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On the inaugural day of the ten-day festival of documentary films on environment and people, the organisers screened ‘The Story of Tea Workers’, jointly directed by Philip Gain and Ronald Halder in the evening of Sunday at Drik Gallery in Dhanmondi.
   The festival is organised by the non-government organisation called Society for Environment and Human Development (SHED).
   The 45-minute documentary film on the workers of tea gardens shows the plight and pleasure of their life in different gardens across the country. The directors also uphold the history of the gardens, tea business and they have also compared the condition of the tea workers of the country with that of its neighbours.
   According to the film, there are 163 tea gardens in Bangladesh including seven in Panchagarh. It is said that there are over five lakh people belonging to the community of tea workers. Among them about one lakh and 18 thousand tea workers are involved in the gardens directly.
   The film reveals the untold stories of the tea workers to the viewers. For example, according to the film, a tea worker in Bangladesh got Tk 32.50 as as the maximum daily cash payment in 2008 but the tea workers in the gardens in West Bengal in India are paid the equivalent of Tk 53 and the amount will increase to Tk 63 by 2011.
   The film portrays that the tea workers suffer acute accommodation crisis. All members of a family live in a small room.
   Festival mood of the workers especially during Durga Puja is also depicted in the film.
   Today, the organisers will screen two documentaries: ‘Riders to the Sundarbans’, directed by Tanvir Mokammel and ‘Chokoria Sundarban: A Forest without Tress’ Junaid Halim at 6:00pm at the gallery.

We forward in this generation
   Triumphantly.
   Wont you help to sing
   These songs of freedom? -
   cause all I ever have:
   Redemption songs;
   Redemption songs.
   
   The charismatic, beloved Jamaican singer who introduced reggae infused with Rastafarian themes died from a cancerous brain tumour on May 11, 1981, in Miami, Florida. He was only 36 years old.
   The first indication that something was amiss with Marley’s health came in May of 1977. While on tour in France, Marley re-injured a right toe during a soccer game. The injury refused to heal and instead quickly worsened — the entire nail came off and doctors recommended amputation. Citing religious beliefs, a limping Marley refused the surgery and gamely continued on tour. Later that summer, Marley finally allowed an orthopaedic surgeon to perform a skin graft on the toe, and the procedure was deemed ‘a success.’
   In September of 1980, a weakened Marley almost fainted onstage while performing in New York. The next day, he collapsed while jogging in Central Park. Marley was diagnosed with a brain tumour (a result of the untreated cancer in his toe) and given less than a month to live. Despite the grim news, Marley played one final show in Pittsburgh before being flown to Miami. There, doctors verified that the singer had cancer in the brain, lung, and stomach. Eight months later, Marley passed away.
   
   Robert Nesta Marley
   Born: February 6, 1945, St Ann, Jamaica
   Died: May 11, 1981, Miami, Florida

New Age: Would you tell us something about the history and objectives of the band group Bhawaiya?
   Shafiul Alam Raza: It was my long cherished dream to form a music band that will sing only bhawaiya, one kind of popular folksongs of this country. The band, formed on April 20 last year, aims to spread the melody of bhawaiya songs among the audience of younger generation. We have selected the word ‘bhawaiya’ as our band’s name.
   We are mingling the modern instruments with the traditional ones so that the melody of the bhawaiya songs get a new dimension and become suitable for the modern audience both at home and abroad.
   But primarily, our target audience are the people of the Bengali nation. We want to make the word ‘bhawaiya’ popular among them.
   NA: Who are working in your group?
   SAM: Ziaul Haque is working as the music director of the band and I am working as the chief vocalist of it.
   NA: Is it decided that your band will sing only bhawaiya?
   SAM: Yes, we have decided that we will sing only bhawaiya. I take the pleasure of repeating the answer that the band group called ‘Bhawaiya’ is formed only to spread the melody of the folksongs bhawaiya.
   NA: How do you want to spread bhawaiya?
   SAM: First of all, I believe that if we can sing bhawaiya carefully and keeping the traditional style unhurt or undistorted then we will get many good listeners and hope that their number will gradually increase.
   We are planning to arrange regular stage programmes to present bhawaiya songs in different places of the country so that the music lovers can enjoy its melody.
   NA: You have told us earlier that your band will present the traditional bhawaiya. How will you ensure that you are following the traditional style?
   SAM: We have decided that we will follow the style of Abbasuddin,
   the great maestro of bhawaiya songs as the authentic style of the songs. We will bring some changes in using music instruments.
   NA: Is there any stream of modern bhawaiya songs in the country?
   SAM: There are many lyricists of bhawaiya songs who are writing bhwaiya on modern events, such
   as, the Language Movement and the war of country’s independence. The singers are also getting good response from the audience.

