Staff Reporter:
A modern and architecturally distinctive Bangladesh Children’s Library, designed by renowned Japanese architect Tadao Ando, will be built on the premises of the Bangladesh National Museum, marking a new milestone in Bangladesh-Japan cultural cooperation.
The development was discussed yesterday during a courtesy meeting between Cultural Affairs Minister Nitai Roy Chowdhury and Japanese Ambassador to Bangladesh Saida Shinichi at the ministry yesterday.
During the meeting, the two sides held detailed discussions on the long-standing friendship between Bangladesh and Japan, strengthening bilateral cultural cooperation and future collaborative initiatives of mutual interest.
Recalling the Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) signed on April 27, 2023, the minister thanked architect Tadao Ando and the government of Japan for undertaking the landmark project.
He expressed hope that the children’s library would serve as a lasting symbol of the deep friendship be-tween Bangladesh and Japan while playing a significant role in nurturing the intellect, creativity and imagination of children.
He also sought the Japanese Embassy’s continued support for the project’s swift implementation.
Ambassador Saida praised Bangladesh’s rich cultural heritage, traditional folk arts and fine arts, and reaf-firmed Japan’s continued participation in the International Asian Art Biennale hosted by Bangladesh.
He also assured Japan’s continued cooperation in preserving cultural heritage, modernizing museums, archaeological excavation and scientific conservation, cultural delegation and artist exchanges, as well as
technological development in the library and archives sectors.
Senior officials from the Ministry of Cultural Affairs, the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and the Embassy of Japan in Dhaka were present at the meeting.
