French President Emmanuel Macron visited musician and lyricist Rahul Ananda of the singing group “Joler Gaan” at his private studio in the capital’s Dhanmondi house night, and spent time enjoying their music and chatting with the group.
“Tonight, at musician-singer Rahul Ananda’s residence in Dhaka’s Dhanmondi French President Excellency Mr Emmanuel Macron and Honourable Minister of Information Dr Hasan Mahmud MP spent more than an hour and a half very good time there,” Joler Gaan said in a brief note in its social media Facebook page.
The president presented a pen and promised Rahul to write songs and poems with this pen. “I’ll write about nature and life. He will listen to that music one day,” Rahul Ananda said.
French President Emmanuel Macron presents pen to musician and lyricist Rahul Ananda of the singing group “Joler Gaan” at his private studio in the capital’s Dhanmondi house on Sunday, September 10, 2023.French President Emmanuel Macron presents pen to musician and lyricist Rahul Ananda of the singing group “Joler Gaan” at his private studio in the capital’s Dhanmondi house
Macron arrived in Dhaka on Sunday night and went straight to Hotel Intercontinental to attend dinner hosted by Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina who received him at the airport in a state honour. After the dinner, he went to Rahul’s house. Other artists including Ashfika Rahman, Kamruzzaman Swadhin and Afroza Sara, were also present. The summit talk between the leaders will be held on Monday. The president will also pay respect to the portrait of Father of the Nation Bangabandhu Sheikh Mujibur Rahman at Dhanmondi road 32.
Bangladesh and France have a long relation of cultural exchange. “Who has never heard of Kazi Nazrul Islam, Rabindranath Tagore or even Firoza Begum? These names ring in our ears in every street, their spirit permeating every single corner of Bangladesh. Like Bangladesh, France is a country deeply proud of its cultural heritage,” the French embassy said. “In this sense, we founded the Alliance Française of Dhaka, a place at the crossroads of this cultural exchange that became an essential part of Dhaka’s cultural life since it was founded in 1959. Every year, Alliance Française of Dhaka organizes more than 20 exhibitions which attract no less than 30,000 visitors. “It also broadcasts films, shows and concerts, which attract 10,000 spectators. Committed to promoting the language of Molière, the establishment offers top quality French classes with no fewer than 6,000 pupils a year. Today this vibrant cultural place is one of the biggest symbols of our cooperation with Bangladesh,” the embassy said before the arrival of the President.
With the visit, Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina said both countries would elevate their ties to a strategic level. The visit by any French president since 1990 comes on the heels of the prime minister’s sojourn to Paris in November 2021.
