State Minister for Cultural Affairs KM Khalid on Friday said the government has been implementing different initiatives to promote cultural activities at the grassroots level of the country. “The cultural practices can be one of the tools to prevent moral degradation of the youth and resist terrorism and militancy.  So, the government continues taking and implementing initiatives to promote cultural practices at the grassroots,” he said. The state minister said this while inaugurating the two-day inter-school cultural competition at St. Joseph International School in the city’s Mohammadpur. Also Read: Bhupen Hazarika's songs inspired our freedom fighters: KM Khalid He said once larger cultural activities were seen in the rural areas unlike now.  Khalid thanked St. Joseph International School for arranging the cultural competition and festival. Naimur Rahman Durjoy MP and noted artist Sujit Mustafa also spoke at the function presided over by Principal of the school Br. Chandan B Gomes, said a PID handout.    

State Minister for Cultural Affairs KM Khalid has said the government is implementing various steps to empower women, to which they need to be aligned by taking bold steps of their own. The state minister shared his remarks as the chief guest at an event marking the first anniversary of a special Gender Equity & Empowerment Program, or GEEP, undertaken by Vromonkonnya, a women-focused travel organisation. A two-day workshop titled ''Leadership Boot-camp & Peace Concert 1.0" was held at Dhaka University’s TSC auditorium. The journey of 'Vromonkonnya-Travelettes of Bangladesh' as an organisation started in November, 2016 as the first women-focused travel organisation in Bangladesh. In addition to travelling, they are working in 64 districts to raise awareness on the liberation war, self-defence techniques, women's health, prevention of child marriage, adolescent problems and more, among students of various educational institutions. Congratulating Vromonkonnya, Khalid said, “We want to congratulate the team of Vromonkonnya for taking these bold and noteworthy steps and setting up great examples that our women need to follow.” Adding to the importance of travelling, he said, “Our Bengali culture is traditional, rich and diverse for thousands of years. We have more than 500 archaeological sites. Through travelling, we can learn about our history and heritage on the one hand, and on the other hand, we can enrich ourselves with knowledge.” Read: Cinema preserves time through narrating real-life stories: KM Khalid The event, featuring its slogan "End racism, Build peace," was also joined by Cultural Affairs Secretary Md Abul Monsur. It also featured several panel discussants representing different sectors in society, including Bangladesh Police Special Branch DIG (Counter Terrorism Intelligence) Shamima Begum, Deputy Secretary and Bangladesh Tourism Board Deputy Director Rahnuma Salam Khan, US-Bangla Airlines Public Relations GM Md Kamrul Islam, UNDP Bangladesh Youth Coordinator Mahamudul Hasan, cartoonist and monthly satire magazine UNMAD’s Assistant Editor Morshed Mishu and popular band Chirkutt’s founder-vocalist Sharmin Sultana Sumi.

State Minister for Cultural Affairs KM Khalid Wednesday said August is the bloodiest month in world history. On August 15, Father of the Nation Bangabandhu Sheikh Mujibur Rahman and most of his family members were assassinated in 1975. The 2004 grenade attack on August 21 killed 24 people and injured over 300 others, including the then opposition leader Sheikh Hasina. On August 6 and 9 in 1945, atomic bombs were dropped on the Japanese cities of Hiroshima and Nagasaki by the US. Read: August 15: Remembering the Father of the Nation on Mourning Day These incidents made August the bloodiest month in history, Khalid said at the Bangladesh Shilpakala Academy (BSA). He was speaking at the closing ceremony of the BSA's month-long programmes held under the title "Shok Theke Shoktir Ovvudoy, Shwapnopuron er Drirhoprottoy." A cultural event – featuring songs, dance and poetry recitations – took place after the discussion. The BSA raised the curtain on the month-long event on August 1. It featured exhibitions, seminar series and cultural segments.

State Minister for Cultural Affairs KM Khalid joined the convention on the second day of the sixth Edinburgh International Culture Summit on Saturday, which is taking place at the Scottish Parliament in Scotland. Besides the session, he met the representatives of various countries including India and South Africa in the debating chamber lobby of the Parliament. The state minister participated in bilateral discussions with Haryana State Education and Tourism Minister Kanwar Pal, the head of the Indian delegation participating in the summit. In the discussion, there was a detailed discussion on strengthening cultural exchange between the two countries and the enhancement of cooperation in the culture and tourism sectors. Khalid also met with Scotland Awami League President Anis Chowdhury and local Awami League leaders. Read: Working towards achieving culturally sustainable Bangladesh: Khalid Bangladesh origin Scottish Parliament Member and Shadow Cultural Minister Faisal Chowdhury, Bangladesh Ambassador to the United Kingdom Saida Muna Tasnim and Bangladesh High Commission Office Manchester Assistant High Commissioner Kazi Ziaul Hassan were present.   The state minister is currently representing Bangladesh in the three-day (August 26-28) International Cultural Summit titled "Culture and a Sustainable Future.”

