The Bangladesh Water Lily Day was celebrated in Beyşehir, Konya, on June 1, 2024. The event, organized by the Honorary Bangladesh Consulate in Konya and the Beyşehir Culture and Tourism Association, brought together people from both countries to honor the national flower of Bangladesh, a symbol of purity, beauty and resilience. The water lily emblem was adopted shortly after independence in 1971.
It features a water lily at the center, surrounded by rice sheaves on either side. Above the lily are four stars and three intertwined jute leaves. The water lily, the national flower of Bangladesh, represents the many rivers flowing through the country.
Rice, the staple food of Bangladesh, symbolizes the nation’s agriculture. The four stars signify the four founding principles of the republic enshrined in the Bangladesh Constitution: nationalism, socialism, democracy and secularism. Deniz Bulkur, the honorary consul of Bangladesh in Konya, has lived in Bangladesh for over 16 years, playing a role in passing on the historically rooted and culturally based friendship and ties between the two countries to future generations.
The Bangladesh Water Lily Day event took place as a result of discussions initiated by Bulkur, who believed that the white water lily, which grows in Beyşehir, Konya, and is the national emblem of Bangladesh, would add significance to the bonds of friendship between the two sister countries. The event was attended by M. Amanul Haq, ambassador of the People'.