make Bangla as the medium of education and emphasized increasing the capability of the country by reducing the dependence on foreign rulers.
She said Tagore had proved his highest sense of patriotism in 1919 through rejecting the knighthood awarded by the colonial British government in protest of the killing of innocent people in Jalianwalabagh.
The Prime Minister said despite being a Jamindar, Rabindranath was very kind to his subjects as he proved in at Patisar, Shahjadpur and Shelaidaha -- he stood beside the people in times of their need.
She mentioned that Rabindranath had introduced micro credit programmes for the welfare of the poor and marginal people utilizing the fund that he received after winning the Noble Prize.
“Kabiguru showed the path of transforming sorrows into strength,” Hasina said, adding that she tries to ease her pains by reading various literary works of Rabindranath.
In his speech, Indian Finance Minister Pranab Mukherjee termed the joint celebration of the birth anniversary of poet Rabindranath Tagore as a historic event in the relation between the people of the two countries.
He said Rabindranath is not only the asset of Bangladesh and India alone, but also a priceless asset for the entire world.
Pranab Mukherjee said Rabindranath is the bridge between the people of the two countries.
The joint celebration is a milestone of cultural communication between the two countries, he said, and hoped that it will help to further strengthen the existing friendly relations.
The Indian Finance Minister said the relations between the two countries are rooted in love, faith and trust of the two people and it will certainly reach a new height in future.
He said that some of Rabindranath’s paintings have been exhibited in London, Chicago, New York, Berlin, Paris, Rome, Seoul and Kuala Lumpur after 80 years of their creation.
Chaired over by Information and Cultural Affairs Minister Abul Kalam Azad, the function was also addressed, among others, by State Minister for Cultural Affairs Promod Mankin and Secretary of the Ministry Suraya Begum.
Later, the Prime Minister witnessed a cultural programme presented jointly by the artistes of Bangladesh and India. Indian film actress and descendent of Tagore family Sharmila Tagore recited a poem of Tagore.
“We want to make South Asia prosperous and developed, and this is our aspiration,” she said at the closing ceremony of yearlong Bangladesh-India Joint Celebration of 150th Birth Anniversary and the celebration of 151st Birth Anniversary of Nobel Laureate poet Rabindranath Tagore held at the Bangabandhu International Conference Centre.
Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina joined the programme as the chief guest while Indian Finance Minister Pranab Mukherjee as the guest of honour.
Addressing the function, Hasina said Bangladesh wants friendly relations with all its neighbours, including India. There might be problems between the neighbouring countries, but all such problems could be resolved through dialogue.
She termed Rabindranath Tagore the “poet of Bangla, Bangalee, liberal humanism, and world peace.”
The Prime Minister said Rabindranath established a bridge between the people of Bangladesh and India through his creations. National anthems of both Bangladesh and India are the creation of the great poet, she added.
She said Rabindranath was the “source of inspiration in all our movements”, including the great language movement led by Father of the Nation Bangabandhu Sheikh Mujibur Rahman.
Hasina recalled the contributions of then Indian Prime Minister Indira Gandhi and the people of India for extending generous cooperation during the War of Liberation in 1971.
She mentioned that the political outlook of Rabindranath Tagore was very clear and bold, saying that in 1892 he proposed to make Bangla as the medium of education and emphasized increasing the capability of the country by reducing the dependence on foreign rulers.
She said Tagore had proved his highest sense of patriotism in 1919 through rejecting the knighthood awarded by the colonial British government in protest of the killing of innocent people in Jalianwalabagh.
The Prime Minister said despite being a Jamindar, Rabindranath was very kind to his subjects as he proved in at Patisar, Shahjadpur and Shelaidaha -- he stood beside the people in times of their need.
She mentioned that Rabindranath had introduced micro credit programmes for the welfare of the poor and marginal people utilizing the fund that he received after winning the Noble Prize.
“Kabiguru showed the path of transforming sorrows into strength,” Hasina said, adding that she tries to ease her pains by reading various literary works of Rabindranath.
In his speech, Indian Finance Minister Pranab Mukherjee termed the joint celebration of the birth anniversary of poet Rabindranath Tagore as a historic event in the relation between the people of the two countries.
He said Rabindranath is not only the asset of Bangladesh and India alone, but also a priceless asset for the entire world.
Pranab Mukherjee said Rabindranath is the bridge between the people of the two countries.
The joint celebration is a milestone of cultural communication between the two countries, he said, and hoped that it will help to further strengthen the existing friendly relations.
The Indian Finance Minister said the relations between the two countries are rooted in love, faith and trust of the two people and it will certainly reach a new height in future.
He said that some of Rabindranath’s paintings have been exhibited in London, Chicago, New York, Berlin, Paris, Rome, Seoul and Kuala Lumpur after 80 years of their creation.
Chaired over by Information and Cultural Affairs Minister Abul Kalam Azad, the function was also addressed, among others, by State Minister for Cultural Affairs Promod Mankin and Secretary of the Ministry Suraya Begum.
Later, the Prime Minister witnessed a cultural programme presented jointly by the artistes of Bangladesh and India. Indian film actress and descendent of Tagore family Sharmila Tagore recited a poem of Tagore.
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