United News of Bangladesh

For artist Sabyasachi Hazra, art has never been confined to a canvas or a gallery; it has grown alongside his memories, friendships, struggles and everyday encounters. Life has been an unhurried journey for him. At an intimate Art Talk in Dhaka on Saturday, Hazra revisited that journey, recalling his ancestral home, the communist literature that entered his life as a teenager, his early work with little magazines and the friendships that shaped his understanding of art and design. Hazra was speaking at ‘Contemplation: An Unhurried Journey Through Art, Purpose, and Life’, the 12th session of Cosmos Art Echo, organised by Gallery Cosmos and Cosmos Atelier71 at Cosmos Centre in Malibagh. Gallery Cosmos Artistic Director Sourav Chowdhury moderated the session. Sabyasachi Hazra began by recalling his childhood in Khulna and his ancestral home at Itna village in Lohagara, Narail, where he spent his first six years. He then screened an 11-minute documentary, Hazrabari, centred on the ancestral home and his family history.

Poetry and songs echoed through the auditorium while canvases outside captured the weariness of the road, the pain of displacement and the determination to survive, as Dhaka’s Liberation War Museum hosted a poignant remembrance of the refugee experience of 1971 on Saturday. Organised by Smrity ’71, the commemorative programme, titled “Refugee Life of ’71” and “September on Jessore Road,” brought together poetry, music and visual art to revisit the memories and struggles of millions who were forced to flee their homes during the Liberation War. It opened with the national anthem and was moderated by Jinnat Ara Haque. Speaking about the programme as a whole, Faruk H. Khan set out the historical background of the 1971 refugee crisis and of September on Jessore Road, the poem by the American poet Allen Ginsberg. He described how the human catastrophe of people who left their homes and ordinary lives to cross the border had found a universal language in Ginsberg's verse.

Princess Diana’s famous “revenge dress,” worn on the day her then-husband publicly acknowledged his infidelity, is going on display ahead of a Sotheby’s auction, with an estimated value of up to $300,000. The striking black dress is beginning an international tour, reflecting the continued worldwide interest in Diana nearly three decades after her death. The dress went on public display at Sotheby’s in London on Friday. Diana wore it on June 29, 1994, the same day an interview was broadcast in which then-Prince Charles admitted he had been unfaithful. Knowing that the revelation was coming, Diana chose a figure-hugging, off-the-shoulder silk dress designed by Greek designer Christina Stambolian for a gala at London’s Serpentine Gallery. Morgane Halimi, Sotheby’s global head of handbags and fashion, said Diana used the outfit to take control of the public narrative surrounding her. “She always used fashion as a way of expression, but this time (it) was a way to communicate her personal expression of herself,” Halimi said. She added that Diana appeared to be sending the message, “I’m taking back the story and I’m here and I stand for myself.” Photos of Diana wearing the dress, paired with a sapphire necklace, black pumps and bright red nail polish, were published around the world. The Sun newspaper described the look the following day as “Revenge is chic.” A year later, Diana acknowledged that she had also been unfaithful in an interview, famously saying, “there were three of us in this marriage,” referring to Charles’ relationship with Camilla Parker-Bowles, now Queen Camilla. Charles and Diana divorced in 1996. Diana was killed in a car crash in Paris the following year at the age of 36. The dress has remained a symbol of Diana’s public image. A life-size wax figure of her wearing the outfit was unveiled at a Paris museum last year. The dress is being auctioned for the first time since 1997, when Diana sold it along with other clothing items to raise money for AIDS charities. Sotheby’s estimates its value at $150,000 to $300,000, though experts say it could sell for considerably more. In 2023, a red sweater featuring sheep that Diana wore to a polo match in 1981 sold for $1.1 million, setting a record for an item owned by the late princess. “I personally believe that this dress is the most powerful item linked to Diana,” Halimi said. She added that Diana’s provenance has long attracted collectors, while the story and wider meaning associated with the dress could also draw museums and other institutions as well as private collectors seeking rare pieces. Diana was a global style icon and one of the world’s most photographed women during her lifetime. Public interest in her remains strong, including fascination with the breakdown of her marriage to Charles, now King Charles III. A new book by Diana’s brother, Charles Spencer, has recently attracted headlines and renewed a public dispute between the Spencer family and the royal family over how the princess was treated. The dress will remain on display in London until Sept. 24 before traveling to Hong Kong and Geneva. It will be auctioned in New York on Dec. 9.

