“A red rose is not selfish because it wants to be a red rose. It would be horribly selfish if it wanted all the other flowers in the garden to be both red and roses, ” according to Oscar Wilde.  Rose shares a unique meaning and purpose. Red roses are often associated with love, and romance; while white roses are symbols of friendship. From red to coral, each hue conveys a different message, making roses an incredibly versatile flower. Let’s explore the meaning of different colors of roses to choose the right rose for the true expressions of the heart.  What Are the Different Meanings of Different Color Roses? Red Roses The red rose is perhaps the most iconic among all roses, and for a good reason. It is a symbol of passion. Gifting red roses can be a nice way to express love, romance, affection, desire, appreciation, or sincere respect for someone when words are not enough. It is always a classic choice to convey love on occasions such as proposals, weddings, a partner's birthday, marriage anniversary, Valentine's Day, or any special moment with a partner. Read More: Visit Sadullapur Golap Gram, Rose Village at Savar for Day Tour White Roses White rose is often associated with purity, innocence, and calmness. It is a popular choice for weddings and is sometimes called bridal roses because of their associations with new love and enduring loyalty. White roses can also mean a fresh start and unending love. A bouquet of white roses is the ideal way to express your appreciation and gratitude for someone or to mark a new beginning. They are a respectful and appropriate choice for any occasion. Pink Roses The pink rose is a traditional symbol of elegance and grace. It is often given as a sign of admiration and gratitude, conveying the message through its gentle beauty. Depending on the shade of pink, a rose can represent different things. A light or pale pink rose can stand for grace, joy, and happiness, while a darker or hot pink rose represents thanks and appreciation. Pink roses are among the most popular flowers in the world, and they go with just about anything. Gifting a pink rose can be a lovely way to express feelings. Lavender Roses Lavender roses have a long history of symbolizing enchantment and love at first sight. Their gentle, muted hue conjures up beauty and a sense of regal majesty. While a more vibrant shade of purple might be used to represent royalty, lavender roses are a subtle way to express feelings of affection and love. They are a great choice for a bouquet that will leave a lasting impression on the recipient. Read More: Bangladesh Flower Society: Monthly sales revenue to cross Tk300 crore in February Black Roses Symbolically, the black rose is often associated with death, mourning, and the darker side of life. It can also represent mystery, rebellion, and the unknown. In some cultures, black roses are considered a bad omen or a symbol of evil, while in others, they are a symbol of rebirth or a new beginning. Black roses have been used in various forms of art, literature, and popular culture. They have been featured in Gothic and horror-themed works, as well as in romance and fantasy genres. In some cultures, black roses are also used in funeral arrangements and other forms of mourning.

With the theme "Wear clothes that tell a real story of people and the planet," the Fashion Design Council of Bangladesh's (FDCB) flagship venture the Bangladesh Fashion Week 2023 began at Aloki Convention Center in the capital's Tejgaon Thursday night. Known as the most prestigious fashion event in the country, Fashion Week has brought collections of 18 members of the FDCB and interesting creations of six designers from India. The exhibition brings together fashion designers, retailers and luxury stakeholders in one place, putting the spotlight on sustainable and long-lasting fashion. This year, the two-day fashion week is being organised by Buy Hair Now, MTB, Strix, Maya, Ujjwala Care, and Natura Care. The event started with a tribute to the late designer and fashion pioneer Emdad Haque, who died on December 23 last year. Emdad was the vice-president of the FDCB.      

Nadia Samdani MBE, co-founder of Samdani Art Foundation and Dhaka Art Summit, has been honoured with the prestigious ‘Ordre des Arts et des Lettres’ (Order of Arts and Letters) by the French Ministry of Culture. The ‘Chevalier’ (Knight) rank was conferred on her through the order yesterday, at the residence of the French ambassador in Dhaka’s Gulshan. The award is given to distinguished individuals for their creativity demonstrated in the cultural sphere or for their support and contribution to the dissemination of knowledge and work that enrich cultural heritage. The medal was handed over to Nadia Samdani by French Ambassador Marie Masdupuy on behalf of the French government, according to a press release. Nadia Samdani was bestowed with the Member of the Most Excellent Order of the British Empire (MBE) title by Queen Elizabeth II in 2022 – in recognition of her contribution to art and culture in Bangladesh, South Asia and the UK. Her investiture ceremony for MBE was held at the Buckingham Palace on February 23 this year, where she received her title from Prince William of Wales. Along with her husband Rajeeb Samdani, co-founder and trustee of Samdani Art Foundation, she is the first South Asian arts patron to receive the prestigious Montblanc de la Culture Arts Patronage Award in 2017.  

A child's curiosity about everything in this universe, no matter how big or small it is, with an unprejudiced mind makes a great artist that even Picasso tried to emulate. The same aptitude manifested when ethnic children from a remote place in Netrokona were handed a set of crayons. From a woman, sitting in an elegant posture and clad in a fantastic saree refreshingly dotted with leaves and flowers, to the deities they worship, they sketched their thoughtful ponderings and aspirations that are displayed at the capital's EMK Center, a faraway place from them they could not believe their art could be showcased at. The untapped potential of the children was spotted by Sultana Razia, the founder of Lightshore Foundation, on her visit to Netrokona's Baromari- Laxmipur village for various social welfare projects where she observed the lives of Garo and Hazong communities. Hit hard by the scourge of poverty, parents of children can barely afford to manage education for them. Still, the aspiration for helping them flourish through creativity and education. One particular talent unmistakably marked among the kids was their natural ability to sketch. Approached by Razia for training them in art, their parents readily agreed and sent them to a two-day art camp mentored by artist Morshed Mishu. And the result was awe-inspiring. Razia through her foundation and other organizations featured an exhibition of their artworks, titled 'A Song of Nature’s Children'.

