Alliance Française de Dhaka
‘Decorated Deeds’: Arham–ul–Huq Chowdhury’s calligraphic tribute to Bangla heritage ongoing at AFD
The 20th solo exhibition by Arham ul Huq Chowdhury, titled 'Decorated Deeds: Bangla Calligraphy on Antique Documents', is currently ongoing at La Galerie, Alliance Française de Dhaka (AFD) in the capital’s Dhanmondi.
The latest exhibition of Arham's, 'Decorated Deeds', marks his 20th solo show and celebrates 30 years of his association with Alliance Française de Dhaka. Opened on the day of Pahela Baishakh (April 14), the first day of Bangla New Year — this special series features 31 Bangla calligraphy artworks rendered on rare antique documents, some dating back to the East India Company and colonial periods.
In this unique body of work, Arham overlays ancient Bangla idioms and proverbs onto vintage papers, symbolically linking linguistic heritage with the tangible remnants of historical narratives—preserving both art and memory.
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"In my pursuit of various facets of arts and knowledge, I came to initiate Bangla calligraphy; going further into it, I found dimensions being added on the way," Arham said in a recent interview with UNB.
"In that process of doing Bangla calligraphy, searching for age old idioms, phrases, riddles, and sayings that resonate with deeper meaning, and going further this time, I have tried adding another layer to the visual representation of the ancient words of wisdom."
“In 'Decorated Deeds', Arham ul HuQ Chowdhury does not merely exhibit—he resurrects; through the marriage of antique documents and Bangla calligraphy, each work becomes a vessel of memory, a bridge between centuries, and these proverbs are not relics—they are reminders, speaking with renewed urgency about identity, wisdom, and the lived texture of language. We are proud to support this timely and timeless exhibition, which doesn’t just honor heritage—it activates it.” — ARK Reepon, Curator of the exhibition and Founder of ARTCON, told UNB.
Arham is a versatile Bangladeshi artist, calligrapher, sculptor, designer, and researcher whose creative journey spans over three decades and multiple mediums. With a formal academic background in Anthropology—holding both Bachelors and Masters degrees from the University of Dhaka—his work reflects a profound engagement with culture, heritage, and the environment.
8 days ago
AFD stages comedy play ‘Songs of Hawkers’ at BSA
A comedy play titled “Songs of Hawkers” was staged at the Experimental Theatre Hall of Bangladesh Shilpakala Academy on Thursday, offering a humorous yet insightful portrayal of street hawkers’ lives.
Organised by Alliance Française de Dhaka (AFD), the play will be reprised at the same venue at 3:30 pm on Friday.
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Directed by French theatre artist Zazie Hayoun, 'Songs of Hawkers' blends elements of dance, music, puppetry, acrobatics, and clowning to depict the vibrant, chaotic world of Bangladeshi hawkers. The play incorporates the French theatrical technique of Grand Guignol, a 19th-century form known for its dramatic storytelling.
Throughout her international career, Hayoun has focused on capturing the essence of everyday life, transforming seemingly insignificant details into compelling narratives. In this production, she presents three interwoven stories – The Secret, The Thief Rewarded, and The Competition – highlighting the struggles, humour, and resilience of street vendors.
The cast includes Imam Hossain, M S Rana, P K Fazal, and Suraiya T Mou, with a creative team led by Hayoun as writer and director. Prajna T Rubayyat and Farjana Akter served as assistants, while music was led by Rahul Ananda; tune and composition of the song ‘Dog Eat Dog World' were done by Gopi Debnath, and choreography contributions came from Farhad A Shamim.
With a duration of one hour, Songs of Hawkers pays tribute to the hawkers who add rhythm and poetry to urban life through their relentless chants and daily hustle.
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The play, performed primarily in Bangla with some English dialogue, offers free entry upon confirmation via communication@afdhaka.org. It will continue at the same place and time on Friday.
1 month ago
‘Nalini’: artist and printmaker Julia Lebrao Sendra’s solo exhibition begins at AFD
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.
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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.
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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.
3 months ago
'Invisible Stories': AFD stages maiden edition of puppet play
Alliance Française de Dhaka (AFD) has recently hosted the first show of the puppet theatre titled “Invisible Stories” by a duo of Bangladeshi artists, Diana Meriline and Md Farhad Ahmed, under French puppeteer Laurie Cannac’s direction of her very own creation.
The maiden edition of this special theatre production was staged on October 4 and 5 at La Galerie, Alliance Française de Dhaka, in Dhanmondi.
The story follows two scientists, studying the impact of ghosts on everyday life in Dhaka. Their subject begins to master them and throws them on a fantastic trip that leads them to meet the wilderness and wisdom of the Sundarbans.
6 months ago
Where to Learn the French Language in Dhaka
French is becoming increasingly popular among professionals and students in Bangladesh. Being one of the leading international languages of the world, skills in the French language can open career and academic opportunities for Bangladeshis. Besides, several European countries and Canada value French language skills for immigration. Let’s delve into several learning centers in Dhaka that offer French language courses.
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Alliance Française de Dhaka
Alliance Française de Dhaka or AFD is the premier organization in Bangladesh for learning French. The non-profit organization has been working in Bangladesh since 1959 and is playing a key role in promoting French art and culture in the country.