Japan Festival 2026 was held at Bangladesh Shilpakala Academy (BSA) on Friday, bringing together Japanese traditional performances, martial arts, music, cuisine and hands-on cultural experiences. The Embassy of Japan in Bangladesh, in cooperation with the Ministry of Cultural Affairs and Bangladesh Shilpakala Academy, organised the festival, which was held in Bangladesh for the first time in seven years.

Buckingham Palace has strongly rejected a claim by the brother of the late Princess Diana that King Charles III said his former wife would soon be forgotten after her death. In a new book, Charles Spencer describes the difficult days following Diana's death in a car crash in Paris in 1997 at the age of 36. Spencer claims he argued with Diana's former husband, then Prince Charles, over plans for Prince William and Prince Harry, who were 15 and 12 at the time, to walk behind their mother's coffin during her funeral procession. Spencer says he told Charles that Diana would not have wanted her sons to go through such an ordeal. He alleges that Charles replied: "Rest assured, we'll forget her soon enough." Spencer also accuses Charles of showing "contempt" toward Diana and says the then-prince sounded "elated" after her death. The Daily Mail has published extracts from Spencer's book, "Swan Song: Diana, My Sister," which is due to be released next week. Buckingham Palace issued an unusually strong statement late Wednesday in response to the claims. "While we do not comment on books as a matter of principle, His Majesty is mindful that the pain of fraternal grief can cloud reason, affect judgment and color memory in ways others do not recognize, even many years after such a loss," the palace said. Ingrid Seward, editor-in-chief of Majesty magazine, described the statement as "very strong." "I can't think of another occasion … in the recent history of royal communications which has been as stark as this one," she said, adding that it was clearly issued with "a great deal of feeling." Tensions between the royal family and the Spencer family after Diana's death have been widely discussed and portrayed in the film "The Queen" and the television series "The Crown." The royal family faced criticism at the time for being slow to respond to the public's grief over Diana's death. Her ability to connect with ordinary people highlighted a more personal side that many felt was missing from the wider royal family. Prince William and Prince Harry later adopted a more openly emotional approach, while King Charles has also become more publicly expressive in recent years. Charles, then 32, married 20-year-old Lady Diana Spencer in a lavish ceremony at St. Paul's Cathedral in 1981. They separated in 1992 and divorced in 1996. Charles Spencer, the 9th Earl Spencer, has long criticized the royal family's treatment of his sister. In a widely discussed eulogy at Diana's funeral, Spencer promised that her "blood family" would preserve her "imaginative and loving" legacy while raising her two sons. The speech was widely viewed as criticism of the royal family. "I feel that the Spencers and the royals are just never going to become friends again, as they were centuries ago," Seward said. "They were very close, but I don't think they're going to become friends again in any hurry." George Gross, a royal historian at King's College London, questioned why Spencer had chosen to revisit the painful period publicly. "We're dealing with somebody's death," he said. "It is very sad at the root of it, and I have to ask some questions as to why a brother at this point is going over all of that again in a book. I think the public know the answer to that."

Indian High Commissioner to Bangladesh Dinesh Trivedi has said that Kazi Nazrul Islam should also have been awarded the Nobel Prize, citing the Bengali poet’s extraordinary literary contribution and influence on collective consciousness. “Coming to this point in time, my realisation is that Nazrul too should have been given the Nobel Prize,” Trivedi said at a special cultural evening in Dhaka on Thursday. He was speaking at ‘Nazrul Sandhya’, organised by the Indira Gandhi Cultural Centre (IGCC) of the High Commission of India at Chhayanaut Auditorium to commemorate the 50th death anniversary of the National Poet. Trivedi highlighted Nazrul’s role in challenging established ideas and inspiring people through his poetry and writings.

