Goethe-Institut Bangladesh, in cooperation with the International Film Initiative of Bangladesh (IFIB), organized the screening of the Shahneoyaj Cacoly-directed film “Nodijon” (The River of Colours) on Sunday, December 15 at Goethe-Institut Bangladesh auditorium.

The event was joined by President of the International Film Initiative of Bangladesh (IFIB) Samia Zaman, Dhaka University’s Associate Professor of the Department of Theatre and Performance Studies and actor Wahida Mollick, the film’s actor Pran Roy and director Shahneoyaj Cacoly.

Samia Zaman, in her welcoming speech, said “Almost a year has passed since we started ‘Through Her Eyes’ Film Screening series, which has given us the opportunity to come together regularly to watch and discuss films made by women. A bold film about social injustice against women, ‘Nodijon’ again reminded me about why we thought it was important to have this space.”

The film “Nodijan”, deals with the social and marital consequences of a man divorcing his wife by using the oral 'talaq'; first suspecting her of adultery and then realising his mistake and wanting her back.

Followed by the screening, filmmaker Shahneoyaj Cacoly and actor Pran Roy spoke during a lively Q&A discussion session, moderated by Wahida Mollick.

Marking the occasion of the 49th Victory Day of the country, the artistes of Swadhin Bangla Betar Kendra (Free Bengal Radio Centre) reunited and performed at Bangladesh Shilpakala Academy (BSA) on Sunday.

Featuring a series of performances at BSA’s National Theatre Hall by artistes of the only radio broadcasting centre of Bengali nationalist forces during the Bangladesh Liberation War in 1971, programme was presided by eminent journalist - cultural personality and head of news of then Swadhin Bangla Betar Kendra, Kamal Lohani- and joined by BSA director general Liaquat Ali Lucky, music composer and instrumentalist Jahangir Hayat Khan, singer Kalyani Ghosh, Anup Bhattacharya and Rafiqul Alam.

Recalling the emotion of the time, Kamal Lohani said “The 1971 liberation war of Bangladesh saw a ‘never-seen-before’ kind of activism and patriotism from the people all over the country, and Swadhin Bangla Betar Kendra was the soul of that united body. We had been lucky to contribute in our liberation war through our talents and cultural works.”

Artistes from BSA presented several tremendous dance and musical performances, while renowned singers of Swadhin Bangla Betar Kendra including Fakir Alamgir, Kaderi Kibria, Rupa Forhad, Moloy Kumar Ganguly, Timir Nandi, Shaheen Samad, Indra Mohan Rajbongshi, Rafiqul Alam, Bulbul Mahlanbish and Dalia Nawshin enthralled the audiences with their solo songs, written on the liberation war.

Artist Ashraful Alam performed a live, on stage news presentation of Swadhin Bangla Betar Kendra, recreating the palpitating yet majestic notion and emotion of the war-period when people used to depend on radio (the only broadcasting entertainment medium available during that time) news to get daily updates on the war.

Bangladesh will take special initiatives to eliminate trans fat, Health Minister Zahid Maleque said Sunday.

“To determine the maximum level of Trans-fat to 2 percent, it is also necessary to legislate as well as implement policies accordingly,” he said at an inaugural advocacy campaign titled ‘Eliminate Trans-fat, Reduce Heart Disease Risks’, according to a statement.

Trans fat (Trans Fatty Acids) is a certain type of fat which is injurious to health and the consumption of it causes the blood flow of the arteries to be blocked, raising risks of heart attacks, stroke and type 2 diabetes.

The campaign was jointly organised by the National Heart Foundation, PROGGA (Knowledge for Progress) and Consumers Association of Bangladesh (CAB) at the CIRDAP Auditorium in the city.

“We can certainly reduce the trans fat level to 2 percent by 2023, with the aid of the Prime Minister,” said Prof Dr Md Habibe Millat, MP, the special guest of the event.

He promised to provide thorough support and assistance to legislate regulatory laws to eliminate trans fat.

CAB President Ghulam Rahman said vegetable oils containing excessive levels of trans fat should not be imported.

