GUWAHATI: The first Sylhet-Silchar Festival, organised to celebrate the cultural ties between the two regions, will get underway in Assam’s Barak Valley on Friday evening.
The festival coincides with the 75th year of India’s independence and the 50th anniversary of the liberation of Bangladesh from Pakistan.
Amongst the multiple commonalities between India and Bangladesh, links between Silchar and Sylhet stand out. In an attempt to celebrate the age-old and people-to-people connection, the India Foundation is hosting the festival.
“With the aim of revisiting the common values and shared heritage of the twin cities and their people separated by international borders, the festival will showcase tribal culture, cuisine, arts, crafts and local produce, entertainment and bring together eminent people from both sides to discuss and deliberate on issues of mutual growth and opportunity,” the organisers said in a statement.
In addition, the festival will provide a platform to explore multi-disciplinary trade opportunities in sectors such as healthcare, tourism, education and digital infrastructure.
With the support of the Ministry of Culture, Government of India, Assam government and in association with the Bangladesh India Friendship Society and India-Bangladesh Chamber of Commerce & Industry, the festival will mark the first step towards creating potential opportunities for all involved.
It will be addressed by personalities including Mizoram Governor Dr Kambhampati Hari Babu, Union Minister for Culture, Tourism & Development of North Eastern Region G Kishan Reddy, Bangladesh Foreign Affairs Minister Dr AK Abdul Momen, India’s Minister of State for External Affairs and Education Dr Rajkumar Ranjan Singh and Bangladesh High Commissioner to India Md Mustafizur Rahman.
The delegation from Bangladesh is led by Momen and it comprises Members of Parliament, representatives of trade organisations, political and social leaders, academics, artists and practitioners.