Hasina takes hilsa to India
The kitchen of the Indian president’s official residence, Rashtrapati Bhaban, is soon to be filled with the tantalising aroma of hilsa, the coveted national fish of Bangladesh.
Bangladesh’s prime minister Sheikh Hasina, visiting India in her official capacity after seven years, has taken 30 kgs of the fish for her dear ‘Pranab da’, India’s president Pranab Mukherjee. Pranab Mukherjee’s in-laws are originally from Narail, Bangladesh.
Sheikh Hasina’s trip began with quite a surprise when the Indian prime minister Narendra Modi himself turned up at the Delhi airport to receive her.
It had previously been said that India’s state minister for heavy industries and singer Babul Supriya would receive her at the Indira Gandhi international airport.
Babul was there in time, but then Modi turned up despite a busy schedule in parliament. The smiling picture of the two leaders made the front pages in the media.
“Morning shows the day,” said the elated Bangladesh press minister Farid Hossain, predicting that this cordial start of the trip would lead to an overall successful visit.
Hasina has visited Pranab Mukherjee’s home several times when the latter was a minister. In fact, when he was foreign minister, Hasina cooked for him herself. She regards him as an elder brother and so it was only natural that she would take 30 kgs of hilsa for him! After all, they go a long way back.
She also took a punjabi and dhuti for him. When his wife Shubra had been alive, she would always present her with a jamdani sari. This time she took a Rajshahi silk sari for his daughter Sharmistha. Also on the gift list was a variety of famed Bangladeshi sweets.
For the prime minister Narendra Modi, Hasina has taken a leather bag with his name embossed on it, a Punjabi, churidar and a ‘jawahar’ coat, as well as traditional sweets.
There are sweets for Congress president Sonia Gandhi too. Hasina will also present Sonia and her daughter Priyanka Rajshahi silk saris. For Rahul there’s a Punjabi and churidar.
*The piece is rewritten in English by Ayesha Kabir
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