Chinese porcelain artist Chen Qing has a vivid memory of her grandfather and the only occasion when he wrote down the formula for her family’s distinctive red pigment. He instructed her mother to memorize the formula before burning the paper just minutes later. Since then, the secret has been passed orally from one generation to another. “My mother did not reveal the formula to me until I was over 30,” Chen said. Her family has practiced the craft in Jingdezhen, known as China’s “Porcelain Capital,” since around 1860. The city is in Jiangxi province, about 1,180 kilometers (735 miles) southeast of Beijing. Jingdezhen has a pottery-making history stretching back more than 2,000 years, beginning during the Han Dynasty. Its porcelain sites were inscribed on the UNESCO World Heritage List in 2026. Small details can take years to master Jingdezhen’s craftsmen have preserved techniques once used to make porcelain for China’s imperial court, with the knowledge later spreading to private artisans. Chen’s ancestors adopted some of those traditions following the fall of the Qing Dynasty in 1912. “The craft is very difficult for an outsider to master,” Chen said. “A family might spend nearly a century developing a single technique.” Two tables in her studio are covered with brushes, unfinished porcelain pieces and pigments. Working quietly under a lamp, Chen carefully applies each stroke. Her fingers never touch the porcelain surface. Instead, she braces her hand against the outer edge while firmly holding the brush to create delicate and precise designs. Painting a porcelain teacup can take several days. Even a tiny particle of dust or a drop of sweat can spoil the work, forcing her to begin again. Landscapes are among the most challenging scenes to paint because their boundaries are often indistinct. A mountain peak, for example, may appear emerald green before gradually transitioning into brown and other warmer shades farther down the slope. “Mastering a craft is a lifelong process,” Chen said. “Few people are willing to spend more than 10 years learning such a painstaking craft.”

Gallery Cosmos and Cosmos Atelier71 will host the 12th session of their ongoing artist talk initiative, Cosmos Art Echo, featuring noted Bangladeshi artist, graphic designer and researcher Sabyasachi Hazra. Titled ‘Contemplation: An Unhurried Journey Through Art, Purpose, and Life’, the Art Talk will be held at 5 pm on Saturday at Cosmos Centre, Malibagh, Dhaka. The session will focus on Hazra's extensive journey across art, design, typography and publication, while creating an opportunity for participants to engage with his thoughts on artistic practice, creativity, purpose and life. Through the ongoing Cosmos Art Echo initiative, Gallery Cosmos and Cosmos Atelier71 bring together artists, educators, researchers, art practitioners and enthusiasts for conversations that encourage dialogue and knowledge exchange around contemporary art and visual culture. Born in 1978, Hazra holds Bachelor's and Master's degrees in Fine Arts, majoring in Drawing and Painting, from the Institute of Fine Arts, Dhaka University. He has worked as a creative editor and artist for numerous newspapers and weeklies and has established himself as a prolific illustrator and graphic designer. His portfolio includes around 3,000 book-cover designs, alongside hundreds of posters, logos and brand guidelines. A significant part of Hazra's practice revolves around Bangla typography, lettering, calligraphy and publication culture. His work explores the visual and aesthetic dimensions of Bangla letters as well as their connections with art, design and cultural history. In publishing, he has authored Chitrolipi, a pictorial guide to the Bangla alphabet, in 2015, followed by Rong Tulite Chopchap, an art appreciation guide, in 2018. His other publications include In the Quest of Bangla Typography (2022), focusing on Bangla lettering and calligraphy; Tales of Bangladesh (Ed., 2023), which explores national and historical elements related to Bangladesh; and Bornomala, A Collection of Bangla Primers (Ed., 2023). His extensive body of creative work has earned him several recognitions, including the Qayyum Chowdhury Memorial Award (2018) for Kathaprakash's book stall design, the Gold Award in the Conqueror Corporate Identity Design Contest (2015), and the Shaheed Munier Choudhury Memorial Award (2015) for the aesthetic design of the book Buddhist Heritage of Bangladesh. He has also received the Swopnoful Swadhinota Puraskar and awards for album-cover design, including the Citycell Channel i Music Award. Beyond his creative practice, Hazra has been involved with social and cultural movements from an early age and has also participated in charitable initiatives. The 12th session of Cosmos Art Echo is being organised as part of Cosmos Atelier71's continuing efforts to foster dialogue, knowledge exchange and meaningful engagement with art and visual culture.  

