Brothers and sisters of Chhit Mahal are free again: WB CM

The historic Land Boundary Agreement Treaty was signed between India and Bangladesh today at Dhaka in the august presence of West Bengal Chief Minister Ms Mamata Banerjee, Bangladesh Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina and the Indian Prime Minister.

On the historic occasion, WB CM flagged off bus services between Kolkata-Dhaka-Agartala and Dhaka-Guwahati-Shillong, along with the Bangladesh Prime Minister and Indian PM.

Later, she posted on her Facebook and Twitter pages:

“স্বাধীনতার ৬৮ বছর পরে আমার ছিট্ মহলের ভাই বোনেরা নতুন করে স্বাধীন হল। সবাইকে জানাই অভিনন্দন 

68 years after independence, brothers and sisters of Chhitmahal have become free again. My best wishes to all.”

Mamata Banerjee gets warm welcome in Bangladesh

Bangladesh Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina extended a royal welcome to West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee as she arrived in Dhaka last night.

From the moment Ms Banerjee’s Air India Flight entered Bangladesh on Friday evening, it was declared a VIP plane. The pilot stepped out of the cockpit to announce he had just received instructions to that effect.

Soon after her arrival, PM Sheikh Hasina telephoned Ms Banerjee to welcome her and exchanged pleasantries.

Ms Banerjee is scheduled to participate in two functions – the flagging off of the Kolkata-Dhaka-Agartala bus service and the signing of the Land Boundary Agreement.

Mamata Banerjee had visited Dhaka in February this year.

After landing in Dhaka, WB CM tweeted:

WB CM expresses concern on rising incidents of Swine flu

West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee today expressed concern over the increasing rates of swine flu in the country.

The CM today expressed distress over the matter saying:

“The incidents of Swine Flu have been on the increase. Certain diseases become a matter of concern. But instead of getting panicky, we must work together to widely spread awareness about the do’s and don’ts to prevent it as much as possible.

As of now, 833 deaths have taken place due to Swine Flu this year in the entire country of which, the number of deaths are 214 in Rajasthan, 207 in Gujarat, 112 in Madhya Pradesh, 99 in Maharashtra, 51 in Telengana, 33 in Karnataka, 20 in Haryana, 10 in Andhra Pradesh, 8 in Delhi, etc.

Despite all our efforts and making available necessary medicines, 5 unfortunate deaths, including 1 patient from Mumbai, have taken place in our State so far.

It is time for the Central Government, State Governments and NGOs to work together to take all necessary remedial measures.”

The CM also expressed concern on the same matter over Twitter.

 

People of both countries will work together: WB CM at Bangladesh

WB CM Ms Mamata Banerjee today addressed a business meet organised by India- Bangladesh Chamber of Commerce and Industry, in association with the Federation of Bangladesh Chambers of Commerce and Industry and the Indian Chambers of Commerce, Kolkata.

She urged both the countries to work together.

She said, “People of both countries must work together. Let us think about solutions instead of problems. India and Bangladesh had two issues. One was land boundary. We have solved the issue. The other issue that of the Teesta water, will be solved soon. When one problem has been solved, the other one will be solved too, I believe that.”

She added on a concluding note, “We pray that both Bengals keep prospering. আমার সোনার বাংলা, আমি তোমায় ভালবাসি.”

Thank you for the warm hospitality: WB CM to Bangladesh

West Bengal CM Ms Mamata Banerjee today thanked the Bangladesh Government and the people of Bangladesh for the warm hospitality and reception. WB CM referred Sheikh Hasina as her elder sister and thanked for the warmth and grace shown towards her.  She will be returning to Kolkata later today. Bangladesh Prime Minister hosted a lunch for the WB CM. WB CM Ms Mamata Banerjee was invited as the chief guest for the Bhasa Divas celebrations at Dhaka.

WB CM Ms Mamata Banerjee termed this visit as a “meeting of hearts” and also called this as “constructive, positive and historic”. She also extended an invitation to The Honourable Prime Minister of Bangladesh, Sheikh Hasina to visit West Bengal.

 

This is what she posted on Twitter:

 

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WB CM pays tribute to Bangabandhu at Dhanmandi

যতবার বাংলাদেশে আসবেন, ততবারই ধানমণ্ডির ৩২ নম্বর সড়কে বঙ্গবন্ধুর স্মৃতি বিজড়িত বাড়িটিতে আসবেন বলে জানিয়েছেন মুখ্যমন্ত্রী মমতা বন্দ্যোপাধ্যায়।

মুখ্যমন্ত্রী সাংবাদিকদের বলেন, “এই দেশে আসব আর মুক্তি আন্দোলনের সবচেয়ে বড় পথিকৃত বঙ্গবন্ধুর বাড়িতে আসব না- সেটা কি করে হয়?”