State Minister for Cultural Affairs K M Khalid has said they have been working towards achieving a culturally sustainable Bangladesh and working with different development partners like the British Council and UNESCO. “We truly believe that these international collaborations are the heart of our work for a culturally balanced sustainable Bangladesh,” said Khalid who is representing Bangladesh at the grand cultural exchange at the Scottish Parliament. The British Council has partnered with the sixth Edinburgh International Culture Summit, being held on the occasion of Edinburgh’s 75th anniversary as a “Festival City” at the Scottish Parliament from August 26-28.   The State Minister said a “whole-of-society” approach has been adopted to accelerate the SDGs implementation.

State Minister for Cultural Affairs KM Khalid for a second time has tested positive for Covid-19. The Minister submitted samples at the Government Employees Hospital and received a positive report after RT-PCR covid test on Tuesday, said a media release. Earlier on January 27, Khalid and his wife Dr Shohela Aktar tested positive for Covid-19. Also Read: State Minister Khalid, wife contract Covid

State Minister for Cultural Affairs KM Khalid visited National Professor, writer, researcher, cultural activist and Bangla Academy Chairman Dr Rafiqul Islam on Saturday at the Bangabandhu Sheikh Mujib Medical University hospital (BSMMU). Khalid went to the hospital at noon to inquire about the health condition of the 87 years old Professor, who is currently undergoing treatment at the Department of Chest Diseases (Respiratory Medicine) in Cabin No 312 of BSMMU under Dr AKM Mosharraf Hossain. The state minister inquired about Rafiqul Islam's health and instructed the doctor in charge to ensure maximum medical care. He also wished a speedy recovery to Professor Rafiqul Islam and assured full cooperation from the Ministry of Cultural Affairs. On October 7, National Professor Dr Rafiqul Islam was admitted to BSMMU with abdominal pain. After the examination, the doctors confirmed that water had accumulated in his lungs which was later extracted. According to Professor Dr Rafiqul Islam’s son Barshan, his father is better now than before, adding that he will be taken to Delhi or Bangkok for further treatment if needed. Professor Dr Rafiqul Islam has received Independence Award (2012), Ekushey Padak (2001), Bangla Academy Literary Award (1994) and International Mother Language Award, for his excellence in the field of academia and culture. Inducted as a National Professor in 2018, Prof Dr Rafiqul Islam is a former head of Bangla department at Dhaka University and currently a professor emeritus of the University of Liberal Arts Bangladesh (ULAB).

State Minister for Cultural Affairs KM Khalid said that film is an important medium of art and culture, especially in today's world that is largely regulated by social media platforms. “Film is a very timely medium of entertainment and universally admired as the most engaging and close medium for projecting life as realistically as possible through reflecting the joys-sorrows-laughter and tears, within a limited timeframe”. The State Minister made his remarks while inaugurating the 3rd Bangladesh Short film and Documentary Festival 2021 on Friday, as the chief guest at the virtual inauguration ceremony. Mentioning Bangladesh Shilpakala Academy (BSA)’s various activities in the medium of cinema, KM Khalid said, “BSA has been conducting activities with films since its inception in 1974. As part of its continuation in upholding our films through connecting the filmmakers and audiences, Bangladesh Shilpakala Academy organized ‘Bangladesh Film Festival’ in 2015 and 2017, and 'Bangladesh Short Film and Documentary Festival' in 2016 and 2018, in 64 districts of the country simultaneously.” Also read: Top 5 Most Followed Athletes Across Social Media Platforms Secretary of the Ministry of Cultural Affairs Badrul Arefin, noted filmmaker Amitabh Reza Chowdhury and prominent film scholar-researcher Anupam Hayat also joined the inauguration ceremony as special guests and shared their thoughts on this special festival. Also read: The Cultural Hegemony of Social Media BSA's Director of Theatre and Film department and prominent thespian Afsana Karim Mimi delivered the welcome speech at the inauguration ceremony, which was chaired by BSA Director General Liaquat Ali Lucky. The inauguration ceremony was hosted by media personality Nabanita Chowdhury.

Under the banner of a "Future in frames", the 14th edition of the International Children’s Film Festival Bangladesh (ICFFB) kicked off in the capital on Saturday by Children’s Film Society (CFS) Bangladesh.

Bangladesh will soon start working on restoring and preserving the historic Panam City based on a report to be submitted by Indian research team.