Feature

New branch of Alliance Française opens at Uttara

Shakhawat Hossain

ALLIANCE Française (AF) de Dacca is one of the links of a vast network of 1071 AFs across the world representing French culture to the whole world. Not only does it welcome 450,000 students every year for learning the French language, but also invites 6 million people for participating in various cultural activities round the year: AF has opened yet another branch at Uttara on 12th June.

This will be the third branch of AF in Dhaka after the opening of the second branch at Baridhara in 2006. Opening of two new branches of AF within a period of two years clearly demonstrates another example of the existing deep-rooted cultural co-operation between France and Bangladesh. Ambassador of France Mr. Charley Causeret formally inaugurated the Uttara Branch of AF. AF has been functioning in Bangladesh since 1959, and is going to celebrate its golden jubilee next year. Inaugurating the new branch of AF, French Ambassador Charley Causeret said that the opening of the second annex shows that there exists a close co-operation in the field of culture between Bangladesh and France and is a very positive sign on the eve of the golden jubilee of the Alliance Française of Dhaka: The Ambassador said that Alliance Française de Dacca was opened in 1959 in Dhanmondi at the time when the capital city Dhaka was not yet a megalopolis. With the passing years, Dhaka didn't stop but became more and more busy. Many people who were interested in the activities offered by the Alliance on Mirpur Road were discouraged by traffic jams from attending the courses. So, the members of the Executive Board came to the conclusion that if students couldn't go anymore to AF; the Alliance Française should go to them. And so, in 2006, a first annex of AF was opened in Baridhara at the request of the people living nearby. For the same reason, this year, it was decided to open another new annex in Uttara, which is far from both Dhanmondi and Baridhara, further added the French Ambassador.

He also hoped that with the opening of this new annex, the opportunity will be given to many more people to have access to the French language and French Culture as those were the objectives of the Alliance Française founded in 1883 in Paris by a group of eminent men, including the scientist Louis Pasteur.

The new branch includes 6 classrooms of which two are already in service. 25 students started the course at the beginning of April and the number of learners is expected to double from the next session, which is due to start from July. This branch will also host a range of cultural activities. Workshops on Guitar and Art of Interior Design are also being offered right now. A cafeteria with a pleasant atmosphere, as well as a small library dedicated to the French culture will be operqtive in the future.

The main purpose of setting up a new branch of AF in this area is to help all the young people to get access to a new culture, to build their future, to cultivate their mind and also to spend a pleasant moment with friends within the boundaries of Alliance.

(The new Alliance Française is located at Plot No-15, Isha Kha Avenue, Sector-6, Uttara)