Imran at the inauguration. (Anirban Choudhury)

Alipurduar, Jan. 1: The fourth Dooars Utsav was inaugurated by the deputy high commissioner of Bangladesh, Md Imran, at the Alipurduar Parade Ground today. The 10-day festival has 185 stalls.

“Ten stalls will be from Bangladesh. Jogesh Burman (backward classes welfare minister) had invited me to the festival. At first I thought Alipurduar would be a remote place, but I have realised that it is like any other Bangladesh town,” said Imran.

“This is a great opportunity for a cultural exchange between the two countries. I promise to send a cultural troupe and people to decorate the stalls with products like Dhakai sarees, hilsa and handicraft,” he added.

The Jalpaiguri Book Fair is also sharing the same venue this time and will continue for seven days.

Burman in his speech said Dooars has huge tourism potential. “We have arranged for packaged tours for visitors to this fair. They can go to places like Totopara, Buxa Hill, Jaldapara, Jainti, Rajabhatkhawa and Phuentsholing in Bhutan. The onus of arranging the tours will be on the festival committee. A Dooars Bhawan for poor people will be set up in Calcutta,” said the minister.

Ananta Roy, Bengal forest minister and Paresh Adhikari, who is in charge of food supplies, along with a host of district administrative officials were present at the programme.