ওয়াশিংটন বাংলা রেডিও Washington Bangla Radio USA

New Delhi, Dec 18 (IBNS) Blurring the shadowlines between the two nations, India and Bangladesh are slated to remember in fondness world poet Rabindranath Tagore.

An Indian delegation would  visit Bangladesh from Sunday to take forward the plans of celebrations, the government said.

 

During the visit of Bangladesh Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina to India in Jan 2010, both the Prime Ministers had agreed for a joint celebration of Tagore’s 150th birth anniversary in 2011-12 in a manner befitting his vision and spirit. 

 

Subsequently, a Committee under the Chairmanship of Prime Minister Manmohan Singh and a National Implementation Committee under the Chairmanship of Finance Minister Pranab Mukherjee had been constituted to facilitate the process.

 

The National Committee, in its meeting held on May 20, decided that special emphasis be given to the Joint Indo-Bangladesh celebrations.

 

Jawhar Sircar, Secretary, Ministry of Culture and Rajeet Mitter, Indian High Commissioner, Dhaka have been in constant touch in order to work out a detailed programme in the spirit of the joint communiqué. 

 

DG, ICCR has during the recent festival of India in Bangladesh, held preliminary discussions with the Bangladesh authorities in this regard, too.

 

A nine-member Indian Delegation led by Jawhar Sircar, Secretary, Union Ministry of Culture, will visit Bangladesh from December 19-22 to finalise the joint celebrations.

 

The team comprises officials and cultural experts. There will be a wide ranging discussion with the Bangladeshi authorities in the Ministries of Culture and Foreign Affairs.

 

The discussions will cover various aspects of the celebrations such as exhibitions of Tagore’s paintings, seminars, workshops, commemorative publications on Tagore, joint productions of dances/dramas based on the stories written by Tagore, Rabindra Sangeet, films inauguration of “Rabindra Tirtha”, or Tagore – related Tourism Circuits, including Jorasankho, Shantiniketan and Shilaidaha in both countries.

It will also focus on instituting a Tagore Chair at Dhaka University, scholarships for Bangladeshi students, awards for noted Tagore Scholars in India and Bangladesh, presentation of Tagore memorabilia to Bangladesh, Indo-Bangladesh Maitri Car Rally, etc. 

 

The opening ceremony of the celebrations will be held on May 7/8 2011 in both the countries and will continue till 2012. 

 

The Indian delegation also plans to visit important places associated with Tagore in Bangladesh including Kushtia, Shahzadpur and Shilaidaha during their stay there.