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Abu Zafar Obaidullah is acclaimed as a major poet of Bangladesh. Belonging to the generation of the fifties, he emerged on our poetic scenario in the turbulent period of the Bangla Language Movement of 1952. His poignant lyric Kokhono Aamar Maakey, written on the long wait of a martyr’s mother in his village home, catapulted him to a celebrity status. Thirty years after this phase, he, however, embraced timeless themes, which finds full expression in his epic poem Aami Kingbodontir Kotha Bolchhi.
   The Bangladesh Shilpakala Academy held a discussion session on the works of poet Abu Zafar Obaidullah on January 18 at its premises.
   Poet Al Mahmood was present at the event as chief discussant while poet Samudra Gupta attended as special guest. Ahmed Nazir, Director General of the Academy presided over the function.
   SM Mohsin, Director of the Drama Department of the Academy welcomed the guests. In his statement he said, ‘We organised this event as part of our regular programme on recitation. For today’s event, we have chosen poet Abu Zafar Obaidullah, who had written quite a number of poems in his lifetime, which has given him immortality. Through our recitation programme we invite someone who knows the person and his works. Poet Al Mahmood is one who was very close to Abu Zafar Obaidullah.
   Sumaudra Gupta said, ‘Before the historic 1952 Language Movement, Abu Zafar used to recite poems. His way of presentation was very decent and he inspired others to follow’.
   Al Mahmood in his enactment stated, ‘When I came to Dhaka, Hassan Hafizur Rahman published Abu’s first compilation of poetry at Sawghat Press. Observing Hassan’s hard labour in publishing the book I got interested and read the book with great pleasure. His Kingbadantir Kathakotha, a compilation of poetry is a class by itself. He showed his skill in every aspect of poetry.’
   The invited guests had fond memories of Abu Zafar Obaidullah and, accordingly, they recalled their precious moments with him, as well as his status as a major poet in Bangla literature. Thanks to his superb blending of the lyrical and the classical in his poetry that spanned over five decades, Abu Zafar Obaidullah earned for himself a distinctive position in Bangla poetry, the poets observed.
   Ahmed Nazir, DG of the Academy said that he was delighted to attend such a rich programme and paid his heartiest tribute to the late poet.
   In fact, this is what happens when we recall people with great souls, who, with their sheer elegance of personality and monumental achievements, leave innumerable admirers behind them.
   Later, a group of young participants recited some poems. The programme was planned and directed by Shahadat Hossain Nipu.

Hong Kong heart-throb Tony Leung and Chinese starlet Zhang Ziyi have picked up acting awards voted for by local film critics, organisers said.
   Leung and Zhang were named best actor and best actress respectively for their roles in acclaimed director Wong Kar-wai’s futuristic romance ‘2046’ at the 11th Hong Kong Film Critics’ Society Awards.
   The organisers said the awards came after nine hours of ‘heated discussions’ and three rounds of voting.
   ‘Tony Leung performed with skills and great ease, and strengthened his sense of humour and caused sparks with different actors’, the group said.
   It added he outperformed his previous role in ‘In the Mood for Love’, Wong’s previous film that won Leung the best actor award at the 2000 Cannes Film Festival.
   Zhang, who has also starred in martial arts hits ‘Hero’ and ‘House of Flying Daggers’, was praised by the critics for her ‘expressive’ body language that was combined with her ‘reserved and complex emotions’. – AFP

