Hon'ble Advisor,
Respected Suddhananda Mahathero , President, Bangladesh Bouddha Kristi Prachar Sangha
Distinguished Award Winners,
My diplomatic colleague H. E. the Ambassador of Thailand
Your Excellencies, friends, ladies & gentlemen,
Namaskar & good afternoon,

It is a privilege to be present here today among this august gathering to commemorate the 1028 th birth anniversary of Atish Dipankar and 99 th birth anniversary of Visuddhananda Mahathero .

Atish Dipankar , the great Buddhist scholar, religious preceptor and philosopher was born and raised in Bikrampur , near Dhaka and became a revered Buddhist leader, not only in South Asia but also in South East Asia and China . He was invited to Tibet to spread the message of Buddhism and went on to reform Tibetan and Mahayana Buddhism and establish the Gelugla Sect, of which the present Dalai Lama is the direct descendent. Atish Dipankar is certainly the most famous Bengali to become a famous Buddhist philosopher and we have every reason to be proud of his achievements. I am glad to know that his contribution is being zealously cherished in Bangladesh through an annual Gold Peace Award.

Similarly, it is encouraging to know that Visuddhananda Mahathero\'s role in establishing the Buddhist community in Bangladesh and creating a number of charitable institutions is being remembered with a Gold Award.

The Buddhist community in Bangladesh , although small in number, has made a significant impact on its diverse culture and architecture. The well-known Buddhist sites at Mahastangarh , Paharpur , Comilla , etc. are world famous and continue to attract considerable attention from both domestic and international visitors.

I am also greatly impressed by the dedication and sincerity with which the Bangladesh Bouddha Kristi Prachar Sangha has been carrying out its activities for the welfare of the Buddhist community. The functioning of schools, orphanages, dispensaries under the Bouddha Kristi Prachar Sangha and its emphasis on maintaining harmony among different religions is indeed praiseworthy. They deserve support from all in their noble endeavour. In conclusion, may I thank the organisers.