UNB, Dhaka :
Bangladesh Ambassador to the Netherlands Sheikh Mohammed Belal has urged the non-resident Bangladeshis (NRBs) to proactively remain engaged with the local community in the spirit of progressive and secular cultural ethos of Pahela Baishakh.
Referring to global challenges, the Ambassador urged NRBs to evaluate their role in the global society as well.
“The problems we face today don’t stop at national borders. We, therefore, need to redouble our efforts to arrive at a common ground,” Belal told a function at the Bangladesh House in the Netherlands celebrating Pahela Baishakh on Sunday, according to a message received here on Monday. Mayor of Wassenaar Jan Hoekema, Deputy Mayor of the Hague Rabin Baldewsing, Director of Asia Division of the Netherlands Foreign Ministry Peter Portman and Ambassadors from India, Tunisia, Bosnia and Harzegovina, Sri Lanka, Iran, and other diplomats from Croatia, Poland, the USA and Luxemburg were present.
He said, the NRBs, who are living in Europe, are living in freedom but that freedom entails a duty for every individual to respect the freedom of others. Ambassador Belal urged all to talk about integration in a frank and open manner but not in terms of ‘us’ versus ‘them’ rather as a human. Reminding the audience that April 17 is also the 45th anniversary of formation of the Mujibnagar Government-in-exile in 1971, Ambassador Belal requested the audience not to forget about the supreme sacrifices made by freedom fighters to help achieve
independence under the leadership of Father of the Nation Bangabandhu Sheikh Mujibur Rahman.
Referring to Bangabandhu’s mantra of ‘friendship to all, malice to none’, Belal related how the roots of Pahela Baishakh and this mantra remained anchored to the same philosophy of humanism.
Renowned singer Samina Chowdhury enthralled the audience as about 700 people gathered at the Bangladesh House in the Netherlands to celebrate Pahela Baishakh. In addition to local NRBs in the Netherlands, Bangladeshis from Belgium, Poland, Germany and the UK, among others, participated in this mega celebration.
Celebrated artist Samina Chowdhury from Bangladesh performed in the second half of the cultural show after song, dance and recitation of poems by local artistes. Mayor of Wassenaar Jan Hoekema expressed his pleasant surprise knowing the colourful culture of Bangladesh.
Bangladesh Ambassador to the Netherlands Sheikh Mohammed Belal has urged the non-resident Bangladeshis (NRBs) to proactively remain engaged with the local community in the spirit of progressive and secular cultural ethos of Pahela Baishakh.
Referring to global challenges, the Ambassador urged NRBs to evaluate their role in the global society as well.
“The problems we face today don’t stop at national borders. We, therefore, need to redouble our efforts to arrive at a common ground,” Belal told a function at the Bangladesh House in the Netherlands celebrating Pahela Baishakh on Sunday, according to a message received here on Monday. Mayor of Wassenaar Jan Hoekema, Deputy Mayor of the Hague Rabin Baldewsing, Director of Asia Division of the Netherlands Foreign Ministry Peter Portman and Ambassadors from India, Tunisia, Bosnia and Harzegovina, Sri Lanka, Iran, and other diplomats from Croatia, Poland, the USA and Luxemburg were present.
He said, the NRBs, who are living in Europe, are living in freedom but that freedom entails a duty for every individual to respect the freedom of others. Ambassador Belal urged all to talk about integration in a frank and open manner but not in terms of ‘us’ versus ‘them’ rather as a human. Reminding the audience that April 17 is also the 45th anniversary of formation of the Mujibnagar Government-in-exile in 1971, Ambassador Belal requested the audience not to forget about the supreme sacrifices made by freedom fighters to help achieve
independence under the leadership of Father of the Nation Bangabandhu Sheikh Mujibur Rahman.
Referring to Bangabandhu’s mantra of ‘friendship to all, malice to none’, Belal related how the roots of Pahela Baishakh and this mantra remained anchored to the same philosophy of humanism.
Renowned singer Samina Chowdhury enthralled the audience as about 700 people gathered at the Bangladesh House in the Netherlands to celebrate Pahela Baishakh. In addition to local NRBs in the Netherlands, Bangladeshis from Belgium, Poland, Germany and the UK, among others, participated in this mega celebration.
Celebrated artist Samina Chowdhury from Bangladesh performed in the second half of the cultural show after song, dance and recitation of poems by local artistes. Mayor of Wassenaar Jan Hoekema expressed his pleasant surprise knowing the colourful culture of Bangladesh.
