Exhibition of Bangladesh collectors’ items in Karachi

An exhibition that captured political, social, financial and aesthetic essence of Bangladesh was held at a local hotel in Karachi on Monday, Pakistan’s Dawn newspaper reported.

From paintings, banknotes, coins, stamps and even books, the items displayed were carefully curated to allow viewers to experience first-hand the journey of the country from inception, according to the report.

The Bangladesh deputy high commission in Karachi organised the exhibition.

There were postcards, coins and banknotes display. Postcards on major sporting events held around the world were included as were those on different flowers and prominent political personalities originating from Bangladesh, said the Dawn report.

The exhibition put on display a Taka one demonination, the first such note issued in 1973 that had a typical Bangali woman pounding rice on one side of the note.

Commemorative notes of 100 years of Bangladesh National Museum 1913-2013 were also displayed.

Books on display include the ones on Bangabandhu Sheikh Mujibur Rahman, his political trajectory, his struggles and his murder and the legal repercussions the country faced.

There were coffee-table books charting the beauty of the country, researches on the economic growth of the country, as well as tomes on Bangali mystical poetry.

Bangladesh deputy high commissioner in Karachi Noor-e-Helal Saifur Rahman shared with Dawn that the inspiration came when he attended an exhibition by the Pakistan Philatelic and Numismatic Society in June where there was an auction of stamps and many other souvenirs.

“Initially I thought I will put up an exhibition on Bangladesh banknotes, coins and postal stamps. However, I arranged some books on the father of the nation Sheikh Mujibur Rahman, and some paintings.”

Twenty paintings by 10 Bangladeshi artists are on display; the paintings were especially commissioned for the exhibition, said the report.

“Most of these paintings describe the natural beauty of Bangladesh. I want visitors to understand, realise and appreciate the art of Bangladesh, the development of the currency, as well as the beauty of the country,” the diplomat was quoted to have said.