19-day boat exhibition begins in city Saturday

As a 19-day boat exhibition begins in the city Saturday, German Charge D Affaires Hermann Nicolai Thursday said Bangladesh's traditional boat industry has enormous economic opportunity.

bdnews24.com
Published : 16 March 2005, 12:00 PM
Updated : 16 March 2005, 12:00 PM
Dhaka, Mar 17 (BDNEWS) - As a 19-day boat exhibition begins in the city Saturday, German Charge D Affaires Hermann Nicolai Thursday said Bangladesh's traditional boat industry has enormous economic opportunity.
Runa Khan Marre, main organiser of the exhibition, announced that Bangladesh is going to have a unique museum of boats at a char in the river Meghna for creating awareness among the people about the thousand years tradition of wooden sailing boats.
"If Bangladesh can use the traditional boats in an economically lively way like sightseeing or goods transportation, it could become a profitable project," Hermann said at a press conference arranged at a city hotel ahead of the exhibition titled "traditional boats of Bengal".
Embassy of Federal Republic of Germany and Friendship Association have jointly organised the exhibition to be held in the National Museum till April 6.
Over 30 traditional Bangladeshi boats like — horonga, shampan, patam – will be displayed in the exhibition, said Runa Khan Marre, the initiator of the exhibition and executive director of Friendship Association.
"We are trying to uphold the traditional boat industry and its carpenters through the exhibition," said Ashoka fellow Runa who hails from Tangail.
Deputy Managing Director of Mutual Trust Bank Ikram Ali Khan, Yvvs Marre husband of Runa was also present at the press conference.
Grameen Phone, Mutual Trust Bank and Bengal Foundation are sponsoring the event.
BDNEWS/1700 hrs