Chairing the event, National Prof Brigadier (retd) Abdul Malik, the founder and President of the National Heart Foundation of Bangladesh, said the number of people with heart disease below 50 years of age is increasing now-a-days for which trans fat is a major determinant.

He hoped the situation can be changed by eliminating trans fat.

ABM Zubair, Executive Director of PROGGA, said each year around 277,000 people die of heart diseases in Bangladesh. He said the intake of unhealthy foods is one of the leading but preventable causes of heart diseases.

The keynote speakers of the programme included Professor Dr Sohel Reza Choudhury, Department of Epidemiology and Research, National Heart Foundation of Bangladesh; Muhammad Ruhul Quddus, Country Coordinator of Global Health Advocacy Incubator (GHAI) and Md Hasan Shahriar, Team Leader of Trans Fat Project, PROGGA.

The programme was hosted by the President of Bangladesh Health Reporters’ Forum Toufiq Maruf.

Prof Dr AHM Enayet Hussain, Additional Director General (Planning and Development), Director General Health Services; Md Muazzem Hossain, Director General, Bangladesh Standards and Testing Institution; Syeda Sarwar Jahan, Chairman, Bangladesh Food Safety Authority and others were present there.

Bangladesh Shilpakala Academy’s (BSA) special exhibition on the life and works of Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina, titled ‘Sheikh Hasina – Bangladesh Er Shopnosharathi’ concluded on Sunday at the National Art Gallery.

S M Rezaul Karim, Housing and Public Works Minister, attended the closing ceremony as chief guest while Ashim Kumar Ukil, Member of Parliament from Netrokona-3, was present as the special guest.

Presided by BSA Director General Liaquat Ali Lucky, the closing ceremony was also joined by Honorary president of the International Theatre Institute (ITI) Ramendu Majumdar and Dhaka University’s Faculty of Fine Arts Professor Jamal Ahmed.

Portraying the eventful and celebrated life, struggles and notable works of Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina, the exhibition is featuring 231 artworks, 133 paintings, 4 sculpture arts, 5 video installations, 10 discussion meetings and a 32/43 feet long portrait painting of the PM, completed on 72 canvases.

Initially set to end on October 27, the exhibition was first extended till November 15 and then November 30. Based on positive crowd reaction, Shilpakala authorities decided to extend the timeline thrice.

The exhibition was inaugurated by Speaker of the Parliament Dr Shirin Sharmin Chaudhury on September 28 at National Theatre Hall of Shilpakala.

Can you imagine yourself in a heavenly tranquil place in the midst of greenery with mountains as backdrop? To make this dream come true you can visit Sylhet, which is located in the north-eastern part of Bangladesh. Standing on the bank of the Surma River, Sylhet is blessed with subtropical climate, featuring humid weather, hot summer and cooler winter. Besides mausoleums and tea gardens, Sylhet has lots of tourist attractions. In this article, we are going to introduce you with top 6 tourist attractions in and around Sylhet.

Ratargul Swamp Forest

Ratargul Swamp Forest is a heavenly tourist attraction in Sylhet. Covering about 504 acres of land, Ratargul forest connects with Chengir Lake and Gowain River. This forest is composed of diverse kinds of water plants. What makes Ratargul forest exclusive is the amazing beauty of standing trees over the water.

During the rainy season, this forest is submerged with 20-30 feet water. Then it looks like the trees and their shadows have divided the crystal water. What is more? The marvelous greenery of surrounding Mizoram hills is merged with the eternal beauty of this serene forest.

How to reach Ratargul Swamp Forest from Sylhet city? First, you can hire a CNG – fare ranges around 500 BDT – from Sylhet city to arrive at Goain Ghat. The journey usually takes about 2.5 to 3 hours. From Goain Ghat, you can reserve a trawler engine boat to explore the Ratargul Swamp Forest.