AFD offers French learning options for children, teens, and adults. They have both extensive and intensive courses for each level. In addition to A1, A2, B1, and B2, AFD also has a “Beginner” course to start things off from absolute basics. All of the classes are conducted offline.
The course duration is about 40 hours for the extensive program and 76 hours for the intensive one. The cost varies depending on the age group and course type. The fees range from 3,500 BDT (non-beginner children) to 16,600 BDT (extensive adults). The intensive program for adults can cost up to 19,800 BDT with books.
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Institute of Modern Languages (IML), Dhaka University
The Institute of Modern Languages of Dhaka University is one of the oldest language research projects and learning institutes in Bangladesh. Founded in 1974, IML works as an instituted faculty under Dhaka University and offers bachelor's, master's, Ph.D., and M.Phil. in selected linguistics and culture.
Currently, IML offers non-degree certificate courses in 13 different languages including French. The French language course curriculum comprises 1 year in the junior certificate course and senior certificate course. The minimum requirement to be admitted to the junior certificate course is to have at least a 2.5 GPA in HSC.
There’s also a 3-month long short course (60 Hours) on French language. All of the classes are conducted offline. The application fee is 500 BDT and the course fee is 9,500 BDT.
BRAC Institute of Languages (BIL), BRAC University
BRAC Institute of Languages or BIL is the third UGC-approved language research institute of Bangladesh. BIL started its journey in modular form offering English language courses to the students of BRAC University back in 2005.
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Over the years, the modular structure evolved into a structured language research institute which was then renamed as BIL in 2012.
As part of its Modern Languages curriculum, BIL offers courses in 7 different languages including French. Currently, BIL offers on-campus offline beginner-level courses in French. The course fee for the program is 6150 BDT.
Shield Language Academy Dhaka
Shield Language Academy Dhaka is another leading institute for learning French in Dhaka. With over several years of experience, Shield is a trusted language learning center specializing in different languages.
Shield Academy offers A1 to B2 level programs for the French language. The duration for each of the courses is 4 months with 2 classes per week. The cost of each course is 16,500 BDT. Additionally, the admission fee will be 1000 BDT and the textbook and workbook fee will also be 1000 BDT.
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AIUB Institute of Continuing Education
AIUB Institute of Continuing Education started its journey back in 2007 as a means to provide technical skill development programs to the graduates of the university. The aim was to make them industry-ready and initiate essential skills to thrust them ahead in the job market.
Over the years, AIUB ICE has expanded into a diverse foray of skill development including foreign language courses. Currently, it provides A1, A2, B1, and B2 level French courses to its students as well as outsiders.
The duration of the French course of ICE is about 4 months. Classes are held on Fridays and the medium of instruction is online. The cost of each level is 9000 BDT.
Daffodil Institute of Languages, Daffodil University
Daffodil Institute of Languages was formed as part of Daffodil University’s outreach upskilling program. DIL aims to provide certified knowledge of foreign languages to individuals to help in their career prospects. Currently, DIL offers certificate courses in English, pre-university English, Japanese, Chinese, French, and Quranic Arabic.
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Currently, DIL is offering an A1-level French course. The duration of the course is 2 months with three classes per week. The cost of the course is 30,000 BDT including the registration fee for the A1 DELF exam.
1 year ago
'Rhythmic Abstraction' begins at Alliance Francaise de Dhaka
Bangladeshi Artist Liakat Ali's eighth solo painting exhibition titled "Rhythmic Abstraction" was inaugurated at La Galerie of Alliance Francaise de Dhaka Friday.
Japanese Ambassador to Bangladesh Ito Naoki attended the event as the chief guest.
Dhaka University Faculty of Fine Art Professor Mostafizul Haque, former chief whip of Jatiya Sangsad ASM Feroz, and International Crimes Tribunal-1 Prosecutor Md Sultan Mahmud also attended the event as special guests.
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The exhibition is displaying 30 paintings by the artist.
Also, Liakat's artworks have been showcased in solo and group exhibitions in Japan, Canada, the UK, the US, and China. He completed his BFA from the China National Fine Arts Academy, Hangzhou, in drawing and painting.
"The mood of painting makes the image much more attractive and the music can give a new mood to the images, which can be a new style in the abstract images in the contemporary platform that looks like rhythmic abstraction," he said about the ongoing exhibition.
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Liakat Ali's art exhibition Rhythmic Abstraction will be open to all till August 13, Monday to Saturday from 3pm to 9pm.
2 years ago
Bashir Ahmed Sujan's solo panoramic photography exhibition begins at AFD
Renowned photographer Bashir Ahmed Sujan's exclusive solo panoramic photography exhibition ‘Stand Up, Dhaka’ (Darao, Dhaka) was inaugurated on Friday at La Galerie, Alliance Française de Dhaka (AFD), Dhanmondi in the capital.
A book under the same title was also launched at the inauguration ceremony, published by Duniyadari Archives.
This is Bangladesh's first vertical panoramic photography exhibition, providing a new and dynamic approach to exhibition and book-making in terms of format and gallery design.
On Friday afternoon, the exhibition was inaugurated by Khondoker Mostafizur Rahman, Director General of Bangladesh National Museum as the chief guest at the inauguration ceremony.
Eminent photographer Nasir Ali Mamun joined the event as its special guest, while Francois Grosjean, Director of Alliance Française de Dhaka and Architect Nurur Rahman Khan also attended the event as the guest of honour.
2 years ago