Pakistan working on an album on Bangabandhu’s photos: Envoy

Pakistan high commissioner to Bangladesh Imran Ahmed Siddiqui visited different wings of the Cosmos Group at the Cosmos Centre on Monday.
UNB

Pakistan high commissioner to Bangladesh Imran Ahmed Siddiqui on Monday said he is working on an album on Father of the Nation Bangabandhu Sheikh Mujibur Rahman putting together his photos taken during a visit to Pakistan back in 1974.

“I’m trying to collect all of them to make an album out of it. That would also be a part of the historical archive of our two countries,” he said while visiting the ongoing two-month long group art exhibition titled “Sheikh Hasina: On the Right Side of History” at the Cosmos Centre in the city.

Masud Jamil Khan, the deputy managing director of the Cosmos Group, welcomed the ambassador and briefed him about the exhibition, reports UNB.

Bangabandhu Sheikh Mujibur Rahman attended the OIC Summit in Lahore in February 1974. Then Pakistan prime minister ZA Bhutto also visited Bangladesh from 27-29 June the same year.

The high commissioner said several photos were taken at that time and those photos are being collected.

Terming the artworks “extraordinary”, the Pakistan envoy hoped that those who are yet to witness this art exhibition would come forward and see and appreciate it.

He said everything - the scale of emotion and sentiment attached to each of the artwork - is appreciable. “We’re thankful to make an effort to that end.”

High commissioner Siddiqui said they share the artistic tradition and not just history; it has come down to the blood irrespective of whatever happened. “This feeling and goodwill for each other are continuing.”

He said he was posted in Canada and the US where he had seen the diaspora of Bangladesh and Pakistan making friends and families. “It’s a good reminder of the fact that we share the same roots.”

The high commissioner said there should be a greater interaction in the landscape of art and he will be very happy to extend any cooperation and any offer of collaboration from his side. “I could facilitate more intensive interaction between our artists. It would be useful for mutual understanding and friendship. So, you’ll find me in all of your endeavours,” said the envoy.

The high commissioner also visited different wings of the Cosmos Group at Cosmos Centre, including Cosmos Atelier71, UNB newsroom and Wild Team office.