PM Hasina, Modi unveil Bangladesh Bhavana

Bangladesh Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina and her Indian counterpart Narendra Modi have jointly unveiled the plaque of Bangladesh Bhavan at Visva-Bharati University, founded by Rabindranath Tagore, in Kolkata.

West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee, cabinet members of both the countries, academics and cultural representatives were also present at the event.

The unveiling ceremony was followed by the convocation ceremony of Visva-Bharati University.

After the formalities of inauguration of the building, a bilateral meeting is expected to be held between the two prime ministers of Bangladesh and India.

Alongside the cultural history of Bangladesh, a library has also been set up in the building along with Bangladesh-India relations and the collection of books on various subjects of Bangladesh.

Funded by the Bangladesh government, the building has a 450-seat theatre, the largest of the university.

To facilitate the researchers, a library, auditorium, cafeteria, museum with digital features and archive, and other necessary amenities will be available in this building.

Murals of the Father of the Nation Bangabandhu Sheikh Mujibur Rahman and Rabindranath Tagore have been placed on the two sides of the building’s entrance.

Hasina announced the construction of the Bangladesh Bhavana during the joint celebrations of Rabindranath’s 150th birth anniversary in 2011.

From the Visva-Bharati, she will travel to Kolkata on a helicopter and stay at the Taj Bengal hotel for the night. She will host business meet and iftar party at the hotel in the evening.

During her two-day visit, Hasina will travel to Asansol to join the special convocation of the Kazi Nazrul University to receive honorary D Lit degree, bdnews24 reported.

On her return to Kolkata from Asansol, she will visit the Netaji Subhas Chandra Bose Museum and Rabindranath’s birthplace, the Thakur Bari, in Jorasanko, and return to Dhaka later in the day.

The prime minister last visited India in April 2017.