Different government and private cultural organisations organized cultural programmes, discussions and awards ceremonies across the country on Sunday to celebrate the 161st birth anniversary of Nobel laureate Rabindranath Tagor. These events marked the glorious return of in-person celebrations of the 'Biswa Kabi's birth anniversary, after being virtually shelved for the last two years due to the global pandemic of COVID-19.   The Ministry of Cultural Affairs, in collaboration with Kushtia district administration, organised a programme at Rabindra Kuthibari in Shilaidaha, Kushtia on Sunday afternoon, which was joined by Jatiya Sangsad speaker Dr Shirin Sharmin Chaudhury as chief guest. Chairperson of the parliamentary standing committee on the Ministry of Cultural Affairs Simin Hossain Rimi was present as special guest at the programme, which was presided over by State Minister for Cultural Affairs KM Khalid. The artistes of Bangladesh Shilpakala Academy (BSA), led by eminent Rabindra exponent Rezwana Chowdhury Bannya, performed the national anthem at the event. "Every criteria of Bengali emotions - happiness and sorrow, love and separation, joy and pain, all of these are impacted by the majestic creations of Rabindranath Tagore. He was deeply fascinated by the scenic beauty of Bangladesh, thus he composed "Amar Sonar Bangla" which was later selected as our National Anthem by Father of the Nation Bangabandhu Sheikh Mujibur Rahman," Dr Shirin Sharmin Chaudhury said at the event. State Minister for Culture KM Khalid said, "Rabindranath Tagore stayed in this historic Kuthibari in Shilaidaha in between 1891 to 1901, and crafted many of his iconic literary works - including the beginning of his Nobel Prize winning literature 'Gitanjali.' He has climbed the golden peak of success in all branches of poetry, stories, novels, essays, articles, plays, children's literature, biographies, music and more, which made him significantly unique and everlasting. Becoming the first Bengali Nobel Prize winner in literature, he has glorified Bengali language, Bengali literature and Bangladesh as well." Marking the occasion, BSA organised a discussion session and arranged a painting exhibition and art camp on Sunday afternoon at the National Art Gallery in Segunbagicha, Dhaka. The exhibition, which will continue till May 22, is showcasing reproductions of Tagore’s paintings and paintings portraying him, displaying 124 artworks in total. Among the displayed artworks, 45 are reproductions of Tagore’s paintings while 79 paintings are made on him.