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Jahanara Akhtar (35) won the Shilu Abed Shreshtha Karushilpi award this year. Three other artisans, Ali Akbar (35), Sakhina Begum (47) and Maleka Begum (36) received special awards.
   The National Crafts Council of Bangladesh (NCCB) awarded the four artisans the Shilu Abed Karushilpi Purashkar 2005 at the BRAC Centre Inn in Dhaka on March 5. The category this year was jute.
   The first prize was Taka 20,000 and the special prize was Taka 10,000. The Crafts Council has been awarding this prize for the last seven years to artisans who excel in their field of crafts.
    Jahanara, from Sakhipur, Tangail, has been learning the art of different crafts from childhood, from her neighbours. After her marriage she started working with jute as a medium for making crafts to maintain her family.
   Jahanara used to sell chica (hanger) in her home town until she saw advertisements of Aarong on television, she contacted the organisation in Dhaka in August, 2000.
   ‘I brought samples of my work and showed them to the designers of Aarong. They redesigned and modified my pieces and told me to bring more work to them,’ Jahanara told New Age.
   Besides chicas, Jahanara also makes purses, vanity bags, wallets and other crafts. There are 40 female workers in her factory making jute products.
   ‘If the government or any other organisations help me financially I will be able to involve more destitute women in my factory,’ said Jahanara.
   Ali Akbar, from Savar, has already earned a reputation in making floor-mats, door-mats, carpets and other utilitarian handicrafts. He uses both jute and wools as raw materials.
    Akbar started his career as a craftsman after being appointed as a helper at a young age at the tapestry factory of noted artist Rashid Chowdhury. Akbar feels honoured as he is considered as one of the best tapestry workers in the country.
   There are about 50 artisans working in Akbar’s factory in Savar. ‘Financially I am quite happy. But this award is a great recognition for me,’ Akbar expressed his joy after receiving the award.
   Sakhina Begum from Satkhira, makes only bags. She herself designs the bags and has been working in this field for about 26 years.
   ‘I had learnt the craft from my neighbours. Now, there are about one hundred workers in my factory,’ said Sakhina.
   ‘Though I usually take loans in a small scale from local cooperatives, I need more financial help from banks and other organisations to run my factory smoothly,’ she added.
   Maleka Begum, from Delduar, Tangail, had learnt the art of chica making from her childhood friends. ‘I used to make chicas for our domestic uses. After my husband became ill, I took up chica making as a profession. This handicraft is my only source of earning,’ said Maleka.

To mark the Independence Day Bishwa Sahitya Kendra will organise a lecture on the Liberation War of Bangladesh, the new generation and Bangladesh in the future at 5:30pm on March 12 at the auditorium of the Kendra in Dhaka.
   Noted professor Dr Mohammad Jafar Iqbal will be present as the chief discussant.
   Major General Amin Ahammad Chowdhury, Bir Bikram, PSC (Rtd.) will chair the function.

The Zahir Raihan Film Society will arrange a two-day special screening session of Taiwanese films at the auditorium of Goethe-Institut Dhaka from March 30.
   On the opening day the Society will screen four films. He liu (The River, 115 minutes, colour 1997) and Ni neibian jidian (What time is it there, 116 minutes, colour, 2001) will be screened at 2:00pm and at 4:00pm respectively. Both the films are directed by Tsai Ming-liang.
   Nanguo zaijan, nanguo (Goodbye south, goodbye, 110 minutes, colour, 1996) and Hai shang hua (Flowers of Shanghai) will be shown at 6:00pm and at 7:45pm on the same day. These films are directed by Hou Hsiao-Hsien.
   The organisers will screen three films on March 31. Hsimeng jensheng (The Puppetmaster, 142 minutes, colour 1993) and Beiqing chengshi (City of Sadness, 140 minutes, colour, 1989) directed by Hou Hsiao-Hsien will be screened at 2:00pm and at 4:30pm respectively on the day.
   Yi Yi (A one and a two, 170 minutes, colour, 2000) directed by Edward Yang will be screened at 7:00pm.
   Though the film-shows are restricted to the members of the Society, persons who are
   interested in good and quality films are welcome to join the film society and can contact the organizers at the shows.

He is renowned as one of the greatest stage stars of his generation, but now British actor Sir Ian McKellen has fulfilled a very different ambition — joining the cast of the country’s best-known television soap opera.
   McKellen, 65, who also starred as wizard Gandalf in the hugely popular ‘Lord of the Rings’ film trilogy, is to star in ‘Coronation Street’, the show’s makers have announced.
   Better known as a venerable Shakespearean actor, McKellen — a long-time fan of the show — will take the role of Mel Hutchwright, a ‘dodgy novelist’ invited to address a book club, appearing in 10 episodes from May.
   ‘Coronation Street’, which chronicles the lives of the working class inhabitants of Weatherfield, a fictitious suburb of the northern English city of Manchester, began in 1960 and is one of the most famous soap operas in television history.
   Writers have already begun laying the foundations for McKellen’s character by featuring Hutchwright’s steamy romantic novel ‘Hard Grinding’ in the soap, prompting calls to bookshops from viewers who thought it was real.
   McKellen has pronounced himself ‘nervous but raring to go’. Although he has spent most of his working life speaking in plummy Shakespearean tones, McKellen is a native of Burnley, next to Manchester, meaning the accent should prove little trouble. — AFP

10:00pm - 11:00pm, Animal Planet
   In the wild travels all around the world and gives viewers the opportunity to share a unique encounter with their favourite celebrity and learn about some of the world's most amazing animals in their natural habitat.
   In Meg Ryan: White Elephants Hollywood superstar Meg Ryan's mission is to head into the jungles of Thailand in search of one of the rarest animals in the world - the White Elephant.
   In the course of her journey, Meg Ryan meets up scientists, conservationists and elephant enthusiasts, and learns about the pain-stacking efforts undertaken to secure the future of Thailand’s elephants. Meg gains hands-on experience as an elephant 'mahout', before embarking on an elephant journey into the heart of the jungle.

The third installment of the hugely successful comedy 'American Pie’ sees Jim (Biggs) and Michelle (Hannigan) ready to tie the knot. Jim suffers the usual pre-wedding jitters. An upcoming wedding doesn't seem to make their friends more mature though—in fact the sexual hormones rage stronger than ever' Jim's pal, macho womaniser Stifler (Scott) throws himself body and soul into organizing the ultimate stag party for Jim. One thing's for sure, the lead up to the wedding and the day itself will either have you grossed out or rolling in your seat with laughter!
   AMERICAN PIE:
   THE WEDDING
   Hbo
   9:30pm
   Starring
   Jason Biggs, Seann William Scott, Alyson Hannigan
   Genre : Action/Comedy