State Minister for Cultural Affairs KM Khalid, MP and US Ambassador to Bangladesh Earl Miller on Wednesday officially inaugurated the US-funded Lalbagh Fort cultural preservation and architectural documentation project in Old Dhaka.   The one-year initiative, funded through the U.S. government’s prestigious Ambassadors Fund for Cultural Preservation (AFCP), supports restoring the Mughal-era Hammam Khana, one of three primary structures at the Lalbagh Fort complex dating from the 17th century.   Read Old Dhaka likely to get 120,000 prepaid gas metres Upon completion in 2022, both levels of the Hammam Khana will reopen to the public.  Ambassador Miller and Minister Khalid launched a ceremonial photographic drone to formally initiate work on the project and toured the grounds.    The “Restoring, Retrofitting, and 3D Architectural Documentation of Historical Mughal-era Hammam Khana at Lalbagh Fort” initiative will be led by the Ministry of Culture’s Department of Archaeology, using historically authentic materials to restore architectural features and an advanced retrofitting system to improve safety and structural stability.   Read All risky Old Dhaka buildings should be demolished: Minister

After the postponement during its traditional month of February, the Amar Ekushey Book Fair-2021 finally begins on Thursday at the Bangla Academy premises and the adjacent venue at Suhrawardy Udyan in the capital.

Reflecting on the necessity of global festivals for the betterment of cultural practices, Information Minister Dr Hasan Mahmud said on Sunday that Bangladesh has earned the respect of the world through successfully arranging globally admired cultural rendezvous like Dhaka International Film Festival every year.