United News of Bangladesh

With a commitment to reviving traditional crafts and fostering creative innovation, the third edition of Dhaka Makers is currently underway at Aloki in the capital. Kicked off on January 30, the five-day event has drawn attention with its unique zoned layout, vibrant activities, and engaging displays.   Building on the success of its previous editions, the festival offers a platform for fresh ideas, innovative showcases, and a deeper connection between creators and the community, according to its organizers. The opening ceremony was held on Thursday night, joined by Mohammad Mahbubur Rahman, Additional Managing Director & Chief Financial Officer of City Bank; and Susan Vize, Country Representative of UNESCO. In their remarks, the speakers praised the initiative and its contributions and artistic tributes to the country’s creative and cultural landscape. While the formal opening marked a significant start, the real charm of the festival lies in its marketplaces, live demonstrations, and interactive exhibits, according to the organizers.

When an iconic painting is in need of restoration, it is usually taken to a studio to be worked on in seclusion. In the case of a massive Peter Paul Rubens masterpiece in the artist's Belgian hometown, the studio had to be taken to the painting. In the largest room of Antwerp's Royal Fine Arts Museum, the restorers have the eyes of visitors on their backs and — sometimes — criticism ringing in their ears. At 6 meters (19.6 feet), the “Enthroned Madonna Adored by Saints,” a lush swirl of flesh, fabric and drapes, stands taller than an adult giraffe. A team of six restorers is poring over it for a two-year cleanup, which is scheduled to end this fall. Compare that to Rubens himself, who could put paint to canvas on such a massive work in only a few weeks. No wonder such panache, the grand gesture in a simple brushstroke, left all in awe — then and now. Rubens, perhaps Antwerp's most famous son, painted the work in 1628 in the studio of his house in the city. “It's such a flamboyant painter that, yeah, we love it,” said Ellen Keppens, grasping for the proper effusive words. Together with her twin sister, Jill, Ellen is leading an international team of six women restorers. On a recent morning, they were applying undertones to the Baroque masterpiece, sometimes crawling along the wood-paneled floor to apply a touch here or there. Later, they had to crouch under a metal staircase before heading up to the top corner for another dab of retouching there. Who ever said art restoration was not physical labor? Theft in Netherlands of ancient golden helmet leaves Romania distraught “Like our colleague says, she's become really good at yoga,” said Keppens of a team member. “You notice that you can bend in all kind of angles in front of a painting.” When a crick in her neck gets too bad, she can just walk to the computer desk next to the painting for some administrative work. She'd better not look too far to her left down the room known as the Rubens gallery. At the other end stands another iconic work of the master, equally daunting and gigantic, and also badly in need of restoration: “The Adoration of the Magi.” Koen Bulckens, the curator of the Baroque section at the museum, knows the challenges ahead. “We will use this studio now for the treatment of this work,” he said, looking at the Madonna, the brightness of the original paint revealed after the painstaking removal of aged varnish. Then, he said, comes "another work, which is the ‘Adoration of the Magi.’" And the clock is ticking. “The project is set to end in 2027, which will be the 450th anniversary of Rubens' birth. So it will be a jubilee year," Bulckens said. As with so many centuries-old paintings, the biggest problems are old varnish and bad previous restorations. “This work was covered by a very exceptionally, I must say, thick and yellow varnish which distorted on the one hand the colors, but on the other hand also the brushwork, which had become impossible to see,” said Bulckens. A 2,000-year-old statue found abandoned in garbage bag in Greece In addition, two paintings hanging on either side of the Madonna had been cleaned 35 years ago, leaving the Rubens in the middle looking jaundiced. “It was obvious how yellow it looked. You can play with the museum light to make it a bit bluer, but that was really not a definitive solution,” he said. Removing the varnish, though, left the painted surface with a dull complexion. Restorers working in a studio know the removal is part of the process and the final result will only look more splendid later. At the museum itself, some visitors were convinced the beloved painting was being ruined and, despite the ample "do not disturb" signs, let their concerns be known. “Some absolutely we don’t realize it. And then they think, like, was it a good idea? Yes, of course it was a good idea,” said Keppens. “We know what's going to happen next,” once new varnish and touches are applied. “Sometimes you have a moment to explain to visitors, but often we are just working and, yeah, but then we hear the comments in the background, of course,” Keppens said. Standing up for the master — and for their own work — now comes naturally. After dealing with Rubens, month in and month out, “he is a very large part of our lives.”

