Bangladesh showcases diverse mango varieties in Kathmandu

KATHMANDU, July 27: The Embassy of Bangladesh in Kathmandu organized a mango festival, “Bangladesh Mango Delicacy,” on Sunday to showcase the country’s diverse mango varieties and promote its potential in exporting fresh fruits and agro-processed products.

According to a press release issued by the embassy, the event was held at UTSAV Kunja, Kathmandu, featuring late-season Bangladeshi mango varieties along with processed mango products. The festival aimed to highlight the heritage, quality and unique flavors of Bangladeshi mangoes while strengthening agricultural and trade ties between Bangladesh and Nepal.

Ambassador Md Golam Sarwar, Secretary General of the SAARC Secretariat, attended the event as the guest of honour, while Gahendra Rajbhandari, Joint Secretary of the South Asia Division at Nepal’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs, attended as the special guest on behalf of the Foreign Secretary of Nepal. The event was attended by members of the diplomatic community, senior government officials, business representatives, importers and media personnel.

In his remarks, Bangladeshi Ambassador Md Shafiqur Rahman highlighted the country’s progress in agriculture and agro-processing, saying mangoes represent not only a fruit but also an important part of Bangladesh’s culture, heritage and tradition. He said Bangladesh produces several globally appreciated varieties, including Khirsapat (Himsagar), Haribhanga, Langra, Fazli, Gopalbhog, Amrapali, Ashwina, Banana Mango, Katimon, Gauramoti and BARI mangoes.

The ambassador also highlighted the contribution of Bangladeshi scientists and researchers in developing late-season mango varieties and praised the growth of the mango-processing industry, which produces items such as juice, nectar, pulp, jams, pickles, chutneys, dried mangoes, candies and fruit bars meeting international quality and food safety standards.

Speaking at the event, Ambassador Sarwar stressed the need for greater regional cooperation to expand mango exports and processed agricultural products. He praised the embassy’s initiative and called for stronger collaboration among South Asian countries in the agriculture sector.

Special guest Ambassador Rajbhandari appreciated the embassy’s initiative, saying such events help promote people-to-people relations and create opportunities for greater cooperation between Nepal and Bangladesh. He also emphasized the importance of expanding engagements between the two countries.

The festival featured fresh mangoes from Rajshahi, including Fazli, Amrapali, BARI-4, Katimon, Gauramoti and Ashwina varieties, along with processed products such as mango juice, pickles, bars, dried mangoes, chutneys, jams and jellies. Mango-based desserts, including cakes, sticky-rice mango and mango pudding, were also served to guests.

A Bangladeshi mango farmer, Rofiqul Islam, shared his experience of more than 15 years in mango cultivation and presented methods of Good Agricultural Practices (GAP)-compliant farming under the supervision of Bangladesh’s Agriculture Extension Department, according to the embassy.

The event also featured documentaries highlighting mango cultivation, Bangladesh’s culture and its tourism sector. Around 250 visitors, including fruit traders, businessmen and representatives of chambers, attended the festival and sampled traditional Bangladeshi cuisine.

The Embassy said the initiative was aimed at creating awareness among Nepali consumers and encouraging partnerships between exporters and importers of both countries to expand bilateral trade in agricultural and processed food products.