Click to play videoNew Delhi: The first leg of the SAARC Car Rally ended with participants crossing over to India after Bangladesh extended unbelievable hospitality to the rallyists.
The rally comprises 102 cars covering 8000 km in 31 days. Fifty-two of the participants are from India.
The rallyists will touch each of the seven SAARC member states in the process entering and exiting India as many times.
The rally is timed to coincide with the 14th SAARC Summit to be held in Delhi next month. It will conclude in the Maldives.
Bangladesh set very high standards in hospitality and rallyists promised to come back.
"If you treat everyone that come to Bangladesh the same way you treated us, you are sure to get millions of tourists," Ajay Khanna, Deputy Director General of Confederation of
Indian Industry (CII), who is leading the rally, said at a cultural programme in Bangaladesh.
Even when the convoy moved from Bogra to Bugimari to cross over to India, there were people lining the streets at 5:30 am (local time) to wave, cheer and present flowers to the participants.
(With inputs from agencies)
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