Turongomi Repertory Dance Theatre will present its renowned production Waterness at National Theatre Hall of Bangladesh Shilpakala Academy at 7:30pm on January 30. Waterness is a bilingual (Bangla and English) dance theatre performance, inspired by the life of Rabindranath Tagore and dedicated to Kadombori Debi. With a runtime of 45 minutes, it seamlessly blends dance and narrative theatre, offering an unforgettable artistic experience. Curtain rises on 43rd Jatiya Rabindra Sangeet Sammelan This year marks a significant milestone as Turongomi celebrates 10 years of Waterness. The production was first premiered on January 21, 2015, and has since been staged 11 times in total, receiving widespread acclaim both in Bangladesh and internationally. It continues to captivate audiences, maintaining its relevance and success throughout the years. The production is Scripted by Dheeman Bhattyacharyya, Music by Suman Sarkar, Light by Amlan Bishwas, Concept, Design, Choreography and Direction by Pooja Sengupta. The cast features Pooja Sengupta, Atik Rahman, Prantik Deb, Yasna Rahman, Lopa Adhikari, Adrija Sengupta, Shakil Ahmed, Sanzida Sandhi, Pushpita Shil and others. The production is sponsored by Berger Paints Bangladesh Limited. The event is open to all, and tickets will be available for purchase at the venue’s box office on the day of the performance.

The prize in this art heist is worth more than its gold. To Romania, the ancient helmet is a priceless cultural heirloom. To the Netherlands, it’s a stolen artifact that authorities hope to retrieve to uphold a reputation for safe museums. The intricate golden Cotofenesti helmet dates back some 2,500 years and is one Romania’s most revered national treasures from the Dacia civilization. It was on display at the small Drents Museum in eastern Netherlands on the last weekend of a 6-month stint when thieves nabbed it. The theft of the helmet and three golden wristbands also on display sent shockwaves through the art world, and devastated Romanian authorities who thought they were loaning the items to a nation where security for museums was paramount. “It is a pitch dark day for us,” museum director Harry Tupan said. Investigators had found few clues by late Monday beyond a burnt-out car close to the museum, indicating the thieves wanted to cover their tracks. Romanian President Klaus Iohannis said the artifacts have “exceptional cultural and historical importance” for Romanian heritage and identity, and that their disappearance had “a strong emotional and symbolic impact on society.” It was a heist that “even in our most pessimistic dreams, we would not have believed possible,” said the director of Romania’s National History Museum, Ernest Oberlander-Tarnoveanu. A 2,000-year-old statue found abandoned in garbage bag in Greece Romanian Justice Minister Radu Marinescu called the incident a “crime against our state” and said recovering the artifacts “is an absolute priority." The helmet's fame and dramatic studded appearance means it could never easily be sold, raising fears the thieves were after the gold itself. “It is simply unsellable. The whole world knows it. So, they likely went for the gold to — I almost dare not utter the words — melt it,” said Dutch art expert Arthur Brand. That would reduce the treasure to a fraction of its cultural and historical value. Gold stands at about 85,000 euros ($89,000) per kilo and the helmet is estimated to weigh slightly less than that. “It is not only about the gold. It is about the cultural heritage,” Tupan said. “And it has been taken in a strange way and hurts incredibly.” Top Reasons Why London Is Tripadvisor's Best Travel Destination for 2025 On grainy security video distributed by police, three people are seen opening a museum door with a big crowbar, after which an explosion is seen. Then they must have made off with the loot in a matter of minutes. “Security, as it is supposed it be, was as far as we know, totally as it should be,” Tupan said. “And now, it is a small battlefield. There is nothing else for us to do but sit and wait and see what will happen.”

