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In a round table meeting titled ‘Budgeter Sangiskriti O Sangiskritir Budget’ (the culture of budget and the budget for culture) organised by Sammilata Sangiskritik Jote at the National Press Club on Wednesday, speakers demanded an increase of budgetary allocation and a changed attitude towards culture, and demanded the implementation of a cultural policy, to make Bangladesh free from fanaticism and militancy.
   Information and cultural affairs minister Abul Kalam Azad was present as the chief guest. Cultural personality Mafidul Huq presented the keynote paper. Mujahidul Islam Selim, general secretary, Communist Party of Bangladesh, Ramendu Majumder, president of International Theatre Institute, litterateur Syed Shamsul Huq, cultural activist Syed Hasan Imam took part in the discussion.
   M Hamid, president Bangladesh Group Theatre Federation, Pijush Bandapaddhya, singer Fakir Alamgir, recitation artist Hasan Aref, dance artist Minu Haq also joined the discussion. Golam Kuddus, general secretary and Nasiruddin Yousuff, president of Sammilata Sangiskritik Jote conducted and chaired the round table respectively.
   ‘A taka 122 crore budget for the cultural ministry is inadequate,’ said Mafidul Haq in his keynote paper. ‘The allocation needs to increase if we want to bring changes in the upcoming years.’
   Mujahidul Islam Selim in his speech said that taxing entertainment is an illogical thing. He also said, to save ourselves from religious militancy, we will need to completely change the face of the cultural field of our country.
   Hasan Imam in his speech said ‘we need a cultural policy. We have to save our traditional culture through proper subsidy from the government.’
   ‘I do not want any government authority in culture,’ said Syed Shamsul Huq in his lecture.
   Ramendu Majumder demanded at least one per cent of the national budget to be allocated to culture, as last year, it was only 0.06 percent. ‘The government should give maximum discount on rent of auditoriums across the country for cultural organisations,’ Ramendu added.
   Abul Kalam Azad, the cultural minister, said the government would take initiatives to support and patronise, poor, traditional, cultural activists. ‘Increasing the budget allocation now is a bit late; however, I will work on it gradually.’

Gazi Zakir Hossain, general secretary of the theatre group Dhaka Padatik, died on May 18. He was 43.
   He had been suffering from liver cirrhosis. He left behind his wife, a son and a daughter.
   Zakir was being treated at a hospital in Bombay, India, since the beginning of this month.
   His body reached Dhaka at dawn on Tuesday. It was kept at the Teacher-Student Centre (TSC) of Dhaka University, for people to pay their last respect, on Wednesday morning. Later, his body was taken to Gopalganj and buried there.
   Zakir had been involved with Dhaka Padatik for the last ten years. He mainly worked backstage for the group. Theatre activists, cultural personalities and his fans, friends and family members gathered at the TSC.
   Ramendu Majumder, president of the International Theatre Institute (ITI), Nasiruddin Yousuff, chairman of Sanmalita Sangskritik Jote, M Hamid, president of Bangladesh Group Theatre Federation, theatre personality Keramat Mawla, among others, were present, and paid homage to Hossain.
   Chief of Dhaka Padatik, Golam Kuddus told New Age that Hossain was one of the major organisers of Dhaka Padatik and he played an important role in the group theatre movement of the country.

Satellite television channel Channel-i will start telecasting a new programme titled ‘Amader Television’ at 6:00pm on May 23. The programme will be aired every Saturday, the officials said at a press briefing on Wednesday.
   Faridur Reza Sagar, managing director of Channel-i unveiled the programme to reporters at a press conference, shown live on TV, at their Siddeswari office. Mustafa Monowar, noted artist and TV personality, and Ali Imam, former general manager of BTV, spoke at the conference.
   Sagar said, ‘by this programme we want to pay tribute to those who worked for BTV at its beginning and also those who are still working.’
   Ali Imam said, ‘we will come to know, through this programme, with what dedication these people started working in the newly established television of the then Pakistan.’
   According to the Channel-i, the programme will focus on various aspects of the glorifying history and heritage of Bangladesh Television (BTV).
   In the maiden episode of the programme, Mustafa Monowar will be present as a guest. The programme will be hosted by Ali Imam and produced by Anannya Ruma.
   In the interview-based programme, people who worked at BTV will share their experiences and feelings with the audience. Jamil Chowdhury, Mustafa Monowar, Humayun Chowdhury, Abdullah Abu Sayeed, Faqruzzaman Chowdhury, Faruq Alamgir, Dilara Zaman, Syed Abdul Hadi will take part in the programme as guests in various episodes of the programme.