Prince Harry and his wife Meghan have moved their two children to a different school because of security concerns, a spokesperson said Tuesday, just weeks after the family returned to the United Kingdom for a fresh start. The decision was made after discussions with the family's security team about the practical challenges of their existing arrangements, the spokesperson said in a statement. Prince Archie, 7, and Princess Lilibet, 5, had only recently begun the new school year in England after the family moved from California in late August. British media reported that the long school journey and heavy traffic along the route were among the concerns discussed by the couple and their security team. The family is currently living at a private residence outside London that is not connected to the royal family. The spokesperson stressed that the decision was not a reflection on the school or the care the children had received there. The move came as Harry and Meghan awaited a new assessment from the government committee responsible for reviewing security arrangements for VIPs. The assessment is expected to address whether the family should receive publicly funded protection now that they are living in the UK. Harry and Meghan stepped down from royal duties and moved to California more than six years ago, saying they wanted to earn their own living. They later signed major deals with Netflix and Spotify. Relations with the wider royal family have since become strained, though Harry has recently expressed hope for reconciliation so he can spend more time with his father, King Charles III. Harry has also been engaged in a long-running dispute with the British government over the restoration of publicly funded police protection, which was withdrawn after the couple stepped back from royal duties. He previously said he could not “see a world” in which he would bring his wife and children back to the UK without security guarantees. Earlier this month, King Charles reiterated that Harry and Meghan remain non-working members of the royal family and would continue not to use formal titles such as His Royal Highness and Her Royal Highness, in line with arrangements in place since 2020. The couple said they were surprised by how the statement was issued, saying they had little time to review it before it was made public.