The 43rd edition of the Jatiya Rabindra Sangeet Sammelan (National Rabindra Sangeet Conference) began on Thursday. It is organised by the Jatiya Rabindra Sangeet Sammilan Parishad and is being held at the Chhayanaut auditorium in Dhaka's Dhanmondi. Cultural show marking Chinese New Year held in Dhaka The three-day conference, scheduled to be continued till January 25, is being joined by more than five hundred artists, cultural activists, and organisers from different regions of the country. Eminent Rabindra exponent Fahmida Khatun inaugurated the conference, and the president of the inaugural session, Dr Sarwar Ali, acknowledged her graceful presence with floral greetings. The three-day conference festivity began with the song “Ei Kotha ta Dhore Rakhish.” After the song, Dr Sarwar Ali delivered the President's speech, stating, "There was a crisis of artists here as many talented artists left for India after the partition—then talented artists like Fahmida Khatun and Zahidur Rahim played a special role in spreading the practice of Rabindra Sangeet across the country." “Fahmida Khatun inaugurated this conference today, and this incident has created a special significance for this year’s conference," Dr Sarwar Ali said, while also emphasising the majestic literary works of Rabindranath and how they resonated with society and its people for ages. ‘Nalini’: artist and printmaker Julia Lebrao Sendra’s solo exhibition begins at AFD Tania Mannan, secretary of the National Rabindra Sangeet Sammilan Parishad, delivered the welcome speech at the conference, informing that the recently deceased eminent Rabindra exponent, Papia Sarwar, will be honoured with Rabindra Padak at this year’s conference. After the speeches, the event started moving forward—starting with the lyrical ballad 'Firey Chol Matir Taney.'. The lyrics of the ballad were penned by Santosh Dhali, and the music was directed by artist Bulbul Islam, and the ballad was recited by Bhaswar Banerjee and Trapa Mazumdar. Nrityam Nrityashilana and Dhrithi Nartanalaya then showcased enthralling dance recitals, and after that, renowned Rabindra Sangeet artists including Rokaiya Hasina, Ashok Saha, Akalima Khatun, Shukla Pal, Ferdous Ara, Sushmita Ahmed, Prateek End, Partha Pratim Roy, Kallol Sengupta, Naima Islam, Mainul Islam, Anupam Basak, Pemana Roy, Irene Parveen, Asim Dutta, and Shrabani Mazumder performed solo songs. Alongside these solo performances, the Chandpur branch artists under the National Rabindra Sangeet Sammilan Parishad performed collective songs. Eminent dance artist Munmun Ahmed also performed on the inaugural day, and renowned recitation artist Dalia Ahmed recited Tagore’s poem at the event. 23rd DIFF concludes; ‘Priyo Maloti’ wins Best Film for Bangladesh More than 500 artists, cultural workers, and organisers from different parts of the country are participating in this year's 43rd National Rabindra Sangeet Conference. Activities of the second day of the conference started at 9:30 am on Friday, and several musical performances, dances, and recitals are scheduled to be held to enthral the Rabindra admirers. A delegation meeting was held on Friday at 3 pm, and a seminar titled “Rabindranath in Bangladesh and Rabindranath's Bangladesh" will be held at 4 pm. The activities of 'Zahidur Rahim Smriti Parishad' started in 1979 on the death anniversary of eminent Rabindra artist Zahidur Rahim. The name of the organisation was then changed to ‘Jatiya Rabindra Sangeet Sammilan Parishad’ with a mission to operate on a larger scale across the country, and as of now, the Sammilan Parishad has been operating nationwide with its 82 branches. After its establishment, the first annual sessions were held only in the capital, Dhaka. To activate the branches, since 1984, conferences have been held in Dhaka for one year and in other districts the next year. Open to all, the three-day conference will welcome Rabindra admirers till January 25 at Chhayanaut.

A marble statue of a woman believed to be more than 2,000 years old was found abandoned in a garbage bag near the Greek city of Thessaloniki, police said Wednesday. A resident discovered the 80-centimeter (31-inch) headless statue beside a trash bin in Neoi Epivates, outside Greece’s second-largest city. The man turned it over to local authorities, who contacted archaeologists to assess its significance. A $6.2 million banana and the Bangladeshi vendor who sold it for 25 cents in New York Police said experts, following an initial evaluation, determined the piece dates to the Hellenistic era, a period roughly between 320 and 30 B.C. that was marked by a flourishing of art and culture following the conquests of Alexander the Great. The statue was sent for further examination by archaeologists. It will ultimately be handed over to the local antiquities authority for preservation and study. Police opened an investigation to determine who discarded the statue and briefly detained a man for questioning who was later released without charge. Accidental archaeological discoveries are relatively common in Greece, a country renowned for its ancient heritage, and often made during building construction or public works. In December, workers installing natural gas pipelines near Athens uncovered a Roman-era statue of Hermes buried upright in a brick-lined pit near the Acropolis. Thessaloniki weeks ago unveiled a trove of antiquities found during the decades-long construction of its metro system, which officially opened in November. Key finds, including a marble-paved Roman thoroughfare and tens of thousands of artifacts spanning the Greek, Byzantine, and Ottoman periods, are now showcased at subway stations.

