The Bangladesh Ikebana Association has held its 11th annual general meeting virtually with the presence of its members from Japan, America and India.
Megumi Shimizu, Cultural Representative of the Embassy of Japan in Dhaka, also joined the general meeting on Saturday, the association said.
“Ikebana” is the Japanese art of flower arrangement which dates back to the 7th century when floral offerings were made at altars. Ikebana reached its first zenith in the 16th century under the influence of Buddhist teamsters/monks and has grown over the centuries, with over 1,000 different schools in Japan and abroad.
Dr. AKM Moazzem Hussain and a group of Bangladeshis (who had studied and/or took training in Japan) established an Ikebana School in October 1973 at the premises of the Embassy of Japan at Shantinagar in Dhaka.
Eminent painter late Shilpacharjya Joynul Abedin and Ambassador Takeshi Oyamada of Japan handed over certificates to the 28 graduates of the first batch in March 1974.
Younger daughter of Father of Nation Bangabandhu Sheikh Mujibur Rahman respected Sheikh Rehana was also a student of Ikebana school.
“We formed the Bangladesh Ikebana Association by uniting various small organisations of Ikebana. This long journey would not have been possible without the cooperation of the Japanese Embassy in Dhaka,” said Dr. Moazzem Hussain.
Megumi Shimizu, Cultural Representative of the Embassy of Japan, said that the Bangladesh Ikebana Association has been working tirelessly for a long time to promote Ikebana in Bangladesh.
“I would like to thank them for continuing their activities in various branches even after the Corona pandemic.”
The association’s President Shahinoor Baby gave a welcome speech at the beginning of the meeting while General Secretary Tahmina Akhter Eli and Treasurer Salma Akter presented their reports.
The Bangladesh Ikebana Association signed a memorandum of understanding (MoU) with the Department of Japanese Studies at Dhaka University in December last year.
Under the agreement, Bangladesh Ikebana Association will co-operate in Japanese cultural activities, various seminars, workshops, festivals including Ikebana of the Department of Japanese Studies.
The Association published a souvenir on the occasion of its annual general meeting.
Barrister Sheikh Fazle Noor Taposh, Mayor of Dhaka South City Corporation and Ito Naoki, Ambassador of Japan in Bangladesh gave their messages in the souvenir.
Masud Karim, Life Patron of the Association thanked all the members of the organisation including the Embassy of Japan for their cooperation