This weekend, Dhaka Flow, an innovative wellness platform, in collaboration with Baridhara Society, is thrilled to launch a pioneering festival dedicated to yoga and wellness, commemorating Women’s Day. Scheduled for March 8-9 at the Baridhara Society Lakeside Park in Dhaka, the festival is being supported by Brac Bank Tara, Suzuki Motorbikes, BTI, Turaag Active, and Ispahani Blenders Choice Premium Tea. Offering a complimentary, engaging exploration into the realms of movement, mindfulness, and health, the event aims to unite experts, enthusiasts, and the broader community for a weekend filled with educational, inspirational, and actionable wellness experiences. Aligned with this year’s Women’s Day theme, “Inspire Her Wellness,” Dhaka Flow’s festival embodies its commitment to universal wellness. Recognising the unique challenges women face in juggling caregiving and work duties, often at the expense of their own health, the festival intends to shed light on these often-overlooked issues. Providing a nurturing environment for women and their families, the festival invites exploration of holistic health in Dhaka’s context, as detailed in a media release. Nasrin Jahan Onika's maiden solo exhibition ‘Home’ begins at AFD Participants can anticipate an enriching engagement with wellness professionals, hands-on classes and workshops designed to enhance physical, mental, and emotional resilience, interactive Q&A sessions, nutritious dining options, and networking opportunities with peers. This in-person event pledges to empower the community to elevate their overall wellbeing and maintain fitness. Kicking off on Friday at 10 am with an opening ceremony by Dhaka Flow co-founder and esteemed yogini, Shazia Omar, the festival will commence with a sound healing session. Saturday’s activities includes a wide range of workshops and classes, originating and concluding at Baridhara Society Lake Park. Remaining true to its eco-friendly ethos, the festival includes a symbolic tree planting ceremony by Dhaka Flow and Shakti Foundation, contributing to the greening of Baridhara Park. The festival’s art zone promises creative workshops and activities suitable for all ages, alongside engaging outdoor pursuits for children and educational sessions on essential health principles. Emphasizing the importance of financial independence, time management, health awareness, and the freedoms of belief, speech, and expression, the festival aims to inspire and educate.Additionally, the festival will offer a Sufi whirling class and a journaling session. A meditation garden will host all-day mindfulness practices and support groups addressing chronic pain, cancer, depression, grief, addiction, and the challenges of raising children on the spectrum, in hopes of fostering a sense of community strength and solidarity. ‘Amar Dekha Noya Chin’: Bangabandhu’s formative journey in a travelogue-style graphic novel Highlighting female coaches and entrepreneurs in the wellness sector, the event will also feature a farmer’s market showcasing fresh produce and organic goods from local women farmers in collaboration with FAO and ZXY International FZCO. The festival emphasizes an eco-conscious approach, avoiding plastic waste, offering vegetarian food options, and providing free activities for all attendees. Generous sponsorship from leading private sector companies underscores the festival’s commitment to promoting healthy lifestyles within the community. Dhaka Flow remains dedicated to positively impacting individuals and the environment, offering resources, events, and a supportive network to encourage optimal living and environmental stewardship. For further details and registration, visit www.dhakaflow.com and follow Dhaka Flow on social media (@dhakaflowofficial). UNB is the media partner of the event.  Read more: Which Type of Yoga Should You Try?

