India will provide Tk 18.17 crore for the construction of Rabindra Bhaban at Shilaidaha Kuthibari, the native place of Rabindranath Tagore, in Kushtia district.
A financing agreement in this regard was signed between the governments of Bangladesh and India at Shilaidaha on Thursday.
ERD Senior Secretary Kazi Shofiqul Azam and Indian High Commissioner in Dhaka Harsh Vardhan Shringla signed the financing deal on behalf of Bangladesh and Indian sides respectively. Cultural Affairs Minister Asaduzzaman Noor witnessed the signing, according to Indian High Commission in Dhaka.
This project was first announced by Indian President Pranab Mukherjee during his visit to Bangladesh in March 2013.
The foundation stone for the project was laid on June 7, 2015 by Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi.
The proposed Rabindra Bhaban will consist of a state-of-the-art exhibition gallery to showcase Tagore heritage, projection facilities, rooms for lessons in music and dance relating to Tagore's compositions, library containing Tagore related books and handicrafts store.
The complex will also have other facilities like a guesthouse, cafeteria, open air stage or amphitheatre.
UNB/LY
