Karachi, 15 February 2023:

Deputy High Commissioner of Bangladesh in Karachi S. M. Mahbubul Alam meets Mr. Muhammad Ahmed Shah, President of Arts Council of Pakistan on 15 February 2023 at its HQs in Karachi.

During the meeting, the Deputy High Commissioner S. M. Mahbubul Alam briefed the President of the Arts Council of Pakistan that Bangladesh has a rich culture, heritage and traditions of thousand years old. Bangladesh is a peace loving country. Bangladesh is a secular democratic country where all, as an inclusive society, enjoy equal rights in education, arts and culture. Rights of all from all strata of the society are well protected in Bangladesh. The art, culture, traditions, and faiths vis-à-vis the vibrant media in Bangladesh enjoy freedom of expression and freedom of practice. These freedoms are guaranteed by the National Constitution of Bangladesh, which was adopted in the National Parliament on 4 November 1972.

Deputy High Commissioner further briefed that with UNESCO Bangladesh has four listed elements as Intangible Cultural Heritage of Humanity such as Baul Song, Traditional Art of Jamdani Weaving, Mongal Shovajatra on Pahela Baishakh and Traditional Art of Shital Pati Weaving. UNESCO also have recognized in 2017 the “Historic 7- March Speech”by the Father of the Nation Bangabandhu Sheikh Mujibur Rahman as part of the World’s Documentary Heritage.

Deputy High Commissioner S. M. Mahbubul Alam mentioned that Bangladesh has a rich cultural diversity, which is rooted deep in the history. Bangladesh has been pursuing the foreign policy of “Friendship to all and malice towards none” since her Independence in 1971 as was postulated by the Father of the Nation Bangabandhu Sheikh Mujibur Rahman, which continues to provide the philosophical underpinning of Bangladesh’s pro-peace foreign policy. He further mentioned that Father of the Nation propounded the peace and development-centric foreign policy, which remains the guiding principle of Bangladesh’s diplomatic engagements today.

Deputy High Commissioner further highlighted that Bangladesh was the leading proponent and had significant role in mooting the notion and steering the UN General Assembly resolution on ‘Culture of Peace’ in 1999. The resolution on ‘Culture of Peace’ shapes the enduring commitment of Bangladesh to the cause of global peace. Significantly, Bangladesh’s flagship UNGA resolution on ‘Culture of Peace’ has the continued relevance in advancing peacebuilding globally.

Deputy High Commissioner further highlighted that Bangladesh ranks as the top troops and police contributing country in the UN Peacekeeping operations. Bangladesh though a small country with huge population has provided temporary shelter to more than a million forcibly displaced Myanmar nationals on humanitarian grounds, which is a vivid precedence of humanitarian attitude of Bangladesh as a responsible independent country and therefore the entire international community rightly and highly lauded the Bangladesh’s contribution and sacrifice for the causes of humanity and peace.

Deputy High Commissioner also briefed that Bangladesh successfully organizes the Asian Art Biennial every two years. He mentioned that the latest Asian Art Biennial was hosted during 08 December 2022 to 07 January 2023 at the National Art Gallery at the Shilpa Kala Academy in Dhaka where a total of 435 artists from 113 countries participated and a total of over 700 artworks were on the exhibition. He further mentioned that Bangladesh organizes a month-long Amar Ekushey Book Fair during the month of February every year. This year a total of over 900 stalls have been allocated to over 600 organizations for the book fair.

Mr. Muhammad Ahmed Shah, President of Arts Council of Pakistan highly appreciated the richness of Bangladeshi arts, culture, heritages and traditions. Recalling his visit to Bangladesh in 1980s he commented that Bangladesh has achieved a lot in all the fields including the art and culture. He showed the Deputy High Commissioner six artworks (Masterpieces) of eminent artists from Bangladesh, which are well preserved and displayed in his office. He profoundly appreciated the great artists of Bangladesh including ZainulAbedin, Quamrul Hassan and SM Sultan.

The President briefed that the Arts Council of Pakistan with its Headquarters in Karachi is the finest non-profit organization in Pakistan for Fine Arts and Performing Arts.He further mentioned that as Pakistan’s first established organization dedicated to supporting the Arts since 1954, Arts Council of Pakistan has brought together the finest artists of extraordinary caliber, and the most diverse performers over the past six decades. He mentioned that the council hosts more than 500 events a year. He expressed his willingness to have wider cooperation between the two countries in the filed of art and culture. He expressed his desire to visit Bangladesh with an art and cultural troop in an opportune moment. He also expressed his hope for any possibility of cooperation between Bangladesh Shilpakala Academy and the Arts Council of Pakistan.

The Deputy High Commissioner requested for possible support from the Council to avail the facilities such as open-air theater, amphitheaters, proscenium halls, conferences, and galleries for showcasing Bangladesh and Bangladeshi arts, culture, heritages, and traditions and the President of the Arts Council of Pakistan happily agreed to extend all possible supports. Deputy High Commissioner also assured the President of the Arts Council of Pakistan all possible supports from the Bangladesh Mission in Karachi. He also presented the President a Souvenir on Bangladesh.