According to the Bangladesh Embassy in a communiqué sent to The Portugal News, 26 March is when Independence Day is celebrated, but as the event happened at the weekend and during Ramadan, the Embassy decided to celebrate at the Marriot Hotel on 22 March.

For the celebrations, there was at the reception an “impressive arrangement of fresh flowers, colourful backdrop banner and roll-up banners.” There were also “portraits of the Father of the Nation Bangabandhu Sheikh Mujibur Rahman.”

Those invited to the event could also see an exhibition of Bangladesh's “natural beauty, architectural heritage and socio-economic development of Bangladesh”, in diverse pictures.

For the Reception, the Secretary of State for Equality and Migration, Isabel Almeida Rodrigues, the Vice-President of Portugal-Bangladesh Parliamentary Friendship Group, Pedro Anastácio and the Head of State Protocol, Jorge Silva Lopes were invited and marked their presence at the event.

After the playing of the Bangladesh and Portuguese National Anthem, Ambassador Tarik Ahsan “offered profound homage to the memory of Father of the Nation Bangabandhu Sheikh Mujibur Rahman and recalled with gratitude the supreme sacrifice of martyrs, valiant freedom fighters and women who suffered horrific abuses during the War of Liberation.”

The Portuguese Secretary of State for Equality and Migration congratulated the Asian country for the 52nd Anniversary of Independence and National Day while pointing out that Bangladesh established a democratic system prior to Portugal. Isabel Almeida Rodrigues also thanked the “contribution of Bangladeshi migrants in Portugal”, mentioning that she is working together with the Embassy to offer better conditions to those migrants.

During the event, there was a “cultural segment of colourful dance performances” and a buffet dinner with a Portuguese and Bangladeshi menu.

Author

Deeply in love with music and with a guilty pleasure in criminal cases, Bruno G. Santos decided to study Journalism and Communication, hoping to combine both passions into writing. The journalist is also a passionate traveller who likes to write about other cultures and discover the various hidden gems from Portugal and the world. Press card: 8463. 

Bruno G. Santos