Dhaka, Feb 22 (UNB) - An art competition on fishing cat with the participation of the students of a primary school was held in Barlekha upazila of Moulvibazar district on Thursday.

Around 65 students from classes III, IV and V of Halla Govt Primary School took part in the competition organised as part of the ‘Fishing Cat Research Project in Hakaluki Haor’ funded by the Toyota Foundation in collaboration with Jahangirnagar University teacher Prof Dr MA Aziz. 

The school is situated just by a place called “Pakhi Bari” which is the home to thousands of birds.

Research assistants of the project Meherun Niger Sultana and Anwar Palash together with headmaster Bishnu Pada Chakraborty and other teachers of the school organised the event with the help of Sultan Ahmed, Sakib Bin Anwar and Ismail Hossain, said a press release.

Some of the drawings by students indicate confusion between a fishing cat and a tiger.

"This is common perception in Hakaluki Haor, but fishing cat is not tiger. Biologically, they’re closer to leopard cat than tiger. Strong fear towards fishing cat accelerates killing of this species. Fishing cat may play an important role in controlling rat population. Forcing extinction of those carnivores is not wise for people and their livelihood in the Hakaluki Haor," said leading researcher Dr Ai Suzuki.
 

New York, Feb 20 (AP/UNB) — Meghan Markle has been spotted at several swanky venues in New York City, cradling her baby bump as she visited friends for what is rumored to be a baby shower.

The 37-year-old pregnant Meghan, formally known as the Duchess of Sussex, was seen Tuesday entering The Mark hotel on Manhattan's Upper East Side, at a restaurant on the ground floor of The Met Breuer and at The Surrey Hotel.

Meghan wore sunglasses, a black William Vintage trapeze coat and neutral high heels with a matching bag. As photographers waited outside the Mark, a high-end boxed crib and pink flowers were delivered.

Abigail Spencer, a co-star on Meghan's former TV show "Suits," was spotted at one of the gatherings.

Meghan and Prince Harry announced the pregnancy in October.

Dhaka, Feb 19 (UNB) - Bangladesh Shilpakala Academy (BSA) celebrated its 45th founding anniversary on Tuesday.

Elaborate programmes were organjsed on the academy premises on the occasion. The programmes featured discussion, cultural events and acrobatic show. 

State Minister for Cultural Affairs KM Khalid was present as the chief guest at the discussion and cultural session while BSA Director General Liaquat Ali Lucky presided over the event.

An exhibition, based on the works of all departments and sections of BSA, was held at the National Art Plaza of BSA.

Its district branches arranged festivals, programmes and training on various fine and performing arts. 

Bangladesh Shilpakala Academy is the principal state-sponsored national cultural centre of the country.
 

Dhaka, Feb 19 (UNB)- Bangla adventure film ‘Hridoyer Rongdhonu’ (Life in Rainbow) is going to be released exclusively at Star Cineplex in the city on Friday.

In a media briefing on Monday night at a Dhaka restaurant, Director Razibul Hasan said the film was cleared for screening after two years from Bangladesh Film Censor Board on October 23 last year. “We are looking forward to the long- awaited release," he said.

Hasan said the film’s protagonist,t Mina Boskan, a Serbian girl, came to Bangladesh for its promotion and would join its premiere show.

"We are looking forward to a better cultural relationship betwen Bangladesh and Serbia. It is the first adventure film where Serbian actress Mina has played the main character," the director added.

The other three main cast – Shams Kadir, Muhtasim Shojon, Khing Shai Mong Marma – were also present at the press conference.

The adventure movie in Bangla was also premiered at 17th Dhaka International Film Festival 2019 while it was selected as “View Corner” at Goa Film Bazaar last year.

Asian Institute of Media and Communication Bangladesh said its first Asian Premier was held on November 24 at QUBE 2 Hall in India tourist city Goa.

'Life in Rainbow' is a story of four aspiring youths (three boys and a girl). They are friends and have everything in life. One day they get a call from a mysterious character who knows everything about them.

He offers them a trip, saying: "If you dare to take any challenge you can join a trip – a trip to an unknown destination!"

Dhaka, Feb 18 (UNB) - Chhayanaut, a leading cultural outfit of Bangladesh, was honoured with India’s prestigious Rabindranath Tagore Award for cultural harmony on Monday for the year 2015 by Indian President Ram Nath Kovind.

Chhayanaut is a cultural organisation of Bangladesh which has played a leading role in the promotion of Tagore’s works and Bangla arts and literature not only within Bangladesh, but all across the world.

It also has rushed to the aid of people at times of famines, floods or riots, bringing people together to resolve crises with songs of protest on their lips.

While handing over the award at a function held at Pravasi Bharatiya Kendra in New Delhi, President Kovind said cooperation between Bangladesh and India in recent years in connectivity and developmental projects and in people-to-people engagement is blessed by the ethos of ‘Gurudev’.

Chhayanaut President Sanjida Khatun received the award, which carries Rs one crore, a citation and an exquisite handicraft item, said Bangladesh High Commission in New Delhi.

In her award acceptance speech which began with a Tagore song, Sanjida Khatun said Chhayanaut was honoured to receive the recognition named after Rabindranath from the Indian government.

“You’ve given us more than an award. You’ve inspired us to continue to pass on our cultural heritage and strive for fellowship and harmony,” she said.

Speaking on the occasion, the Indian President said this Award is a celebration of Indian traditions of culture and of our civilisational wealth – whether in literature or music, art or drama, sculpture or handicrafts, design or digital art.

“Each region in our country has a distinct cultural identity. Yet, in its essence, culture does not divide – it unites and harmonises all of India and all of humanity,” Press Information Bureau (PIB) of India quoted him as saying.

Congratulating the awardees, Prime Minister Narendra Modi said it was Gurudev Rabindranath Tagore who understood the strength of diversity of our country and inculcated it in his Rabindra Sangeet.

The Prime Minister said Gurudev is respected internationally. The character and message emanating from the works of Gurudev transcend time and circumstance.

The Prime Minister added that in view of the conditions which prevail in the world today, it has become even more relevant to propagate the message of harmony and peace of Gurudev Rabindranath Tagore.

The Indian President also presented the Tagore Award for Cultural Harmony for the years 2014 and 2016 to Rajkumar Singhajit Singh and Ram Vanji Sutar respectively, on the same day.

In his welcome address, Minister of State for Culture (IC) Dr Mahesh Sharma said it is a matter of great pride for them to honor Rajkumar Singhajit Singh, Chhayanaut and Ram Vanji Sutar who have done great work to carry forward the legacy of cultural harmony of Rabindranath Tagore. 

The Tagore award for Cultural Harmony was introduced in 2012 and the first two recipients were sitar maestro Pandit Ravi Shankar and composer Zubin Mehta in 2012 and 2013.