Main Page «
Front Page «
Metro «
Business «
International «
Sports «
National «
Editorial «
Op-Ed «
Home «
Letters «

Archive «
Launch Supplement «
Special Supplements «

A week-long festival of folk dramas, organised by the Bangladesh Shilpakala Academy, is being held at the Experimental Theatre Hall in Segun Bagicha from February 22.
   ABM Abdul Haque Chowdhury, secretary of the ministry of cultural affairs inaugurated the festival on the day.
   Director of the department of dramatics and film of the academy, Shafi Kamal delivered welcome speech at the inaugural session and academy’s director general Kamrul Hasan chaired the event.
   The speakers said that the academy works to preserve and promote the folk culture of the country.
   According to them, the folk culture, particularly the folk dramas are on the verge of extinction.
   ‘We should work together to cooperated the people who are involved in practicing folk culture. They also need patronisation from all corners of the society,’ they added.
   The inaugural session was followed by the presentation of ‘Didar Badshah’, written by palakar Panna Bishwas. The group of Gazir Gaan of Jhenaidah presented the play.
   On the second day of the festival, the organisers arranged the show of the pala titled ‘Boiragi o Ananya’, written by Nipen Pal. Saptajatra of Tangail presented the plala.
   The group of Kissa Gaan of Kishoreganj will present the pala titled ‘Kissadar’ today at 6:30pm. The writer of the pala, Islam Uddin will also perform as the main vocal.
   On February 25, the group of Manik Pirer Gaan of Kushtia will present the pala titled ‘Manik pirer janma, fakiri, mrityu o jiyon’. Zahurul Islam will perform as the main vocal.
   On February 26, the pala titled ‘Debar bhabi o ananya’ will be presented by the group of Alkap Gaan of Chapainawabganj. Shfiqul Sarkar will play the role of main vocal.
   The pala titled ‘Laxmindarer bibaha, dangsan, bhashan o jiyon’ will be presented by the group called Rayani of Barisal on February 27. Subhashini Bikram will be the main vocal of the pala.
   On the last day of the festival, February 28, the group of Kushan Gaan of Kurigram will present the pala titled ‘Balmiki bane ashwamedher ghora’, performed by Kripasindhu Ray Sarkar as the main vocal.
   Every day the pala will begin at 6:30pm and will open for all.

Young and promising actor Dileep Chakrabarti received the Tanushree Padak for this year at an award giving ceremony at Nilima Ibrahim Auditorium of Bangladesh Mahila Samity on Bailey Road on February 22.
   Eminent litterateur Syed Shamsul Huq was present as chief guest while theatre personalities Ramendu Majumdar, M Hamid, Kamaluddin Kabir and publisher Mafidul Haque were present as special guests. Alok Basu of theatre group Natyadhara, the organiser, chaired the event.
   The speakers said that the awards are recognitions for the young and promising theatre activists in the country. ‘It will encourage Dileep to be involved more devotedly in theatre and he will be able to contribute in the field of theatre in future,’ they hoped.
   Dileep has earned critical acclaims for his performance in Nitya Puran, Birasa Kabya, Darpane Sharat Shashi and Aharkandal. He also preformed in several street plays.
   The ceremony was followed by the presentations of songs, which are used in stage dramas. Members of the theatre groups including Udichi, Janmasutra, Subachan and Natyajan participated at this part of the event.
   Moreover, Natyadhara has been distributing the award for the young promising theatre activists, since 2001.

The Bangladesh National Museum arranged a competition on fair handwriting at its compound in Shahbagh on Friday to mark the Amar Ekushey and International Mother Language Day.
   About 1000 contestants from class one to class ten participated at the competition. The organiser will select eight winners from each group and the result will be public soon.