One of the best progressive metal bands in the country right now, Artcell is continuously setting new standards in the music scene, with their innovative composition and their instrumental skills.
   Artcell is relatively a new band, which started its venture in 1998, and their initial endeavour into the music scene was with a track in the mixed album ‘Projonmo’. That debut brought Artcell in the music scene commercially, and pretty soon, their other contributions in various mixed albums slowly cemented their reputation as being one of the best bands out there.
   Artcell brought out their debut album ‘Onno Shomoy’ in 2002. Their album was an instant hit among the metal fans in the city, partially because of the fact that Artcell brought out an album, which was complete with the heaviest of heavy metal and also set out a new trend of how to blend some meaningful lyrics with some good composition.
   Shaju, Artcell’s drummer, is regarded as one of the most technical drummers in the field of progressive metal music, which was very apparent in the album, and his fast tempo rolling coupled with double bass really stood out in the tracks. One of their tracks, Poth Chola, is an acoustic marvel and can be considered as a real gem when compared with other tracks made by other bands around the same time. The tracks ‘Onno Shomoy’ and ‘Bhul Jonmo’ shows the instrumental skills of each of the band members, since the success of these tracks was based a lot on the individual rhythm of music that each had to offer. Artcell hit the spotlight with this single album, and their achievements are really easy to see when they are out at some concerts.
   The standing ovation that they receive after each concert, even if they made the crowd wait for some time, just shows the enthusiasm and respect the crowd has for this band. Through the years, this band has shown their level of maturity increasing, which is very apparent in the trend of their composition in their involve-ment in various mixed albums.
   Although they have been plagued by little interest for them at the beginning of their music career, and by the death of one of their band members and close associate Rupok, this band had finally succeeded to mark themselves down in the music scene in Bangladesh as one of the best bands in the country right now.
   Artcell is going to bring out their second album soon, ascertained by their drummer Shaju, and also promises their fans of more melodic tracks, as well as more heavier tracks. It is this blend in the music genre that Artcell has shown their talent in, and this is what makes Artcell the great ‘Artcell’.

Former ‘X-Files’ star Gillian Anderson has married long time boyfriend Julian Ozanne.
   The couple exchanged vows Dec. 29 at a friend’s beach house on Lamu’s Shella island, off Kenya’s Indian Ocean coast, People magazine said Tuesday. The ceremony, which included hymns sung by a Kenyan choir in Swahili, was attended by immediate family and a handful of close friends.
   ‘I can confirm it took place’, People quotes Jonathan Clayton, a veteran London Times African correspondent and friend of Ozanne’s, as saying. ‘It was a spectacular occasion. They were both delighted, but I would rather not go into details’.
   Anderson’s manager, Connie Freiberg, confirmed the report Tuesday.
   Ozanne, 42, a documentary filmmaker, was previously a correspondent with the London Financial Times.
   Anderson, 36, starred as agent Dana Scully in the Fox sci-fi series ‘The X-Files’, which co-starred David Duchovny.
   She has a 10-year-old daughter, Piper, from her previous marriage to production designer Clyde Klotz. Anderson played Lily Bart in 2000’s ‘The House of Mirth’, an adaptation of Edith Wharton’s novel. ––– AP

Sandra Bullock and Keanu Reeves have signed to star in ‘Il Mare’, a romantic drama that marks their first reunion since their 1994 thriller ‘Speed’.
   A remake of the Korean feature ‘Siworae’, the Warner Bros. project follows a lonely doctor (Bullock) who begins exchanging love letters with a frustrated architect (Reeves), but they then discover they are separated in time by two years.
   Argentinean filmmaker Alejandro Agresti (‘Valentin’) will direct from a script by David Auburn (‘Proof’). Production is set to begin production in March in Chicago.
   Reeves will be seen in the upcoming Warners release ‘Constantine’. Bullock stars in the upcoming ‘Miss Congeniality 2: Armed and Fabulous’. — Reuters

Slick, bewildering action that'll stop you in your tracks! A vicious 20th-century criminal is loose in the peaceful 21st century. Unused to dealing with violence, the police have no way to stop him. There's only one hope: get the killer's old enemy from 1996 – a cop so violent he was put in the deep freeze as punishment! John Spartan (Stallone) is the lawman and Simon Phoenix (Snipes) the prey in this explosive sci-fi action drama. You should check this movie out if you want to know what life is like without sex, smoking, drinking and vulgarity! Lt. Lenina Huxley (Bullock) plays the quick-thinking policewoman who unleashes Spartan.
   HBO
   9:30pm
   Starring
   Sylvester Stallone, Wesley Snipes, Sandra Bullock
   Genre
   Sci-Fic/Action