A high school in Hooghly has signed a memorandum of understanding (MoU) with a Bangladesh-based research-oriented socio-cultural institution “Hashumonir Pathshala” to promote cultural understanding through exchange programmes and interactions.

Under the MoU that was signed two weeks ago, the Jirat Colony High School and Hasumonir Pathshala will work together to send students and researchers to their neighbouring countries at least three times a year to learn, stage exhibitions and to impart lessons on their traditional culture and art.

The details of the exchange programme will be officially announced on Monday at a programme on the Jirat High School premises, where eminent singer Shamsul Huda will be present on behalf of the Bangladeshi organisation.

Hashumonir Pathishala, headed by member-secretary Marufa Akter Popy, a central executive committee member of the Awami League, is named after Bangladeshi Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina Wazed, whose father Sheikh Mujibur Rahman affectionately called her “Hashu”.

Partha Chattopadhyay, a professor at Jirat College, who is the state government-nominated president of the school, said: “This MoU will hopefully bring great opportunities for our students to learn about their roots and the rich cultural heritage that remains effervescent on the other side of Bengal.”

“Jirat is famous for its boat industry with hundreds of folk tales associated with it. People who live here are mostly migrants from erstwhile East Pakistan who were rehabilitated after partition. They still have a great sense of bonding with Bangladesh. The rich heritage of folklore associated here with boats and other traditional items will be shared for instance with the Bangladeshi organisation,” said Abdul Sharif Sheikh, headmaster of the school.

Speaking to The Telegraph over phone from Dhaka, Huda said: "It is a great opportunity for us too. We will send craftsmen and artisans from our country so that they can enrich themselves about the traditional art of Jirat and the Hooghly district as a whole, apart from exhibiting their work.".

To start off their endeavour in Bengal, Hasumonir Pathshala will organise a painting exhibition at the Jirat Colony High School to mark the birth centenary of the “Father of Bangladesh", Bangabandhu Sheikh Mujibur Rahman.