Open evening for Rochdale Bangladeshi Partnership

The Rochdale Bangladeshi Partnership Project arranged an event to showcase its work to members of the public, the local authority and other interested parties.

It was also a celebration event as the project has established a Friendship Link between Rochdale & Sylhet and yesterday marked (Wednesday 16 December) the 38th Victory Day, or Bijoy Debosh as it’s known in Bangladesh, since the end of the Liberation War.

Mohammed Dobir Miah, the secretary of RBPP said: “This event was one of a number of events that the RBPP have put on this year, and is a culmination of our work so far.

"We are really overjoyed with being able to create a link with Sylhet, which is a great step towards linking our heritage with the people of Sylhet - as most of the Bangladeshi’s living in Rochdale have some connections there. We hope that we can provide a platform for the British born Bangladeshi’s to learn about their roots and culture. We also hope that the wider communities can learn and understand Bangladesh and it’s history.

"We are ever so grateful to all the institutions in Bangladesh who have helped us throughout our exploratory visit; we owe a special mention to Biswanath Press Club and the British High Commission in Dhaka – without whom we would have struggled to do so much.

"On behalf of the Rochdale Bangladeshi Partnership Project I would like to thank the people of Sylhet, Bangladesh – who made us feel so special, we truly cannot repay them for their wonderful hospitality and welcome. Can I also extend my thanks to all the people involved with RBPP and a special thanks to the Mayor Councilor Keith Swift and Councilor Farooq Ahmed for taking time out and joining us on this historic visit.

"We owe our gratitude to all members of Rochdale Council for unanimously accepting the Friendship Link between Rochdale & Sylhet. We are fortunate to have had support from colleagues within many sections of the council including Stephen Granville & Sajjad Miah of the Rochdale Township Office.

"We are extremely indebted to the Bangladeshi community of Rochdale, who have been patient and have supported us throughout the year.”

In the new year - The Rochdale Bangladeshi Partnership Project will work on the next phase of the Friendship Link; which will include the Mayor of Sylhet leading a delegation to visit Rochdale in the New Year.

The Rochdale Bangladeshi Partnership Project has also agreed to fund a post for a Careers Advisor in Sylhet. The Sylhet Careers Service will work with schools, colleges, universities and other organisations to provide information, advice and support to all young people between the ages of 13 and 25 years (including those with learning difficulties and disabilities).

The Sylhet Careers Service has been created along the lines of the Connexions careers service in Rochdale. It is a project that is going to be delivered jointly by the Sylhet City Corporation and the Rochdale Bangladeshi Partnership Project to strengthen the Friendship Link created between the people of Rochdale and Sylhet.