A four-day long annual classic music programme started on Monday evening, which is being organised by Bangladesh Shilpakala Academy. The second performance on Tuesday evening was enthralling as many skilful artistes performed for the eager audience.
   47 classical artistes from across the country are expected to perform at the event, which was inaugurated by litterateur Abdur Shakoor Shah on May 18. Kamal Lohani, director general of Bangladesh Shilpakala Academy, chaired the opening session.
   Seven classical musicians performed at the opening day, while eight performed on the second day, including Priyanka Gop, Mohammad Shoeb, Mintu Krishna Pal and Swarup Hossain.
   Priyanka delighted the enthused crowd with a piece named ‘Raga Puriya’, which lasted for about fifteen minutes. Shoeb performed another raga called ‘Raga Todi’. Mintu mesmerised the audience with his rendition of ‘Raga Mia Malher’. And Swarup played tabla and delivered his own interpretation of ‘Tritaal’.
   Many people in the audience were complaining about the quantity of programmes like this and were delighted to have had attended the programme. Sumona, a resident of Segun Baghica, told New Age, ‘nowadays, popularity of classical music is dwindling, and taking such an initiative is definitely praiseworthy.’
   The event started on May 18 and will continue today. Today’s programme will begin at 7:00pm.

Book fair
   Rabindra-Nazrul Jayanti Boimela
   Organised by Muktadhara
   Time: 10:00am to 8:00pm
   Date: May 14 to May 28
   Venue: Public Library
   Shabagh,
   Dhaka
   
   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
   
   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
   
   Solo Painting Exhibition
   Achin Pakhi
   By Aforja Jamil
   Time: 11:00am to 11:00pm
   Date: May 15 to May 31
   Venue: Bay’s Gallery
   54 Gulshan Avenue,
   Gulshan 1, Dhaka
   
   Solo Painting Exhibition
   People of My Country
   By Bipad Bhanjan Sen Karmaker
   Time: from 10:00am to 12:00pm
   and 5:00pm to 9:00pm
   Date: May 15 to May 28
   Venue: Alliance Française
   26 Mirpur Road,
   Dhanmondi, Dhaka
   
   Theatre
   Balad/Rupbhan
   By Theatre (Arambagh)
   Time: 7:00pm
   Venue: Nilima Ibrahim
   Auditorium
   Bangladesh Mahila Samity
   Bailey Road, Dhaka
   
   
   Dhabaman
   By Dhaka Theatre
   Time: 7:00pm
   Venue: National Theatre Hall
   Bangladesh Shilpakala Academy
   Segun Bagicha,
   Dhaka
   
   Kanthal Bagan
   By Nagarik Natya Sampradaya
   Time: 7:00pm
   Venue: Experimental Theatre Hall
   Bangladesh Shilpakala Academy
   Segun Bagicha, Dhaka
   
   Film Screenings
   23rd Anniversary of the Zahir
   Raihan Film Society
   Jointly organised by Goethe-
   Institut Dhaka and Zahir Raihan
   Film Society
   Time: 3:00pm, 5:00pm and
   7:00pm
   Date: May 17 to May 21
   Venue: Goethe-Institut Dhaka,
   House 10, Road 9 (new)
   Dhanmondi, Dhaka
   
   Cinema at Star Cineplex
   Monpura
   D-War
   Forbidden Kingdom
   Oparey Akash
   Basundhara City Shopping Mall
   Panthapath,
   Dhaka