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A solo exhibition of handicrafts and ornaments by Mahmud un Nabi began on Tuesday at Zainul Gallery of the Faculty of Fine Art of Dhaka University in the city.
   Noted artist Qayyum Chowdhury inaugurated the exhibition as chief guest while artists Syed Abul Barq Alvi and Rafiqun Nabi were present as special guests at the function.
   Qayyum Chowdhury said Mahmud un Nabi was born into a cultural-minded family and just like the other members of the family, he had an artistic bent of mind. Nabi has to uphold the culture of the country and its tradition in his works using raw materials taken from nature.
   Syed Abul Barq Alvi said that he was really charmed by the works of Mahmud un Nabi and he hoped that the viewers would find pleasure in seeing these ornaments as well as wearing them.
   Rafiqun Nabi said he was not praising these works as Mahmud un Nabi was his brother. Indeed, these works deserved appreciation and he wished further success for his brother.
   Mahmud un Nabi’s works included a variety of colourful ornaments. Among them were necklaces, bracelets, bangles, topis embroidered with beads. He had also worked on different household utility objects like mirrors, vases, bed sheets and so on.
   In regards to his work, Mahmud un Nabi told New Age that he had been working on ornaments for over a decade. He wanted to carry on working on these types of ornaments.
   The exhibition will remain open everyday from 12:00pm to 8:00pm till September 7.

Ranesh Dasgupta Film Society will arrange a film screening to honour the human right activist Hena Das on September 4 at Maitree Auditorium of the city’s Paltan area.
   The film society will arrange screening of a documentary ‘Avijatri’ directed by Manjare Hasin Murad. The film is based on the life and struggle of the revolutionary icon Hena Das. ‘The Messenger’, a feature film directed by Luc Besson will be screened at 3.30 pm on the day. The film is based on Joan of Arc.
   Organisers disclosed that with the screening of the films they will uphold the life and sacrifice of the human activist of the country, Hena Das. When she was barely 13, she joined the struggle for independence against the then undivided British imperialists in India. That was the beginning of a lifelong struggle against every form of injustice. Although best known for her pioneering work in the field of gender justice, she had also been deeply involved with the communist party and fought for farmers’ rights, teachers’ rights, and rights of the labourers. At a time when stepping out of the home was virtually prohibited to women, Hena was enunciating women’s empowerment and the rights of women.

The voting system, which will determine the winner of the best picture at this year’s Oscars is being changed, it has been announced.
   The Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences said preferential voting will now be used to tally the final vote for the award.
   Voters will be asked to rank nominees in order of preference from 1 to 10.
   In all other categories, the victory goes to the performer who earns the most votes.
   The new system for tallying vote for best picture is the same preferential voting system that the Academy uses in its nominating process.
   However, this is the first time it has been used for best picture voting since 1945.
   The voting process has been adapted to accommodate the new picture shortlist, which has been increased to allow 10 films into the category, instead of five.
   ‘Instead of just marking an X to indicate which one picture they believe to be the best, members will indicate their second, third and further preferences as well,’ Academy president Tom Sherak said.
   He explained that would ‘establish the best picture recipient with the strongest support of a majority of our electorate’.
   The decision to use the preferential system was made because a larger field meant a winner could emerge with just slightly more than 580 votes out of the potential voting pool of 5,800 members.

The first episode of the third season of cooking competition programme ‘Rupchanda Hari Korai Ranna Lorai’ will be telecast today at 7:50pm.
   The champions of Rupchanda Food Carnival held in Chittagong and Dhaka will participate in this episode. Noted singer Shaheen Samad will be present as guest judge at the programme. Farzana Brawnia will host and produce the programme.

Move over Mickey Mouse, the X-Men are moving in.
   The Walt Disney Co announced on Monday it had agreed to add the X-Men, Iron Man and Spider-Man to its vast cast of characters with a surprise agreement to buy Marvel Entertainment Inc. for some four billion dollars.
   The deal, Disney’s biggest since its acquisition of animation house Pixar three years ago, will combine the comic book giant and its huge stable of action heroes with the Disney entertainment empire.
   ‘Adding Marvel to Disney’s unique portfolio of brands provides significant opportunities for long-term growth and value creation,’ Disney president and chief executive Robert Iger said. ‘We are pleased to bring this talent and these great assets to Disney.’

Radio stations in Lagos have largely observed a call by Nigerian artists for a ‘No-Music Day’ to protest at piracy and the non-payment of royalties.
   The BBC’s Fidelis Mbah in the city says some stations have instead played foreign music.
   A musicians’ spokesman said that many stations and nightclubs see obtaining music licences as an ‘alien idea’.
   Last week, a group of Lagos musicians organised an ongoing hunger strike to protest at rampant piracy.
   Our correspondent says pirated CDs of popular albums are readily available on the city’s streets, at a fraction of the official price.
   Despite the occasional raid on the pirates’ production outfits, security agents have failed to tame their activities, he says.

Exhibitions
   Sculpture exhibition
   Water and Life
   By: Atiqul Islam
   Time: 2:00pm to 8:00pm
   Date: August 28 to September 6
   Venue: Asiatic Gallery of
   Fine Arts Asiatic Society of Bangladesh
   5 old secretariat Road,
   Nimtali, Ramna, Dhaka
   
   Photo Exhibition
   Tourist sites of Moscow & St. Petersburg to mark International Tourism Day
   Organised by Russian Centre of Science and Culture
   Time: From 10:00am to 6:00pm
   Date: Sept 1 to Sept 30
   Venue: Russian Centre of
   Science and Culture
   House 42 (new) 510 (old),
   Bhasha Sainik M. A. Matin Road (Road 7),
   Dhanmondi R/A, Dhaka
   
   Photography Exhibition
   Our Story: Middle Class in Bangladesh
   Organised by Goethe-Institut and Pathshala
   Time: From 10:00am to 7:00pm
   Date: August 27 to September 9
   Venue: Goethe-Institut Dhaka
   House: 10, road 9 (new),
   Dhanmondi, Dhaka
   
   Display of books & materials
   To mark 110th birth anniversary of Russian writer, poet and journalist Andrei Platonov
   Organised by Russian Centre of Science and Culture
   Time: From 10:00am to 5:00pm
   Date: Sept 1 to Sept 15
   Venue: Library, Russian Centre of Science and Culture
   House 42 (new) 510 (old),
   Bhasha Sonik M. A. Matin Road (Road 7),
   Dhanmondi, Dhaka
   
   Film Show at Star Cineplex
   The Message
   Pink Panther 2
   Monpura
   Quantum of Solace
   Basundhara City Shopping Mall
   Panthapath, Dhaka