Thai princess at remote Gaibandha char

Thailand”s Princess Maha Chakri Sirindhorn has arrived at a specially-built resort in a remote village in Gaibandha on Tuesday to learn about rural life and culture in Bangladesh, reports bdnews24.com.
The Thai princess is visiting Bangladesh as part of a US research team of the Bloomberg School of Public Health of John Hopkins University.
The princess and her 34-member entourage, including, will be accommodated at the makeshift resort at Beler Char on the Brahmaputra river during her stay in Gaibandha. The entourage includes five other members of Thai royal family, the Thai ambassador to Bangladesh Chalermpol Thanchitt and his wife and members of the research team.
She is visiting the char, or river island, at the invitation of Jivita Bangladesh, a local
voluntary organisation, and will observe the life and culture of the people living on the sand bank.
Administrative officer of Jivita Bangladesh, Abdul Jabbar, told bdnews24.com that the princess along with her delegation will stay at the resort for two days. He said the facilities were ensured to three-star standards for the princess.
He said the princess would visit Jivita”s work on mother and child nutrition during her stay.
The resort contains 36 cottages of bamboo and thatch and a meeting room equipped with modern amenities and decorated with village handicrafts. Carpets weaved from date leaves cover the floors. Special vegetable and flower gardens have been raised on the premises, while a generator and solar power panels will supply electricity to the resort.
The princess”s delegation travelled by road from Dhaka on Tuesday. She was greeted on the way by Fazle Rabbi, MP of Gaibandha-5, deputy commissioner Md Shahidul Islam, police super Shahadat Hossain and members of Jivita Bangladesh.
They arrived at Balshighat of Fulchhari upazila around 6pm. From there they left for the resort by boat on the other side of Bhramaputra river where she will spend the night.
Foreign minister Dipu Moni, also a former student of John Hopkins University, will arrive on Feb 17 morning by rail to stay at the resort with the delegation.
”Guide Tours”, a Dhaka-based tour operator, is providing transport and food for the delegation. Another organisation called ”Scene of Scene” built the resort with the help of students of Charukala, Dhaka University”s Fine Arts Institute.
The princess will leave again for Dhaka on Thursday.

Courtesy of bdnews24.com via The News Today