Jaflong

Wanna feel the thrill of visiting the neighboring country India without crossing the border? The famous tourist destination Jaflong can give you this outstanding experience. The Dauki River originating from the north Khasi mountains of India flows into Bangladesh with the name ‘Piyain’. Lying on the bank of ‘Piyain’ River Jaflong falls under the East Jaflong Union at Guainghat Upazilla in Sylhet.

How to reach Jaflong from Sylhet city? The distance from Sylhet city to Jaflong is about 62 km. You can take a bus from Sylhet city heading towards Jaflong directly. The journey takes about 3 to 3.5 hours.

Hiring a boat in Jaflong, you can visit Zero Point, the last border of Bangladesh. The most amazing attraction of Jaflong is a natural bridge hanging over the river Dauki. Here you can also enjoy the magnificent water falls flowing from distant green mountains.

Bisnakandi

If you are a crazy lover of boat journey, then Bisnakandi would cherish your soul. The Bisnakandi village falls under Rustompur Union at Guainghat Upazilla in Sylhet. Bichanakandi presents a unique natural beauty where several layers of Khasi Mountain summits at a single peak from different sides. While flowing from the high mountains, the river stream carries huge rocks which naturally get deposited in Bisnakandi. The rolling stones lying over crystal clear water would leave an unforgettable memory in your mind.

Bisnakandi is about 25 kilometers far from Sylhet City. There are several ways to reach Bisnakandi from Sylhet city. You can take a CNG auto-rickshaw to arrive at Hadarpar. On this point you can reserve a local boat to explore Bisnakandi.

During your boat-journey to Bisnakandi, the boat will travel across the heavenly beautiful Piyain River. On the way, you can enjoy the cherubic sceneries of cloud-hugging mountain views, sinuous falls and graceful rural landscape. The best views of Bichanakandi are found during the rainy season.

Lalakhal

Wanna spend your vacation floating on a wide natural canal where the water looks emerald green? You can have such a heavenly place in the ‘Lalakhal’ canal near Tamabil road in Sylhet. The distance from Sylhet city to Lalakhal is about 35 km. This canal is connected with the mind-blowing Sharee River, originated from the Meghalaya – a state of India. Being comparatively shallow, the Sharee River is a great source of sand resource in Sylhet. 

How to reach Lalakhal from Sylhet city? First, get on a bus to arrive at Sarighat – 42 km distant from Sylhet city. Here you would find reserve boats. Now, you can step on this heaven on earth through a boat ride. The amazing beauty of Lalakhal would keep you enthralled throughout the journey. The greenish blue crystal water of Lalakhal creates a breathtaking combo with cloud touching hills and surrounding greenery.

Manipuri Rajbari

If you are fond of ancient architecture, then you can put Manipuri Rajbari in your bucket list. Manipuri Rajbari is a significant piece of Sylhet’s history and architecture. This historical place bears remembrance of dynasty and architectural monuments built by three royal brothers: Gombir Singh, Churging Singh, and Marjit Singh.

Visiting this place you can see a few remaining assets – like the principal gate, Bhalakhana, decorated stairs, and border wall – of the sing dynasty. 

Malnicherra Tea garden

Sylhet is renowned worldwide for production of standard quality tea leaves. Not to mention the unique beauty of tea gardens have presented Sylhet a different identity. To make your Sylhet tour contented, don’t miss to visit Malnicherra tea garden.

Here the tea trees and evergreen surroundings are declaring the grandeur of nature. As far as the eyes go, plush green carpet is spread across the horizon under blue sky. This tranquil ambient can release your stress and make your soul relax.

Bottom Line:

Sylhet is a divisional headquarter and one of the major cities of Bangladesh. The amazing combination of greenery, beautiful rivers and mountain views has made Sylhet a favorite destination of tourism for the outdoor enthusiasts from Bangladesh as well as the whole world. So far, we have highlighted the top 6 tourist attractions in and around Sylhet. Besides these, Sylhet has many other tourist spots to visit.

Sylhet has good communication system with capital city Dhaka and other parts of Bangladesh. However, it is recommended to checkout weather forecast before starting expedition. While you go for boat rides don’t forget to carry lifejacket, if you can’t swim. Happy travelling!