South Korea has expressed its keen interest to preserve the historic Panam city for the benefit of next generations and to attract tourists, build in Sonargaon in Narayanganj in the early nineteenth century, about 37 kilometres south of the capital city Dhaka.
South Korean ambassador to Bangladesh Lee Jang Keun came up with this proposal as he made a courtesy call on state minister for cultural affairs KM Khalid at the latter's secretariat office on Sunday.
"South Korea already has preserved Baro Sardar Bari, one of the most significant heritage sites in Sonargaon, which is the first attempt to preserve a cultural heritage site in Bangladesh and similarly the Panam City which was capital of the fifteenth-century Bengal ruler Isa Khan also would be preserved," according to a release quoting the envoy as saying.
During the meeting, they discussed on different issues, including the birth centenary of Father of the Nation Bangabandhu Sheikh Mujibur Rahman, golden jubilee of Independence, 50-years anniversary of the diplomatic relations between Bangladesh and South Korea and Korean cooperation on preserving different important archaeological and cultural sites in the country.
Terming the culture is an important ingredient; the Korean ambassador said "the culture is an important things which can play an important role in accelerating relations between the two countries."
Remembering cultural deal signed between the two countries, the state minister said the cultural agreement was signed between the two countries in Dhaka on June 14 in 1979. Then a five year long cultural exchange agreement was also signed on July 14 in 2019 under the purview of the earlier deal.
The Korean film festival will be held between November 24 and 26 at the National Museum as Bangladesh has been regularly organizing the Korean film festival since 2013, the Korean envoy told the meeting.
Joint Secretary of the Cultural Affairs Ministry Fahimul Islam along with other concerned officials were present at the meeting.
