The Indira Gandhi Cultural Centre (IGCC), High Commission of India in Dhaka organized a virtual poem recitation event “Tribute to Bangabandhu- Kobir Konthey Kobita (Poems by Poets)” in collaboration with the Bongiya Shahitya Sangskriti Samsad (Bangiya Society for Literature and Culture) on Tuesday.

The event broadcasted live on IGCC's Facebook page on Tuesday night, showcasing 16 renowned Bangladeshi poets who performed solo recitations of  self-composed poems showering tributes for the statesmanship, qualities of benevolence, his pragmatism and the supreme sacrifice the Father of the Nation made for his country.

Marking the ongoing 'Mujib Borsho' celebration (birth centenary of the Father of the Nation), the great leader has also been reflected in these poems as the subject and as an epitome of inspiration for the generations to come. 

Ekushey Padak, Independence award and Bangla Academy Award winning eminent poet Nirmalendu Goon, Member Secretary of Bangabandhu Sheikh Mujibur Rahman Memorial Trust Sheikh Hafizur Rahman, Bangla Academy Director General Habibullah Sirajee, Chief Coordinator of the Father of the Nation Bangabandhu Sheikh Mujibur Rahman Birth Centenary Celebration National Implementation Committee Dr. Kamal Abdul Naser Chowdhury, Ekushey Padak winning poet Nazmun Nesa Piari, Bangla Academy award winning poet Maruful Islam, former Secretary of the Ministry of Cultural Affairs Azizur Rahman Aziz, National Human Rights Commission Chairman Nasima Begum,  among others, recited their self-written poems at the event, honoring the Father of the Nation and his eventful life.

The webcast is available for viewers on the Facebook page of IGCC at www.facebook.com/IndiraGandhiCulturalCentre/

Saied Muhammad Zareef Saleh, who is only 13-years-old, has become the youngest jury member of the International Art Contest ‘The Future We Want’.

Perception Change Project of UN Geneva on the occasion of the 75th anniversary of the United Nations organised the programme, said a press release issued on Sunday.

US citizens or lawfully permanent residents from 44 countries participated (youth 13-15 years) the programme.

In the first step of the competition, the artworks received 17,000 online votes and finally the 3 winners were selected by the jury.

Director General Tatiana Valovaya of the United Nations office at Geneva appreciated Zareef on 27th August 2020.

Zareef is the child of Deputy Commissioner (Headquarters) of Barisal Metropolitan Police ARM Saleh and engineer Nishat couple.

Earlier, Saied Muhammad Zareef Saleh became winner of several national and international art contests including Kids4HumanRights of UN Drawing Contest.

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Observing the National Mourning Day and 45th martyrdom anniversary of the Father of the Nation, Bangabandhu Sheikh Mujibur Rahman - Bangladesh Shilpakala Academy (BSA) commemorated Bangabandhu and the martyrs of August 15 through various cultural programmes broadcast on its official Facebook page on Saturday.

The cultural organization arranged two virtual programmes as part of its ongoing month-long cultural arrangements titled 'Shilper Aloy Bangabandhu' (Bangabandhu through the Light of Cult), broadcast live on Facebook enthralling audiences from home and abroad.

'Baul er konthe Bangabandhu' (Bangabandhu through the voice of the Bauls) was the first event went live at 5 pm. The programme was joined by prominent cultural persona Syed Hasan Imam and Public Service Commission Chairman Dr Muhammed Sadique as its chief guests.

Prominent Baul artists Kangalini Sufia, Baul Shafi Mondol, Latif Shah, Samir Baul, Rakhi Shabnam, Diti Sarkar, Siddikur Rahman, Nasrin Jannat, Suman Kumar Das, Lalon researcher and singer Sardar Hirak Raja, instrumental artist Md Solaiman, recitation artist Mahmuda Akhtar and BSA singer Rukhsana Akhtar Rupsha presented enthralling musical performances as tributes to the Greatest Bengali of All Time at the event. 

Presided by BSA Director General Liaquat Ali Lucky, the event was hosted by Ashraful Hassan Babu.

The Academy then hosted a special Webinar followed by a unique 'Jatra' segment at 8 pm from its official Facebook page.

Eminent artist Mustafa Monwar and veteran recitation artist - thespian Jayanta Chattopadhyay joined as the chief guests at the programme titled 'Bangalir Mohanayak: Jatra Shilper Nobojatra', along with poet Minar Monsur and instrumental artist Sushanta Das.

Prominent actress Aruna Biswas hosted the event, with BSA Director General Liaquat Ali Lucky as the chair.

Four Jatra troupes presented flamboyant Jatra performances at the show from different places of the country.         

Netrokothon, a Jatra troupe from Netrokona performed 'Jatir Pitar Atmodan' (Sacrifice of the Father of the Nation), Bagura's Balaka Opera performed 'Bipoder Bondhu Bangabandhu Sheikh Mujib' (Bangabandhu as the Rescuer), Jashore-based Jatra troupe The Caesers Jatra Unit performed 'Banglar Mohanayak' (The Great Hero of Bangla) and Shwadhin Bangla Natyagoshthi from Dhaka showcased Jatra titled 'Roktosnato 71' (Blood-bathed 71) at the virtual Jatra event.        

The 44th death anniversary of national poet Kazi Nazrul Islam is being observed on Thursday.

Nazrul, revered as Bidrohi Kobi (a rebel poet) for his activism for political and social justice, breathed his last in Dhaka on 12th Bhadro of Bangla calendar year 1383 (August 29, 1976) at the age of 77. He was buried with full state honour beside the Dhaka University Central Mosque.

Nazrul produced a large body of poetry and music with themes that included religious devotion and spiritual rebellion against all sorts of oppression.

Different socio-cultural and political organisations are marking the day with various programmes following health guidelines due to coronavirus pandemic.

Television channels are airing special programmes on Nazrul’s works and life.

Nazrul’s powerful poems inspired people to fight against all kinds of odds and injustice and repression during the colonial rule while his songs and poems were also a great source of inspiration for the freedom fighters during the country’s Liberation War in 1971.

Kazi Nazrul Islam was born on May 24 in 1899 at Churulia village in Asansol subdivision of Burdwan district of West Bengal, India.

Also read: Nazrul’s death anniversary being observed

Israeli archaeologists announced on Monday they have discovered  a trove of early Islamic gold coins during recent salvage excavations near the central city of Yavne, reports AP.

The collection of 425 complete gold coins, most dating to the Abbasid period around 1,100 years ago, was an “extremely rare” find, Israel Antiquities Authorities archaeologists Liat Nadav-Ziv and Elie Haddad said in a joint statement.

The trove, which was unearthed by youth volunteers, also included hundreds of smaller clippings from gold coins that would have served as smaller denominations.

Robert Kool, a coin expert with the antiquities authority, said an initial analysis indicates the coins date from the late 9th century, considered the golden age of the Abbasid Caliphate that controlled most of the Near East and North Africa.

The discovery was among the largest caches of ancient coins found in Israel.

In 2015, amateur divers found around 2,000 gold coins off the coast of the ancient port city of Caesarea dating to the Fatimid period in the 10th and 11th centuries.

"Hopefully the study of the hoard will tell us more about a period of which we still know very little,” Kool said.

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