India-Bangladesh cultural ties must deepen, says ex-Indian envoy to Dhaka

The two countries are now working on a joint production of a bio-pic on Sheikh Mujibbur Rehman, the founder of Bangladesh

India, especially West Bengal, could deepen its people-to-people ties with neighbour Bangladesh, said Ambassador Riva Ganguly Das, former Secretary (East) in the Ministry of External Affairs, while pointing out that in the official domain, collaboration between the two governments had been strengthened significantly in all areas, in recent years.

Ms. Das in an interaction with PTI on Tuesday, suggested that there can be joint theatrical productions and ballets, collaborative writing of books and works on Rabindranath Tagore between people who share a common culture and language.

“With a 4,096-km-long border, it is quite natural that there will be issues between India and Bangladesh. But many complicated problems have been resolved. Both countries now work together in many sectors including connectivity.

“But there is not much public awareness regarding the collaboration and only issues such as border shoot-outs and illegal immigration are highlighted,” she told PTI.

Ms. Das, who served as India’s High Commissioner to Dhaka before taking up her assignment as Secretary (East), said that deeper cultural ties will help in removing misconceptions and stereotypes that people of both Bangladesh and India, especially West Bengal harbour towards each other.

“An average educated Bangladeshi looks at India and says we are blood brothers. He or she acknowledges India’s role in their country’s liberation, just as we acknowledge the gallantry shown by Bangladesh’s freedom fighters. However, there will always be discordant notes which can be isolated through frequent cultural exchanges,” she said.