Joypurhat Girls’ Cadet College, Bangladesh

31 March 2017

On 20-21 March Major de Gale and I visited Joypurhat Girls’ Cadet College, Bangladesh, to look at possibilities for pupil exchanges and other joint activities. We were welcomed to this all-girls’ boarding school with just over 300 pupils in six year groups with immense hospitality and soon found that Punjabi and Shalwaar Kamees or Saree was the best clothing to wear in the heat.

Dinner with the Principal and senior staff occupied the first evening; on the next day we learned more about the school and opened an Art Exhibition with the most wonderful entries, full of colour and the imaginative use of paper and other materials. Later that evening we were guests at an extraordinary cultural show, ‘Flutes of Bengal’, and we shall never forget the displays of classical and traditional dancing – quite out of this world. This was followed first by presentations, including the gift of two splendid paintings of Stowe by Cadets Faita and Mustarin (soon to hang proudly on our walls) and a formal dinner with multiple welcomes of assalaamu aleikum as we entered.

The following morning, while it was still cool, we witnessed an 0700 march past complete with band. We agreed that the marching was top quality. Then on to the Deputy High Commissioner in Dhaka for discussions over dinner, and finally dinner with the Adjutant General of the Bangladeshi Army, Major General Matiul Rahman. We are hugely grateful to all who made the journey possible: Dr Wallersteiner, for authorising it; Principal Md. Hedaytun Nabi for welcoming us to his school, Major Himel Samiul for escorting us everywhere; Mr Jahid Reza for explaining so much to us; and to Medical Officer Major Charmin and Miss Tanveer Sultana for so much else!

More photos of our trip can be seen here.

Lt Cdr David Critchley, Contingent Commander CCF