The tenth episode of the drama serial 1920 will be aired on NTV at 8:15pm.The drama portrays the desires, dreams, achievements and frustrations of being 19 or 20 years of age.
   They are all classmates: Pinky is very fond of flowers, Anila loves cars. Ayon is of a serious nature and is very matured. Pramity is fond of acting in theatres and is thus popular in the university campus, while other students are jealous of him. Srabonti, who is a good dancer, is proud of her talent. Tonmoy is nothing but a joker, in contrast to Sutopa who is quiet by nature.
   The drama is scripted and directed by Hridi Huq. The cast includes Tisha, Sharmin Shela, Kusum Sikdar, Dipa Khandakar, Hridi Huq, Nafiza, Jitu Ahsan, Shariar Shuvo, Ovik, Shahir Huda Rumi, Lucky Enam, Irin Parvin Lopa, Proma, Tanvir Hossen Probal, Adnan Sobhan, Sadjad Reja, Shagota, Shomon Sumi, Mirana Jaman,Kanta,Rony, Osib, M E Salim, Imtu, among others.

Exhibitions
   Grand group art exhibition
   By 107 Reputed Bangladeshi
   Artists
   Time: 10:00am to 8:00pm
   Date: April 11 to May 22
   Saju Art Gallery
   DCC North Super Market,
   Gulshan 2, Dhaka
   
   Dual ceramic and terracotta
   exhibition
   Space & Decor
   By Raton Sarker and Bishwajit
   Paul
   Time: 11:00pm to 8pm
   Date: May 1 to May 12
   Venue: Gallery Kaya
   House 20, Road 16,
   Sector 4, Uttara, Dhaka
   Solo Painting Exhibition
   Nagar Ananda
   By Kazi Salahuddin
   Time: 12:00pm to 8:00pm
   Date: May 7 to May 20
   Venue: Bengal Gallery of Fine
   Arts
   House 275/F, Road 27 (old),
   Dhanmondi, Dhaka
   
   Solo Art Exhibition
   Recycled Magic
   By Bruno Ruhf
   Time: 9:00am to 12:00am and
   5:00pm to 8:00pm
   Date: May 8 to May 21
   Venue: Alliance Française de
   Dacca
   26 Mirpur Road, Dhanmondi
   Dhaka 1205
   1st group painting exhibition
   By Oriental Painting Study Group
   Time: from 11:00am to 8:00pm
   Date: May 8 to May 15
   Venue: Zainul Gallery, Faculty of
   Fine Arts
   Dhaka University, Shahbagh
   Photography Exhibition
   The story of Tea Workers, Forest
   and Forest People
   Organised by Society for
   Environment and Human
   Development (SEHD)
   Time: 3:00pm to 8:00pm
   Date: May 10 to May 19
   Venue: Drik Gallery
   House 58, Road 15/A (New),
   Dhanmondi,
   Dhaka
   
   Theatre
   Sangjatra
   By Hathat Natya Sampradaya
   Time: 7:00pm
   Venue: Nilima Ibrahim
   Auditorium
   Bangladesh Mahila Samity
   Bailey Road, Dhaka
   Films shows
   The story of Tea Workers Forest
   and Forest People
   Organised by Society for
   Environment and Human
   Development (SEHD)
   Time: 3:00pm to 8:00pm
   Date: May 10 to May 19
   Venue: Drik Gallery
   House 58, Road 15/A (New),
   Dhanmondi, Dhaka
   European Film Festival
   Jointly organised by Alliance
   Française and Jahir Raihan Film
   Society
   Date: From May 6 to May 15
   Venue: Alliance Française de Dacca
   26 Mirpur Road, Dhanmondi Dhaka
   
   The Son’s Room (Italy)
   Time: 5:00pm
   I Served the King of England
   (Czech Republic).
   Time: 7:00pm
   Cinema at Star Cineplex
   Monpura
   D-War
   Forbidden Kingdom
   Basundhara City Shopping Mall
   Panthapath, Dhaka