Bangladesh Shilpakala Academy (BSA) and the Embassy of China in Dhaka jointly organised a cultural event marking the Chinese New Year celebration in Dhaka. The event titled "Happy Chinese New Year Wu Opera" was held at the National Theatre Hall auditorium on Tuesday night. Cultural Affairs Adviser Mostofa Sarwar Farooki, Chinese Ambassador to Dhaka Yao Wen, along with his spouse Li Yu, Bangladesh Shilpakala Academy Director General Dr Syed Jamil Ahmed, and BNP Standing Committee Member oDr Abdul Moyeen Khan attended the event and delivered speeches. Around 800 attendees, including key figures from the Bangladesh government and various sectors, the Chinese community, representatives of China-funded enterprises, Confucius Institutes, international students, and media outlets from both China and Bangladesh, watched the performance live. ‘Nalini’: artist and printmaker Julia Lebrao Sendra’s solo exhibition begins at AFD In his speech, Adviser Farooki extended Chinese New Year greetings to the people of both nations and spoke highly of the event for injecting new vitality into Bangladesh's cultural communities, effectively promoting cultural exchange and mutual understanding between China and Bangladesh. “We know that Bangladesh has entered a new era. I would like to thank the Chinese government and the embassy and hope that through cultural exchanges, Bangladesh-China relations will reach a unique height in the coming days, bringing benefits to both countries culturally and economically,” said Farooki. In his speech, Ambassador Yao highlighted the historical ties and geographical proximity between China and Bangladesh, which have fostered friendly exchanges for thousands of years. He noted that the Spring Festival is the most important traditional festival for the Chinese people and has been recognised by UNESCO as part of the Representative List of the Intangible Cultural Heritage of Humanity. Wu Opera, as a treasure of China's intangible cultural heritage, represents an important facet of Chinese traditional cultural art. Ambassador Yao expressed hope that more Bangladeshi friends would experience the profound heritage and unique charm of Chinese culture, making cultural exchanges between China and Bangladesh even more vibrant. Yao also called for closer collaboration across various sectors in both countries to strengthen the bonds of friendship, contribute to regional and global peace and prosperity, and better build a community with a shared future for mankind. 23rd DIFF concludes; ‘Priyo Maloti’ wins Best Film for Bangladesh

Franco-Brazilian printmaker Julia Lebrao Sendra’s solo exhibition ‘Nalini’ began at La Galerie, Alliance Française de Dhaka (AFD), Dhanmondi on Tuesday. Alliance Française de Dhaka and Brihatta Art Foundation jointly organised the exhibition. The inaugural ceremony of this exhibition was joined by Amandine Roggeman, Cultural Attachée of the French Institute in India as the special guest. Brihatta co-founder and renowned Bangladeshi artist Bishwajit Goswami and Dhaka University Faculty of Fine Art Professor Anisuzzaman Anis were also present at the ceremony, along with the Director of Alliance Francaise Francois Grosjean. Read: 23rd DIFF concludes; ‘Priyo Maloti’ wins Best Film for Bangladesh The exhibition is an outcome of a three-month residency programme held in partnership between Villa Swagatam, Institut Français in Delhi, the French Embassy in Bangladesh, Alliance Française de Dhaka, and Brihatta Art Foundation. Villa Swagatam, launched in 2023, supports a wide range of artistic disciplines, with a strong emphasis on literature, arts, and crafts. In 2024-2025, the program will expand with collaborations with nearly 30 renowned residencies across France, India, and Bangladesh, creating a unique platform for creativity, fostering mutual understanding, and promoting cross-disciplinary dialogue. Brihatta Art Foundation, based in Dhaka, is a research-driven, artist-run platform aimed at enhancing the accessibility and visibility of art through community engagement. It serves as a dynamic bridge between artists, craftsmen, local and expat communities, and global practitioners, facilitating workshops, residencies, and art talks to achieve shared artistic goals. Read: Arka Fashion Week’s third edition concludes in style The main focus of the work is the relationship between riverbank communities and their natural environment, the Buriganga River. The exhibition focuses on the relationship between riverbank communities and the Buriganga River, exploring themes of identity, water, and textiles. Julia Lebrao Sendra’s work, initially aimed at understanding local healing rituals, shifted after she discovered a deeper issue: a broken connection between the people and the river, symbolizing the concept of ‘Solastalgia’. Coined by philosopher Glenn Albrecht, ‘Solastalgia’ describes people's emotional distress when they can no longer connect to the natural environments they once knew due to climate change and human activities. This sense of loss is evident in Dhaka, where the relationship with the Buriganga reflects global concerns. Julia's work aims to foster reflection and dialogue as a step toward healing, using symbols, patterns, and colors from her daily life in Dhaka to offer fresh perspectives on the issue. The exhibition will be open to visitors at AFD till Monday, January 27, every day from 3 pm to 9 pm.

