Dhaka: High Commissioner of India to Bangladesh Pranay Verma highlighted the unique and deeply rooted relationship between Bangladesh and India, emphasizing their shared history, language, culture, and enduring people-to-people ties. Speaking at an art exhibition, he underscored the power of art in expressing and renewing these bonds, transcending boundaries to create spaces for dialogue, empathy, and harmony.
According to United News of Bangladesh, the art exhibition ‘Sampriti’ was hosted by the Indira Gandhi Cultural Centre, High Commission of India, at IGCC, Gulshan, Dhaka. Inaugurated by High Commissioner Pranay Verma, the exhibition will be open for public viewing from May 8 to 17. The event paid tribute to eminent artist and ICCR scholar Tarun Ghosh, who passed away in April, by including one of his works to honor his artistic legacy.
The exhibition is a continuation of the ‘Sampriti’ Art Camp held in April to celebrate the 77th Foundation Day of the Indian Council for Cultural Relations (ICCR). Established on April 9, 1950, the ICCR has been strengthening cultural ties between India and the world through various initiatives in art, education, music, literature, and academic exchange for over seven decades.
The inauguration coincided with the 165th birth anniversary of Rabindranath Tagore. High Commissioner Verma, along with Prof Rafiqun Nabi, artist Monirul Islam, Prof Farida Zaman, and Prof Abdus Sattar, paid tribute to Tagore by lighting a lamp. Verma highlighted Tagore’s role as a figure of shared cultural heritage between India and Bangladesh, embodying ideals of creativity, humanism, and cultural harmony that enrich bilateral ties.
Showcasing artworks from a two-day art camp, the exhibition features 33 eminent contemporary Bangladeshi artists and ICCR scholars, including notable figures like Rafiqun Nabi, Monirul Islam, and Abdus Shakoor. ‘Sampriti’ celebrates cultural harmony, mutual understanding, and artistic collaboration between the two nations, curated by Prof. Sanjoy Chakraborty of Fine Arts, Dhaka University.
Senior artists Prof. Rafiqun Nabi and Monirul Islam expressed confidence that ‘Sampriti’ would inspire further artistic exchanges between India and Bangladesh, deepening cultural linkages. The exhibition reflects the continued commitment of the IGCC and the High Commission of India in Dhaka to fostering cultural exchange and strengthening India-Bangladesh friendship through visual arts. The event was further enriched by Rabindra Sangeet performances by Prof. Shahnaz Nasrin Ila of Dhaka University Music Department.