India-Bangla Car Rally flags off to create awareness among the people about road safety plus tourism
By Partha Roy
India – Bangladesh Friendship Motoring Drive 2020 has commenced from Kolkata to promote road safety and tourism between the two neighbouring nations. The rally will be led by a traditional taxi – an ambassador car- from Kolkata painted with the national flag of both the nations depicting their cultural heritage and other common ethos. The Rally is dedicated to the birth Centenary of founder of Bangladesh Sheikh Mujibur Rahman which is on 17th March as well as UN Decade of Action for Road Safety 2011-2020.The focal objective of “MOITRI” is to spread the Golden Rules of Road Safety amongst the masses of the two nations ” Safe , Clean, Fair and Green Mobility for all “,mission of Automobile (FIA), the global governing body of different motoring activities and motoring clubs across the world, and in tune with the FIA’s “Action for Road Safety”
The rally with 21 cars entered Bangladesh via Benapole border on 1st March and will finish at Siliguri in North Bengal on 7th March covering about 2,000 kms passing through Jessore- Dhaka -Commilla-Chittagong-Cox bazaar-Mymensingh-Rangpur. The rally will cover about 300 kms per day and will halt for interaction with local people and night stay at Dhaka for first two nights , third night at Cox Bazaar ,fourth night at Chittagong, fifth night at Mymensingh ,sixth night at Rangpur and seventh night at Siliguri as briefed by AAEI official & rallyist Subir Mazumdar, nature conservationist & industrialist . Approximately, 50 participants including celebrities and top executives of AAEI will be travelling as part of the rally. Celebrities include noted doctor, popular singer, industrialists, entrepreneurs, social activists, magician and culinary experts. Several women area also among the participants in the friendship drive conceptualised by international car rallyist Kaushik Roy and his team and curated by The Odyssey. India -Bangladesh Friendship Motoring Drive 2020 is supported by governments , corporate bodies, NGOs, DHAKA BANK , Deshopramik , Club Sanghati & others besides Automobile Association of Eastern India .The rallyists will pay homage to Bangabandhu Sheikh Mujibur Rahman on 2nd March in Dhaka . President of AAEI Madan Mitra stressed on historically shared common cultural heritage that creates unique bonding between people of Bangladesh & India. Mitra emphasised that people of both nations enjoy Rabindra Sangeet, Nazrul Geeti , Baul , Bhatiali , Jatragaan , Kobigaan as well as modern Banga Bands .Automobile Association of Eastern India (AAEI ) is one of oldest motoring clubs of the world being older than Automobile Association of Great Britain. AAEI was initially named as Automobile Association of Bengal and was established in 1904 and adopted its current name in 1959 and is in existence for 126 years and contributed immensely in the development of healthy motoring practice and framework of Motor Vehicle Act in 1913. Federation of Indian Automobile Associations (FIAA) was founded in 1950 by automobile associations of Eastern, Southern, Western, and Upper India and affiliated to Federation International de l’ Automobile (FIA), the international forum of motoring clubs & associations of the world. FIAA with a global network in more than 150 countries across the world provides a wide range of services to motoring community, road users and government in road safety education, environmental and tourism promotional programs. (courtesy for the image to DNA India)
