22 April 2019, Dhaka, Bangladesh- History was made on 20 April 2019 when the first ever Filipiniana Section in a public library in Bangladesh was established at the Sufia Kamal National Public Library in Dhaka on 20 April 2019. The opening ceremony for the section was witnessed by Philippine Ambassador H.E. Vicente Vivencio T. Bandillo, with the Hon. State Minister for Cultural Affairs Mr. KM Khalid (MP) as the Chief Guest and the Department of Public Libraries Director General Ashish Kumar Sarker as the chairperson of the ceremony.

The Filipiniana section was made possible through a joint project between the Philippine Embassy in Bangladesh and the Ministry of Cultural Affairs-Department of Public Libraries, in which the Embassy donated books, furniture, table flags of the Philippines and Bangladesh, as well as a resized replica of the historical Murillo Map of the Philippines, to the National Public Library in Dhaka, Bangladesh. The project marks the first collaborative cultural exchange under the Philippine-Bangladesh Cultural Exchange Programme for the years 2018-2020.

“Bangladeshis are a book-loving people and it brings me much joy to know that Bangladeshi readers of all ages will have the materials available…for them to learn more about the history, culture, heritage, and geography of the Philippines,” Ambassador Bandillo said in his speech during the ceremony.

State Minister for Cultural Affairs Mr. KM Khalid, MP, said that the new Filipiniana section will help Bangladeshi readers to know about the culture, literature and social scenarios of the Philippines, and that the project would strengthen the cultural bondage of the two countries. Director General Sarker noted that the project was initiated by the Embassy and that Philippine-Bangladeshi ties would be strengthened with sustained cultural exchanges.

The Sufia Kamal National Public Library is the largest public library in Bangladesh with a collection of up to 1.2 million books. The Library, with origins dating as far back as 1954,  plays an important role in promoting cultural appreciation in the lives of everyday Bangladeshis.  An estimate of 3000 readers go to the library to enjoy its facilities, which will now include its first foreign-themed collection, which is the new Filipiniana section. The Filipiniana section is comprised of books on Philippine History, OPM music, Philippine poetry, Philippine children’s books, reference and Filipino language books, novels by iconic Filipino authors, and essay collections of acclaimed Filipino intellectuals. The section also includes a small replica of the historic Murillo map. END