Dutch Embassy celebrates 50 years of diplomatic ties with Bangladesh

On the occasion of 50 years of diplomatic ties between the Netherlands and Bangladesh, the Dutch Embassy had its perimeter walls painted with murals reflecting the themes of engagement between the two countries. 

On Wednesday, Anne van Leeuwen, the Ambassador of Netherlands to Bangladesh, inaugurated the wall murals on the perimeter of the Dutch Embassy, reflecting key areas of engagement between the two countries, said a press release.

The paintings reflect a longstanding friendly relationship between the two countries, demonstrating collaboration on major topics like agri-business, water management, climate change, RMG-sector, gender and human rights. 

The repainting of the wall took place almost on 16 and 17 January by an all-women art team led by Fareha Zeba. The other art team members are Zannat Keya, Surovi Aktar, Zannat Keya and Saria Saguaro. 

An all-women art team was selected to make women's voices more visible. The selection of an exclusive all-women artwork serves as the Netherlands' commitment to its feminist foreign policy. Fareha Zeba, the lead artist, also spoke at the event, sharing her experiences in preparation for the painting. 

"As we celebrate the 50 years of diplomatic ties between Bangladesh and the Netherlands, we had our walls painted with murals reflecting the themes of engagement between the Netherlands and Bangladesh. The paintings reflect a longstanding friendly relationship between the two countries. The murals reflect our partnership," said Anne van Leeuwen.

"We selected an all-women art team to make women's voices more visible, and the selection of an exclusive all-women artwork serves as the Netherlands' commitment to its feminist foreign policy. This also emboldens women's visibility in the streets of Dhaka as the paintings serve as their reflections. Art speaks volumes of words; it captures our imagination in a way that other communication platforms come short of doing," he added.