Kathmandu, July 27: The Bangladesh Embassy in Kathmandu hosted “Bangladesh Mango Delicacy”, a mango festival on Saturday, showcasing late-season Bangladeshi mangoes and processed mango products while promoting the country’s agricultural exports.
Held at UTSAV Kunja in Kathmandu, the event brought together diplomats, Nepali government officials, business representatives, fruit importers, traders and media. Around 250 people attended the festival.
SAARC Secretary General Md Golam Sarwar attended as the chief guest, while Gahendra Rajbhandari, Joint Secretary at Nepal’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs, represented the Foreign Secretary as the special guest.
Bangladesh Ambassador Md Shafiqur Rahman said mangoes are deeply rooted in Bangladesh’s culture and agriculture. He highlighted the country’s fertile plains and favourable climate, which support the production of premium-quality mangoes.
The ambassador said Bangladesh grows several popular varieties, including Khirsapat, Haribhanga, Langra, Fazli, Gopalbhog, Amrapali, Ashwina, Katimon, Gauramoti and BARI mangoes, known for their sweetness, aroma and quality. He also credited Bangladeshi researchers for developing improved late-season BARI mango varieties and introducing successful foreign cultivars.
Rahman said Bangladesh has expanded its mango processing industry, producing products such as juice, pulp, jams, pickles, chutneys, dried mangoes, candies and fruit bars that meet international food safety standards.
Addressing the gathering, SAARC Secretary General Golam Sarwar said South Asia has enormous potential to export mangoes and processed fruit products but has yet to fully tap international markets. He called for greater regional cooperation in agriculture and praised the embassy for promoting the sector through such events.
Rajbhandari thanked the Bangladesh Embassy for organising the festival, saying it strengthened people-to-people ties and highlighted the friendship between Nepal and Bangladesh.
Visitors sampled fresh mangoes and viewed a range of processed products, including juice, pickles, chutneys, jams, jelly, dried mangoes and fruit bars. Late-season varieties from Bangladesh’s Rajshahi region, including Fazli, Amrapali, Bari 4, Katimon, Gauramoti and Ashwina, were on display.
The embassy said the festival was part of its efforts to promote trade, investment and cultural exchanges, expressing confidence that such initiatives would deepen bilateral cooperation and create new opportunities for agricultural trade between Bangladesh and Nepal.
People’s News Monitoring Service
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