Bob Mackie, the fashion and costume designer whose bold Hollywood creations helped define glamour in the 1970s, died Monday at the age of 87. Mackie became famous for creating some of the most memorable looks for stars including Cher, Marilyn Monroe and Carol Burnett. His publicist said he died of pneumonia in Palm Springs, California. “He lived his 87 years to the fullest, fulfilling his dream of being a Fashion and Costume Designer, which is all he ever wanted to do,” a statement posted on his social media accounts said. Known as the “Designer to the Stars,” Mackie won nine Emmy Awards and a Tony Award and received three Oscar nominations. One of his Oscar-nominated works was the sheer batwing gown worn by Barbra Streisand in the film “Funny Lady.” He was inducted into the Television Academy Hall of Fame in 2002. Mackie designed gowns for Madonna, Streisand, Sharon Stone, Diana Ross and Julia Louis-Dreyfus, as well as concert costumes for Pink. He also designed Marilyn Monroe’s famous sheer, beaded gown for her breathy performance of “Happy Birthday” at a 1962 fundraiser for President John F. Kennedy and the Democratic National Committee. His influence lives on Mackie’s impact on fashion can still be seen in the work of designers and celebrities today. His creations have been worn by Anya Taylor-Joy, Miley Cyrus, Zendaya, Kendall Jenner and Bella Hadid. Zendaya wore a Mackie gown while honoring Cher at the 2024 Rock & Roll Hall of Fame induction ceremony. Taylor Swift also used Mackie’s original designs as inspiration for her showgirl look on the cover of her 2025 album “The Life of a Showgirl.” Sequins, rhinestones and glitter were among Mackie’s favorite design elements, earning him nicknames such as the “Sultan of Sequins” and “Guru of Glitter.” But his design philosophy was simple. “You don’t try to change anybody, you just try to make them look better than ever,” he told The Associated Press in 2018. Tributes poured in following his death. Actor Kristin Chenoweth called him a “legend,” while designer Isaac Mizrahi wrote that he was “heartbroken.” Actor Alyssa Milano described him as “one of the best that ever was.” A career spanning Hollywood and Broadway Mackie also had a successful career on Broadway. He designed costumes for “On the Town” in 1971 and “Moon Over Buffalo” in 1995. His other Broadway projects included “Debbie” in 1976, “Minnelli on Minnelli” in 1999 and “The Cher Show,” for which he won his Tony Award. Born and raised in Southern California, Mackie developed a love for Hollywood glamour as a child after watching Technicolor musicals. He sketched elaborate outfits for his mother and sister and became involved in costume and set design for school productions. He studied advertising and illustration at Pasadena City College before studying costume design at the Chouinard Art Institute in Los Angeles. Mackie later worked for legendary costume designer Edith Head before landing a job on “The Carol Burnett Show.” Close partnership with Cher and Burnett Mackie and Burnett became close friends and collaborators. He created costumes for some of her most memorable characters, including Nora Desmond, Eunice and her parody of Scarlett O’Hara in “Gone With the Wind,” called Starlet O’Hara. For Starlet O’Hara, Burnett wore the famous green curtain dress still attached to its curtain rods. The costume is now part of the Smithsonian’s National Museum of American History. “I love doing funny things,” Mackie told AP in 1999. “One week I’d have to make Carol an unattractive postal worker, and who knows what I’d have to do the next.” Mackie later worked on “The Sonny and Cher Show” after Cher appeared as a guest on Burnett’s program and became fond of his designs. He said Cher’s Laverne character, dressed in a leopard-print jumpsuit with dangling earrings, was one of his favorites. Their partnership later took a more daring direction when Cher moved into movies and began attending the Academy Awards. Mackie created the beaded, midriff-baring outfits that became a signature of her red-carpet appearances. At the 1974 Met Gala, Cher wore one of Mackie’s most famous creations — a sheer, beaded gown with feathered sleeves and a feathered skirt. The dress and Cher appeared on the cover of Time magazine. Other memorable looks included a beaded spiderweb outfit with a matching Mohawk in 1986 and a revealing gown she wore after winning the best actress Oscar in 1988. “The outfits are sometimes mistaken for fashion, but they’re costumes like for a character in a play,” Mackie told AP in 1999. “I want people to have fun. I want people to say ‘Wasn’t that interesting?’ or ‘Wasn’t that wild?’” Mixed views on modern fashion Mackie also found some commercial success. He launched a ready-to-wear clothing line in 1982 that later appeared at New York Fashion Week and became an early partner of QVC. Although revealing dresses became increasingly popular, Mackie later expressed frustration with what he saw as repetitive and overly exposed red-carpet fashion. “You watch awards shows and say, ‘Oh, cover up! Put it away! Honey, I don’t need to see all of that!’” he told The Hollywood Reporter in 2024. He also criticized the similar looks worn by celebrities at the Met Gala, saying he was bored by the lack of originality. Mackie also designed dozens of Barbie dolls for Mattel, featuring different faces, body types and stories. He is credited with being the first designer to create an entire Barbie doll, including a Lady Dracula Cher doll with small fangs and a coffin-shaped box. The documentary “Bob Mackie: Naked Illusion” premiered in 2024. One of his dresses worn by Cher in 1975 was sold at auction that year for $101,600, about 25 times its original estimate. Mackie was married to showgirl Lulu Porter from 1960 to 1963. Their son, makeup artist Robert Gordon Mackie Jr., died of AIDS at age 35. Mackie’s longtime partner, costume designer Ray Aghayan, died in 2011. Mackie once summed up his approach to design by saying practicality was never his priority: “It’s all about looking good and living your fantasies.” In 2017, at age 71, Cher again attracted attention at the Billboard Music Awards wearing two outfits designed by Mackie. Mackie, however, remained critical of what he considered an increasingly predictable fashion industry. “Nothing is very interesting anymore,” he told Vogue in 2017. “You just keep seeing the same thing over and over again and there are no surprises. Unfortunately, you don’t see much fashion anymore.”