State Minister for Cultural Affairs KM Khalid on Friday said that the tradition of palm leaf scroll painting and etching can be included as UNESCO's Intangible Cultural Heritage and Bangladesh’s National Museum will send proposals in this regard to the global organisation.  “Painting and writing on palm leaves is a unique artistic craft and is the first of its kind in Bangladesh. The renowned Bangladeshi artist Afrozaa Jamil Konka — the second daughter of the valiant hero Shaheed Col Jamil who sacrificed his life to save the Father of the Nation and his family — has decorated and designed the palm leaf scrolls based on the long poem 'Bangalir Porichoy Kabbo' by the France-based Bengali playwright Choyon Khairul Habib, symbolizing the various chapters of Bangabandhu's revolutionary life and the historical episodes of the nation. We will send an official proposal to UNESCO for including this procedure as part of its Intangible Cultural Heritage,” the state minister said. The state minister shared his remarks as the chief guest at the inauguration ceremony of an exclusive exhibition based on the unique project titled “Bangalir Porichoy Kabbo”, an epic verse engraved on ‘Taal Patar Puthi’ (manuscript on palm leaves) at the Nalini Kanta Bhattashali Gallery of the National Museum, Shahbagh in the capital. Bangladesh National Museum Director General Md Kamruzzaman, eminent artist Prof Hashem Khan, and Dhaka University Faculty of Fine Arts Dean Prof Nisar Hossain spoke as special guests while the welcome remarks were shared by Choyon Khairul Habib and artist Afrozaa Jamil Konka. “We all know that the palm leaf has multiple uses and the hand fans made with the leaves have been our lifelong companions before the availability of electric fans. The palm leaf scroll which we call ‘Puthi’ in Bengali, has been a great heritage element in our culture and my gratitude goes to Habib for such a wonderful poem on Bangabandhu and Konka for her majestic artistry,” Khalid said.  The engraving artist for the project was Prashant Maharana, a craftsman from the state of Odisha, India. The state minister conveyed his heartfelt thanks and congratulations to Shaheed Colonel Jamil Foundation for taking this great initiative. Choyon Khairul Habib, poet-playwright and the author of “Bangalir Porichoy Kabbo” shared the background story of this epic poem-turned-puthi, saying: “I have highlighted the history of Bangladesh, the evolution of the Bengali community and the nationality alongside the symbolic narrative of Bangabandhu in this poem.” “Since I started writing ‘Bangalir Porichoy Kabbo’, the incentive to preserve the work with palm leaf puthi was in my plan, and the very first person I thought of regarding the illustration was none other than Afrozaa Jamil Konka due to her connection to Bangabandhu through her great patriot father, Shaheed Colonel Jamil, and I can proudly say she did justice to the project.”

Marking the 109th founding anniversary of the Bangladesh National Museum in the capital, speakers at a seminar stated that the Father of the Nation Bangabandhu Sheikh Mujibur Rahman was the visionary behind all the necessary transformations of today’s National Museum from the Dhaka Museum. “Bangabandhu’s selfless contribution in establishing today’s National Museum was immense. He played a key role in converting the Dhaka Museum into a National Museum and allotted land for the museum space,” said State Minister for Cultural Affairs KM Khalid on Sunday at the Poet Sufia Kamal auditorium of Bangladesh National Museum, Shahbagh in the capital. Read: BSA to organise month-long exhibition commemorating mournful August Speaking as the chief guest at a seminar titled 'Dhaka to National Museum: History of Transformation' on the 109th anniversary of the Bangladesh National Museum, KM Khalid said: “Whenever we go to enact a new law, we get surprised to discover that Bangabandhu has already enacted it during his three-and-a-half-year reign after our Independence in 1971. This shows how wise and far-reaching Bangabandhu was. Our laws only need to be amplified, modified and revised as the times require.” He mentioned that the National Museum has about 1 lakh artifacts, out of which only 5 percent are being displayed. The Ministry of Cultural Affairs has taken steps to modernize the National Museum as per the instructions of the Prime Minister and if the project is implemented, the number of galleries can be increased and more artifacts can be displayed.

Hundreds of students, teachers, and Civil society members offered Gayebana janaza for writer Mustaq Ahmed on Friday in front of the National Museum in Shahbagh.

Dhaka, Sep 28 (UNB)-Jatiya Sangsad Speaker Dr Shirin Sharmin Chaudhury on Monday said, "Our Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina is not only the leader of Bangladesh but a world leader. Her name ranks at the top among the powerful leaders of the world. Now the world community praises  Sheikh Hasina for her strategic leadership. We see a rare combination of many qualities in her. ”

Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina on Wednesday said laid emphasis on quick repair and renovation of the Public Library, National Museum, TSC, dormitories and ponds under Dhaka University.

Foreign Minister AK Abdul Momen on Tuesday said the Malaysia-bound trawler that sank in the Bay of Bengal was carrying those Rohingyas who used to live outside the camps and they were trying to move away illegally.