The 23rd Dhaka International Film Festival (DIFF) concluded on Sunday, awarding Shankha Dasgupta-directed and Mehazabien Chowdhury-starrer film ‘Priyo Maloti’ the FIPRESCI Award for Best Full-Length Feature Film under the Bangladesh Panorama section. Organised for nine days in five venues across the capital, the festival showcased 203 films from 75 countries in 10 different categories. On Sunday, the festival concluded with its closing ceremony at the main auditorium of the Bangladesh National Museum in the capital, with the Bangladeshi premier of Iqbal Hossain Chowdhury-directed film ‘Boli’. Cultural Affairs Adviser Mostofa Sarwar Farooki joined the ceremony as the chief guest, who mentioned several future steps for the Bangladesh film industry and the future editions of the Dhaka International Film Festival. He promised a permanent arrangement for well-equipped venues, a fixed budget and year-round activities, and also shared aspirations for the continuation of these types of works. “30 years ago, I was a volunteer at this festival; and I joined as a volunteer so that I could watch movies for free. However, this is unfortunate that our flagship Bangladeshi film festival lacks a permanent venue, advanced projection technology, and a proper sound system,” Farooki said at the event.

The publication ceremony of the book "Rafiqun Nabi'r Chitrabali" (Paintings of Rafiqun Nabi) was held on Sunday at Chhayanaut Sanskriti Bhaban in the capital’s Dhanmondi, featuring the paintings of the eminent Bangladeshi painter and Dhaka University Drawing and Painting Department Professor Emeritus Rafiqun Nabi. Hosted by Gallery Chitrak, the event, chaired by Dhaka University Professor Emeritus Dr Nazrul Islam, was joined by cultural luminaries from the society including the chief guest and the country’s prolific academician, critic, historian and DU Professor Emeritus Serajul Islam Choudhury; alongside eminent journalist and the daily Prothom Alo Editor Matiur Rahman; author of the book Dr Syed Azizul Huq, prominent art maestro and former dean of DU Faculty of Fine Art Nisar Hossain, and renowned academician and English translator of the book Dr Fakrul Alam, as the speakers. Gallery Chitrak Managing Director and artist Md Moniruzzaman delivered the welcome address. After the musical performance of Chhaya Karmakar, who performed the songs of Rajinikanth Sen and Rabindranath Tagore, the speakers shared their remarks about the book. Addressing the chief guest at the event, DU Professor Emeritus Serajul Islam Choudhury said, "This book provides a detailed picture of Rafiqun Nabi's work, covering all of the mediums he worked with. The unified body of Rafiqun Nabi’s artworks is a picture of Bangladesh through its vibrant representation of the nation's people, society and thriving folk culture.” Syed Azizul Huq, the author of the book 'Rafiqun Nabi's Chitrabali' said, "Rafiqun Nabi has worked in various fields of the country’s art industry. A total of 160 of his paintings are discussed individually in the book.” Besides sharing the experience of writing for Rafiqun Nabi in this book, Syed Azizul Huq also shared his experience of writing books discussing the works of Shilpacharya Zainul Abedin, and the late eminent artist Shafiuddin Ahmed.