Kathmandu, August 20: Md. Shafiqur Rahman, Bangladesh envoy urged for establishing an annual Bangladesh-Nepal cultural and creative exchange program while addressing the inauguration of the “Beautiful Bangladesh” International Photo Exhibition 2026 at Kathmandu Durbar Square, a UNESCO world-heritage site in Basantapur Kathmandu on Wednesday, August 19.
The Beautiful Bangladesh International Photo Exhibition 2026, is organized jointly by the National Forum of Photo Journalists (NFPJ) Nepal and Bangladesh Photo Journalists Association (BPJA) as part of the Bangladesh-Nepal Photo Journalist Exchange Program to strengthen friendship, professional collaboration, cultural understanding and tourism promotion between the two countries. The event also commemorated World Photography Day. Acting Director General of the Nepal Tourism Board and Deputy Director of Chinese Cultural Centre and dignitaries from Nepal and China also joined the event.
In the remarks as the chief guest, the ambassador, highlighting the importance of photography as a powerful means of communication and expression, said the exhibition in a world heritage site on world photography day, provides with Nepali audiences an opportunity to discover Bangladesh’s natural beauty, cultural heritage, historical landmarks and, most importantly, the everyday lives and aspirations of its people.
Recalling the deep cultural cooperation between Bangladesh and Nepal, he shed light on common values and cultural and linguistic affinities of the two countries. He lauded the increasing exchange of tourists, especially from Bangladesh to Nepal and added that people-to-people connectivity provides the major building block in the bilateral ties of the two neighboring countries.
He made two specific proposals to further deepen cultural and people-to-people ties between the two countries. He proposed to consider establishing the annual cultural and creative exchange program to bring together photographers, filmmakers, musicians, artists, writers, and other cultural practitioners from Bangladesh and Nepal. He suggested that the program could include arranging joint exhibitions, cultural performances, film festivals, photography exchanges, and workshops, alternating between the two countries. While calling for greater use of digital platforms and contemporary media to promote the cultural heritage and tourism destinations of Bangladesh and Nepal, he urged the photojournalists’ associations of both countries to undertake joint tourism promotion initiatives showcasing the complementary attractions of the two beautiful countries.
The ambassador assured that the Bangladesh Embassy in Kathmandu would stand ready to support and facilitate such initiatives to the extent possible. Congratulating NFPJ and BPJA for organizing the exhibition on the occasion of World Photography Day, the ambassador expressed hope that the exhibition would inspire greater interaction, two-way travel, professional cooperation and friendship between the peoples of Bangladesh and Nepal.
Later, the ambassador joined the Chinese Photography Exhibition by the Chinese Cultural Centre as the guest of honour. He made a courtesy speech as the on the occasion and toured the Chinese exhibition premises along with other guests.
People’s News Monitoring Service.
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