Honouring the influential role of Bangladeshi women in the society, the Turkish Embassy in Dhaka, in partnership with Bangladesh-Turkey Business Platform, organized an exceptional event at the Garden of the Turkish Residence, Baridhara on the International Women’s Day. The event showcased a unique combination of an engaging conversation session, live music, dance and an art exhibition jointly organized with the Gallery Cosmos and participated by seven leading Bangladeshi artists: Farida Zaman, Kanak Chanpa Chakma, Afrozaa Jamil Konka, Maqsuda Iqbal Nipa, Nazia Andaleeb Preema, Bishwajit Goswami and Sourav Chowdhury. The conversation session was facilitated by Dhaka Lit Fest director Sadaf Saaz, combined with a mesmerizing acoustic musical session by popular singer-musician and activist Farzana Wahid Shayan, a poetry recitation session by eminent actress-choreographer Naila Azad in which she recited two poems penned by two Turkish poets, complemented with a dance recital by Umma Habiba and Yasin Arafat. A number of prolific personalities including the newly appointed vice-chancellor of the Asian University for Women (AUW) in Chattogram Dr Rubana Huq, social activist Khushi Kabir, the first Bangladeshi film screened in the 'Un Certain Regard' section of the 2021 Cannes Film Festival ‘Rehana Maryam Noor’ - famed actress Azmeri Haque Badhan, and many other prominent personalities participated in the conversation, sharing their journeys while simultaneously shedding the spotlight on several important socio-economic issues. Talking about the event, Turkish Ambassador to Bangladesh Mustafa Osman Turan described the motif and the overall programme, marking the special occasion of International Women's Day 2022. READ: International Women’s Day: Google doodle honours firsts in women’s history "We are organising this International Women's Day event at our Turkish Embassy as a part of our series of cultural events, which we call our year-long 'Cultural Encounters'. So we started last December with the 'Sufi Encounters,' which was a big success because we tried to highlight our shared value of Sufism. We started here in the embassy, then we went to Sylhet, then Chittagong and then Bangladesh Shilpakala Academy, so our artists who came from Turkey, collaborated with local artists."

Najmun Nahar, the first Bangladeshi woman traveller to visit 152 countries carrying the national flag, has received three awards on International Women’s Day-2022. Najmun received Special Award in London while Women Warrior Award and Branding Bangladesh Award in Bangladesh. Her elder sister Kamrun Nahar received the Bangladesh Women Warrior Award from Liberation War Affairs Minister AKM Mozammel Haque at the ICCB Convention Hall organized by Real Heroes Expo and Communication on Tuesday, International Women's Day. On the same day, Najmun bagged the Branding Bangladesh Award. Her one more elder sister Jobaidatun Nahar received this award from the Nepalese Ambassador to Dhaka Mr Kumar Raj at the Green House Convention Hall organized by E-Club (Entrepreneurs Club of Bangladesh). READ: Globetrotter Najmun Nahar bags coveted 'Peace Runner Award'  Najmun was also awarded with the 'Special Award' on behalf of the expatriate from Bangladesh’s Noakhali district at ‘Noakhali Festival’ in the presence of Tower Hamlets Mayor John Biggs and other prominent personalities at the Royal Regency Convention Hall in London on March 6. Earlier she had received the USA’s 'Peace Torchbearer Award', one of the most prestigious awards in the world. She also received the Ananya Top Ten honors, Peace Runner Award, Rebel Women Award, Miss Earth Queen Award, Game Changer of Bangladesh Award, Most Influential Women of Bangladesh, Globe Award, Atish Dipankar Gold Medal Award, Zonta International Award, Three Bangla Honors and Red Crescent Motivational Award. She has received over 50 awards at home and abroad, including the title of 'Flag Girl' in Zambia, the Successful Women Award, and the Lakshmi Youth Award. On October 6 last year, Najmun achieved the milestone of reaching Sao Tome and Principe, the 150th country in the world. In her 21 years of world tour, on the 50th anniversary of Independence of Bangladesh, she finally set the record of travelling to 152 countries. Najmun’s world tour began in 2000 with her participation in the India International Adventure Programme at Pachmarhi in India’s Bhopal state. On June 1, 2018, she achieved the milestone of reaching the 100th country -- actually the Victoria Falls on the border of Zambia and Zimbabwe. READ: Najmun Nahar Shohagi: Bangladeshi globe trotter aims to travel 200 countries With the flag of Bangladesh, she spread the message of world peace to schools, colleges and people in the remote areas of the world. Najmun, who holds a higher degree from Lund University in Sweden, has previously worked as a researcher. She studied human rights at Seoul National University in South Korea.

 

Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina on Sunday urged the women of the country to buildup themselves in order to be capable of being empowered.