The maiden edition of the Bangladeshi Mangoes Festival (Al Hamba Exhibition) commenced at the Eastern Square of Souq Waqif in Doha, Qatar on Wednesday.
Organised by the Private Engineering Office (PEO) in cooperation with the embassy of Bangladesh, the festival features an array of mango products and fresh fruits from Bangladesh.
Abdulrahman Mohammed al-Naama, representative of PEO, inaugurated the exhibition in the presence of Bangladeshi ambassador Md Nazrul Islam, along with ambassadors and diplomats from various countries.
To run until July 1, the expo showcases a distinguished selection of renowned Bangladeshi mango varieties such as Amrapali, Langra, Katimon, Khirsapat, Fazli, Gopalbhog, Haribhanga, Lengra, Banana Mango, Himashagor and Lakshmanbhog.
Also, litchi, jackfruit, dragon fruit, guava, Baccaurea motleyana and pineapple are on sale. The exhibition is open daily from 4pm to 9pm except during official holidays when the opening hours are extended to 10pm.
“The expo is an opportunity to showcase the Bangladeshi fruits in Qatar where we are expecting a large turnout of buyers. The festival will further help Bangladeshi sellers and exporters to find a good market for their products,” Nazrul Islam told Gulf Times.
He added that the festival will boost the economic relations between the two countries. “Such festivals are venues to highlight the cultural richness of Bangladesh and strengthen the ties with Qatar. We have hosted a number of activities for cultural exchange. This will also help the relations grow further,” he said.
He added that more than 20 exhibitors are part of the festival. “Most of them have come all the way from Bangladesh exclusively for the expo. We are selling high-quality fruits that were flown from Bangladesh in special flights,” he said.
Khalid Saif al-Suwaidi, general supervisor of the exhibition, said the festival is being held for the first time in conjunction with the peak mango harvest season in Bangladesh with the goal of enhancing healthy competition among participating companies and offering high-quality products at accessible prices.
“The exhibition is the result of collaborative planning between the Celebrations Committee and the Embassy of Bangladesh to provide a platform for both Bangladeshi and local companies to showcase their offerings in a distinguished commercial setting,” he said inviting the public to relish the Bangladeshi mangoes, which are considered among the finest in the world due to their unique flavour and superior quality.
“Many of the varieties on display are being introduced to the local market for the first time making the exhibition a rare opportunity to explore new tastes,” he said.
Al-Suwaidi also highlighted the participation of several companies specialising in mango seedlings, which are expected to attract the interest of local citizens and farmers keen on cultivating mangoes for production purposes.
Additionally, he explained that the exhibition tent has been equipped with proper cooling systems to ensure the freshness of the products and visitors’ comfort, especially since the mangoes are flown in daily from Bangladesh.
Source: Gulf Times
Bd-pratidin English/FNC
