Bengal chief minister Mamata Banerjee on Monday took to social media to appreciate the installation of Bengali signage at the Whitechapel station of the London Tube.
Praising the initiative, Mamata tweeted: "Proud to note that the London Tube Rail has accepted Bengali as a language of signage at Whitechapel Station, signifying the increasing global importance and strength of the 1000-year-old language."
In another post, the chief minister continued: “It underlines that the diaspora should work together in common cultural directions. It is a victory of our culture and heritage.”
Whitechapel is a London Underground and London Overground station located on Whitechapel Road and Durward Street in the Whitechapel area of east London. It lies at a distance of roughly one mile from Brick Lane, which is at the heart of the Bangladeshi diaspora.
Tower Hamlets mayor John Biggs, who played an instrumental role in getting the bilingual signage at the Whitechapel station, shared some fresh pictures on Twitter.
According to media reports in the UK, Mr Biggs, in a letter addressed to the mayor of London, had highlighted the need for coming up with bilingual signboards.
In his appeal, Mr Biggs said, "Whitechapel is at the heart of the Bangladeshi community. Bilingual signs have been installed at Southall and replicating this at Whitechapel would be welcomed to mark the culture of British Bangladeshis and reflect the rich heritage and diversity."