A grand ‘Hilsa Festival’ was held at the Bangladesh High Commission in New Delhi on Saturday, showcasing Bangladesh’s national fish and its deep connections with Bengali heritage, culture and culinary traditions.
The festival was organised at the Maitree Auditorium of the Bangladesh High Commission, with Indian politicians, diplomats, civil society representatives, academics, journalists, cultural figures and distinguished people from various professions attending the event.
During the programme, the book A Fish Called Ilish, published in Dhaka, was unveiled in the presence of prominent Indian citizens.
Various hilsa dishes were served alongside a selection of traditional Bangladeshi foods, highlighting the diversity of the country’s culinary traditions.
Guests enjoyed Bangladeshi hilsa and experienced different aspects of Bengali emotions, heritage and culture associated with the fish.
Among those attending were former Indian Minister of State for External Affairs and prominent journalist MJ Akbar, former diplomat and politician Mani Shankar Aiyar, human rights activist and social thinker Saida Hamdi, former Indian ambassador Ronen Sen and prominent sociologist Ashis Nandy, along with other distinguished figures from various fields.
The guests praised the taste of Bangladeshi hilsa and the arrangements for the festival. They said the event provided an opportunity to showcase Bangladesh’s heritage, culture and hospitality to India’s friends and well-wishers.
They also expressed hope that such initiatives would contribute to further deepening and strengthening the existing friendly relations between the peoples of Bangladesh and India.
After unveiling the book, Bangladesh High Commissioner Md Riaz Hamidullah said hilsa was intrinsically linked to Bangladesh’s identity and deeply connected with the country’s society and economy.
He said Bangladesh has five hilsa sanctuaries and that the government has taken several initiatives to increase hilsa breeding and production.
As a result, the conservation and production of hilsa are gradually increasing, he said.
All officials of the Bangladesh High Commission were present at the event.
