The International Day of Yoga was celebrated in Bangladesh on June 21 – Thursday with the participation of more than 7,000 yoga enthusiasts in the capital’s Bangabandhu National Stadium.
Organized by the Indian High Commission, the celebration aligned around the theme ‘Yoga for Harmony and Peace’ and one of the sponsors was Lever Ayush, a brand of Unilever Bangladesh.
Yoga enthusiasts started converging on the venue since 5 in the morning to participate in the event continuing from 6 to 8. Participants were gifted yoga mat, T-shirt and gifts.
Road Transport and Bridges Minister Obaidul Quader, State Minister for Youth and Sports Dr. Shri Biren Sikder, Indian High Commissioner Harsh Vardhan Shringla, Unilever Bangladesh CEO Kedar Lele were present in the International Day of Yoga event with other guests
Harsh Vardhan Shringla, the Indian High Commissioner in Dhaka, said, “The Indian High Commission has been celebrating the Yoga Day in Bangladesh since the year 2000. Around 700 people took part in the event. In 2016, nearly 1500 participated in the second International Day of Yoga. Last year 5,000 people took part in the program. This year we have got even a bigger response. My heartfelt thanks go to everybody who made this event a success.”
Road Transport and Bridges Minister Obaidul Quader, chief guest of the event, said, “The country is grappling with the drug problem. Yoga can be a potential measure against the problem. Yoga is the key to well-performed and beautiful life. Regular practice of yoga keeps body and mind sound, increases efficiency, and relieve tension.”
State Minister for Youth and Sports Dr Shri Biren Sikder said, “Yoga has originated in the Indian subcontinent. It has no side-effect. Yoga is very effective for maintaining sound health.”
Former Bangladesh football team captain Zahid Hasan Emily, Bangladesh national women’s football team captain Sabina Khatun, South Asian gold medalist weightlifter Mabia Akhter, actresses Rokeya Prachi and Sohana Saba, Prominent actor and director Meher Afroz Shaon, singer Mehreen Mahmud, and Unilever Bangladesh CEO Kedar Lele and ambassadors of different countries graced the event with their presence.
The event featured a video message from Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi on the occasion of the International Day of Yoga. Indian yoga exponent Mampy Dey conducted a yoga session for the participants. The event ended with a lucky draw.
Officials of Unilever Bangladesh, one of the sponsors of the event, said, “We hail the Indian High Commission’s initiative to organize the International Day of Yoga – 2018. The way yoga fulfills our soul with harmony and peace naturally, Lever Ayush, a brand upholding the heritage and naturalness solves the modern-day lifestyle problems with 5,000 years old Ayurveda.”
Earlier on December 11 in 2014, the United Nations declared the International Day of Yoga. The June 21 Yoga Day, raised by India, was approved by 175 nations around the world, and thus began the journey of the global celebration.
