A delegation of Bangladesh Ikebana Association (BIA) on Sunday met newly appointed Japanese Ambassador to Bangladesh Iwama Kiminori at the Embassy of Japan in Dhaka. Prof Dr AKM Moazzem Hussain, founder of BIA, led the delegation and explained BIA’s mission, vision and its activities in Bangladesh since 1974. Life patron and honorary CEO of BIA Masud Karim said Japan is a friendly country of Bangladesh and the two countries have long diplomatic relations. “Along with Ikebana, we will continue to work to deepen the cultural relations between these two countries in the future,” he said. President of Bangladesh Ikebana Association Shahinoor Baby said they always seek the cooperation from the Ambassador in all their Ikebana activities in Bangladesh. The Ambassador said that the Embassy of Japan will always cooperate with the BIA and its activities as much as possible, said a media release. Bangladesh Ikebana Association held various programmes on the occasion of the 50th anniversary of Japan-Bangladesh diplomatic relations in June last year.

Japan’s Ambassador to Bangladesh Ito Naoki has laid emphasis on engaging the younger generation in promoting cultural bondage through Ikebana, a traditional Japanese art of flower arrangement. “I hope Ikebana will be loved by young people in Bangladesh,” he said on Friday while speaking at a function organized by Bangladesh Ikebana Association (BIA). The ambassador said there is a strong interest among the young students in Bangladesh about Japan, its language and culture. Also read: Japan honours businessman Abdul Haque with Order of the Rising Sun He urged the BIA to continue playing its role to further promote the friendship through better understanding of Japanese culture.