Housing and Public Works Minister RAM Obaidul Muktadir Chowdhury unveiled the Nagasaki Peace Monument at the Nagasaki Peace Park in Japan on Tuesday.
Bangladesh government proposed the construction of a peace monument at the Nagasaki Peace Park, as part of Prime Minister Sheikh Hasinas quest for a nuclear bomb-free, peaceful world, and to convey the message of peace to the people of Japan and the world, a Foreign Ministry release said.
At the unveiling ceremony, Minister Muktadir Chowdhury thanked all involved in the process, including the Mayor of Nagasaki, Bangladesh Ambassador to Japan Shahabuddin Ahmed, Secretary to the Ministry of Housing and Public Works Nabirul Islam, and Mayor of Nagasaki Shiro Suzuki were present at the event.
Designed by architect Anindya Pandit, the three-meter-high monument is made of black granite and white marble stones, according to a message received from Japan.
Before the ceremony, a minutes silence was observed to coincide with the atomic bombing of Nagasaki in 1945. However, Bangladesh delegation led by Minister Muktadir laid floral wreaths first at the epic centre of the atomic bomb explosion.
Later, Mayor Suzuki organized a lunch in honour of the Bangladesh delegation. Ambassador Shahabuddin Ahmed, in a speech, thanked Mayor Suzuki for hosting the event.
Additional Secretary to the Ministry of Housing and Public Works Hamidur Rahman Khan, Deputy Chief of Mission of Bangladesh Embassy Shah Asif Rahman, Head of Chancery Sheikh Farid and Second Secretary - Press Md Imranul Hasan were present on the occasion.