মমতা বলেন, “এ বাড়ি দেখে বার বার মন খারাপ হয়ে যায়। একদিকে গুলির দাগ, রক্তের দাগ। এতোগুলো খুনের নিশানা দেখে মনটা খারাপ হয়ে যায়।”

এর আগে বাংলাদেশ সফরের কথা মনে করে মমতা সাংবাদিকদের বলেন, “আমি ১৯৯৮ সালে এখানে এসেছিলাম আওয়ামী লীগের একটি কনফারেন্সে। তখন শেখ হাসিনা প্রধানমন্ত্রী ছিলেন। ১৭ বছর আগে। তখনও এখানে এসেছিলাম। এর সাথে মুক্তি আন্দোলন, গণতন্ত্রের আন্দোলন- সব কিছু জড়িয়ে আছে।”

মমতা বলেন, “এই বাড়িটি একটি আবেগ প্লাবিত জায়গা। এখানেই বঙ্গবন্ধু শেষ নিঃশ্বাস ত্যাগ করেছিলেন। বঙ্গবন্ধু শেখ মুজিবুর রহমানের সঙ্গে সেদিন তার পরিবারের অনেকেই খুন হয়েছিলেন। তাদের রক্তমাখা চেহারা, রক্ত মাখা ফটোগুলো দেখা বিভীষিকাময়। এগুলো দেখে আমাদের গা শিউরে ওঠে।”

নতুন প্রজন্মের কাছে বাংলাদেশের স্বাধীনতা সংগ্রামের ইতিহাস তুলে ধরার কথাও বলেন মমতা।

“অতীতকে স্মরণ করতে হয়। অতীতকে স্মরণ না করলে আমাদের প্রজন্ম জানবে কি করে মুক্তি আন্দোলনের কথা?”

১৯৭১ সালে বাংলাদেশের মুক্তিযুদ্ধের দিনগুলোর কথা স্মরণ করে তিনি বলেন, “আমাদের ওপার বাংলা থেকে এপার বাংলা- এখানে যখন মুক্তি আন্দোলন চলছিল, তখন তাদের প্রত্যেক কথা, গান, স্লোগান, বঙ্গবন্ধুর বক্তব্য আমাদের আবেগ জুড়ে ছিল।”

একুশের প্রথম প্রহরে তিনি কেন্দ্রীয় শহীদ মিনারে গিয়ে ১৯৫২ সালের ভাষা শহীদদের প্রতি শ্রদ্ধা জানাবেন।

WB CM Ms Mamata Banerjee today visited the Bangabandhu Memorial Museum at 32 Dhanmandi. She said that her visit to Bangladesh would be incomplete without visiting this iconic house.

She was visibly sentimental. She said, “Bangabandhu breathed his last in this house. The bullet marks make me sad.”

She added that Bangabandhu was attached to the nostalgia of every Bengali.

Later in the evening WB CM posted on her social media pages:

“This evening I went to pay my homage to Banga Bandhu Memorial Museum at 32 Dhanmandi.

To me, and to all of us in this sub-continent, he has been a lingering inspiration in our quest to uphold our freedom and our love for the mother tongue.

Banga Bandhu Shekh Mujibar Rahaman was the chief architect of the independent Bangladesh. As the father of the nation, he brought due respect and glory to Bengali language from all over the world.

In the memory of this great soul, I bow with reverence and respect.”

Baithaki Bangla to strengthen cultural ties between two sides of Bengal: WB CM

WB CM Ms Mamata Banerjee arrived at Dhaka yesterday after 17 long years to attend the Bhasa Divas ceremony.

She has been invited as the chief guest of the ceremony by the Bangladesh Government. This is her first visit to Bangladesh as the Chief Minister of West Bengal.

 

Stregthening cultural ties 

‘Baithaki Bangla’ was the first engagement of the Chief Minister which was a platform for interaction between the luminaries of both the countries from the world of literature, drama, music. She would be later meeting the President and the Prime Minister of Bangladesh during her stay.

The cultural fraternity of both sides of Bengal met and discussed how to strengthen cultural ties and standing relations between West Bengal and Bangladesh.

Rising above borders 

WB CM Ms Mamata Banerjee called this initiative as a ‘meeting of minds’. At Baithaki Bangla, the CM said that no border in the world can divide the hearts of two Bengals. She proposed a series of steps to cement the cultural bond between her state and Bangladesh, including the construction of a “Bangabandhu Bhaban”, a building to be named after the country’s founder Bangabandhu Sheikh Mujibur Rahman.

“Political geography has divided us, but there is no division in our two minds. I feel proud to be a part of the Bhasa Divas celebration,” she said during her interaction with litterateurs and cultural figures.

 

Here is what she tweeted after Baithaki Bangla: