Kolkata-Dhaka Friendship Forum Formed To Strengthen Friendship And Promote Cultural Exchange Between The Two Banglas
New Age Islam Special
Correspondent
8 November
2020
Poster
of film Naqaab starring Saqib Khan and Nusrat Jahan\
-----
Under the
initiative of the West Bengal government and the editor of Noakhali Pratidin (Bangladesh),
Md Rafiqul Anwar, the Kolkata-Dhaka Maitri Parishad has been formed with the
objective of strengthening the bond between the people of two linguistically
homogenous regions of Bangladesh and West Bengal and promote cultural exchange
between the two Banglas.
The
Minister for Panchayat and Rural Development Shyamal Santra formally announced
the formation of the Parishad. Md Rafiqul Anwar has been elected as its
President while Professor Mohitesh Gayen of Kolkata City College has been
selected as its Secretary. MLA Manas Majumdar and other writers, poets and
cultural activists were present at the meeting.
Bangladeshi
actress Dilruba Yasmin Ruhi/ Photo courtesy Times of India
-----
MLA Manas
Bandopadhyay said that the initiative taken by the Parishad to bring the people
of the two Banglas closer was commendable.
Minister
Shyamal Santra said that the people of West Bengal and Bangladesh share a
common heritage and have the same historical background. They have many things
in common. Therefore, the formation of the Maitri Parishad under the patronage
of the government of West Bengal was a step in the right direction.
The
Kolkata-Dhaka Friendship Forum is a step forward towards strengthening the
cultural and linguistic bond that already exists between the two Banglas.
Though there have been diplomatic and political hurdles that affect the
cultural relations due to political situation in the India and Bangladesh, the
common people, particularly the writers, poets and artistes of both the regions
have always shared special bonding. Due to diplomatic restrictions, the Bengali
speaking people of Bangladesh and West Bengal can't watch popular Bengali
serials of the two countries but the YouTube has helped fell this barrier and
they can enjoy the serials and can be aware of the news related to the cultural
and literary activities on both sides of the border.
In fact the
people of Bangladesh and West Bengal have never considered themselves two
separate nations. The language-- the Bengali language --- is the binding factor
between them. Tagore and Nazrul are revered equally by the Bengalis of India
and Bangladesh.
Bangladesh
accepted Qazi Nazrul Islam as its National Poet. In fact a Bengali poet had
said:
Bhool hoye
gechhe bilkul
Aar sab
kichhu bhaag hoye gechhe
Bhaag hoye
ni ko Nazrul
It (the
partition) was a big mistake
All the
rest has been divided
Except
Nazrul
This is the
spirit of the cultural and literary activists of the two Banglas that inspires
them to strengthen and take the bond to another level irrespective of the
political relations between the two countries.
Earlier,
under the initiative of the government of Bangladesh, the Bengali film
industries of Bangladesh and West Bengal had signed a Memorandum of
Understanding and vowed to work together as a united film industry and promote
Bengali films in both the countries.
Many
Bengali films have been joint ventures of Bangladesh and Kolkata film industry.
Bengali actors and actresses are popular in both the countries. For example,
the famous actor of Bangladesh Saqib Khan co-starred with Nusrat Jahan of
Kolkata film industry who later became an MP from Bashirhat (India) in the
Bangla fim Naqaab released in September 2018.
Another
Bangladeshi actor Firdous Ahmad worked in a film Hotath Brishti (Sudden Rain)
directed by Basu Chatterjee of India. His another film Gangajatra was screened
in the Kolkata International Film Festival in 2010.
Other
Bangladeshi actor Gazi Abdun Noor has also acted in Indian Bangla films. They
are so popular among the Bengalis of West Bengal that during the last assembly
elections, TMC hired them to campaign in favour of their candidates. Firdous
Ahmad campaigned in favour of TMC candidate from Raiganj, Kanhaiya Lal Agarwal
and Gazi Abdun Noor campaigned in favour of TMC candidate Sougata Roy.
Actress
Anju Ghosh with BJP leader Dilip Ghosh
-----
But the
Centre complained about the participation of foreign nationals in TMC's
campaigns to the Election Commission and to the External Affairs Ministry. As a
result their visa was revoked and they were asked to go back to Bangladesh.
Bangladeshi
actresses that work in Kolkata film industry and are household names among
Bengalis of West Bengal are Jaya Ahsan, Mahiya Mahi, Kusum Sikder, Dilruba
Yasmin Ruhi and Sohana Saba.
Most
importantly, Anju Ghosh, a famous actress of Bangladesh who acted in the super
hit Bangladeshi film Beder Meye Jyotsna
(Jyotsna, the gypsy girl) in 1989 and had later moved to Kolkata joined the BJP
in 2019. She is 64 years old now.
It is
therefore, hoped that the Kolkata-Dhaka Friendship Forum will work towards
strengthening this cultural bond between the two Banglas and try to remove the
diplomatic barriers between the two countries so that artistes, poets and
writers of both the countries can meet freely and the people can access movies,
books and films of both countries easily and joint cultural programmes are held
regularly. This will only help to enrich the cultural heritage both the peoples
share and value and will also promote peace and harmony between the two
neighbouring countries.
URl: https://newageislam.com/current-affairs/kolkata-dhaka-friendship-forum-formed/d/123408
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