‘Wishing every Hindu sister & brother…’: Bangladesh extends greetings to India on Diwali

Bangladesh High Commissioner to India M Riaz Hamidullah shares animation made by artists in Dhaka depicting Bhai Phonta, a Hindu festival celebrating the bond between brother and sister.

A screengrab of the animation released by Bangladesh on the occasion of Bhai Phonta and Diwali | youtube.com/@BangladeshHighCommission

New Delhi: On the occasion of the festival of Diwali, High Commissioner of Bangladesh to India M. Riaz Hamidullah extended warm greetings to India.

He also shared an animation made by artists in Dhaka, saying, “I share this for it underlines long-regarded values as also #multiculturalism #pluralism #tolerance in Bangladesh let alone the cultural traits that bind the people in Bangladesh and India.”

The animation shows visuals of ‘Bhai Phonta’ (the Bengali version of Bhai Dooj), a Hindu festival to celebrate brothers; Kali Puja, and diyas, which symbolise the Hindu festival of lights, Diwali.

Text accompanying the video reads: “On the new moon night of (Bangla) lunar month of Kartik, in Bangladesh, thousands of lamps light up—like the fiery three-eyed gaze of Mundamalini Goddess Kali. As if countless stars awaken penetrating infinite darkness.

“With the mantra of the Mother’s invocation that dwells within the #FestivalOfLights​, daughters in the deltaic land etch sacred marks on their brothers’ foreheads. Wishing every #Hindu​ sister | brother in #india​ #bangladesh​ and beyond a blessed #Diwali​ #KaliPuja​, Bhai Phonta.”

As lamps light up like fiery three-eyed gaze of Goddess #Kali with mantra of the Mother’s invocation that dwells within #FestivalOfLights, #Hindu sisters in #Bangladesh draw sacred marks on brothers’ foreheads.
Wish all in #India blessed ভাই ফোঁটা #কালীপূজা #दीपावली #Diwali. pic.twitter.com/e8tbBnSjlW

— Riaz Hamidullah (@hamidullah_riaz) October 19, 2025

India’s Ministry of External Affairs, the BJP, the Congress and a few Indian media houses are tagged to the video.

The greetings are being seen as a nice gesture at a time there have been concerns over atrocities on Hindu minorities in Bangladesh, which have led to the UN and the Human Rights Watch expressing unease; and condemnation from British Hindus in the UK.

The British Parliament on 16 October condemned the incidents of violence against Hindu minorities in Bangladesh, pledging to work with the interim government to ensure protection of human rights and religious freedom.

(Edited by Viny Mishra)