An exhibition, a video performance and a musical concert were organized to celebrate the 'Boat project' on Sunday evening at Shyambazar Kheyaghat, Puran Dhaka. This exhibition was the result of a workshop titled 'Learning from Puran Dhaka: The Urbanity of Occupations along the Buriganga Riverfront', in which 50 students and faculty from Dhaka, Mumbai, Trivandrum, and Paris participated. A photo exhibition by students of Pathshala South Asian Media Institute was on display at  Shyambazar Kheyaghat. The exhibition was organized by the participating students of the workshop at different places at Puran Dhaka where the students were divided into 8 different groups to map life along the river, investigate endangered heritage and the micro economy. Also Read: 'Learning from Puran Dhaka' begins at AFD An entertainment event by Joler Gaan was held along the ghat (docks). The performance was organized on a traditional boat to commemorate Puran Dhaka’s intangible heritage. Video Performance by Ramona Poenaru and Gaël Chaillat of Compagnie Des Châteaux en l’air portrayed the customs and the daily life activities of the people along the ghat at Ruplal house through the projection. The 'Boat' project is curated by Ashfika Rahman "River Heritage: Learning from Puran Dhaka" is a long-running heritage initiative currently in its third chapter. It is led by Alliance Française, Goethe-Institut, British Council, the Spanish Embassy and the EU Delegation in Bangladesh, with support from the Embassy of the Netherlands.  

The three-day BRAC Hope Festival will start Thursday at the Bangladesh Army Stadium in Dhaka. The open-for-all event will cover three thematic areas – "A Tribute to Bangladesh," "Power of Potential," and "Building a World We Want," each day to highlight one theme. The festival will open every day at 11am and end at 9.30pm. Everyone can join the festival through pre-registration. Presenting a curated treasure of culture, the festival will feature a full array of daylong events and performances – puthi paath, story-telling, bioscope, puppet show, the world of play for children, exhibitions, and many others. Every day the festivities will be topped off with cultural performances in the evening by some of the biggest names from the cultural sphere of Bangladesh. Fun workshops with artisans, cartoonists, artists, architects, robotics experts and urban greenscapers are part of the festival. Two awards will also be presented at the Hope Festival to inspire the youths of Bangladesh. Amra Notun Young Changemakers Award will be conferred on five grass-root level young changemakers in recognition of taking ownership of solving social challenges. TAAGA Outstanding Young Professionals Award will be given out to women for their contributions to the workplace. Tomorrow cultural festivities of the day will begin with renowned actor Fazlur Rahman Babu and his group's puthi path. Bengal Parampara Sangeetalaya will take the stage, presenting the Raga classical music. Later on, a documentary will pay tribute to the role of women in the War of Liberation in 1971. Theatre group Prachyanat will stage "Protidiner Joddha," based on the life of Afsana Akter, who overcame all her family and social hurdles to become a successful gynaecologist. Events of the day will conclude with performances by Arnob and Friends and Lalon Band. Read more: 4th Bangla-India film festival to showcase rich shared cultural heritage  

To highlight the art of printmaking, Cosmos Atelier 71’s exclusive printmaking workshop titled “Impression of Rokeya's” by eminent art maestro Professor Rokeya Sultana came to an end on Saturday with a live printmaking session and daylong exhibition at the Garden Gallery, Baridhara in the capital. The exclusive intaglio process, softground and stencil workshop by Professor Rokeya Sultana was conducted with 10 young and prominent Bangladeshi artists from home and beyond — Asmita Alam Shammy, Roosevelt Benjamin, Chhobi Zulfiqar, Rifat Jahan Kanta, Farzana Rahman Bobby, Mohammad Rezwanur Rahman, Bacchu Miah Arif, Kamruzzoha, SM Ehsan and Indian artist Sukla Poddar. Inaugurated on January 23 at the Cosmos Atelier 71 in Malibagh, the workshop also featured four guest artists — renowned painter Afrozaa Jamil Konka, eminent photojournalist-artist Nasir Ali Mamun, veteran artist and freedom fighter Biren Shome and journalist-artist Zahangir Alom — alongside participating artists Sam Jamil Julian, Rumessa Mailloux and Sourav Chowdhury. On Saturday, the workshop wrapped up with live printmaking sessions for visitors and art enthusiasts, an exclusive exhibition and live musical performances by the artists at the picturesque setting of the gallery. Art maestro and workshop conductor Professor Rokeya Sultana and Cosmos Atelier 71-Gallery Cosmos Director Tehmina Enayet handed over the certificates to the participating artists at the event.

The prestigious Anannya Literary Award 1429 (2023) was handed to journalist and author Shahnaz Munni on Saturday in the Poet Sufia Kamal Auditorium of the Bangladesh National Museum. The award is given each year by acclaimed feminist magazine ‘Anannya’. Eminent author Anwara Syed Haq presented the award to Munni as the chief guest of the ceremony, which was joined by Jahangirnagar University academician and author-researcher Hamim Kamrul Haque as the special guest. Anannya editor Tasmima Hossain chaired the event. "I would like to congratulate Shahnaz Munni on earning the Anannya Literary Award 1429. She is a prolific writer, and I believe she will achieve great success in her career,” she said. Sharing her joy over the achievement, Shahnaz Munni said: “For thirty years I have been writing, and this is the very first award I have ever achieved in my writing career. I am so grateful for this award and also to the fortnightly Anannya.” Shahnaz Munni was born on February 8, 1969. Alongside her identity as a successful author, she is a renowned television journalist and currently working as the chief news editor at News24.  Her literary works include 24 books, namely ‘Elo Krubdho Ondhokar’, ‘Badur o Brandy’, ‘Tritiyo Ghonta Porar Agei’, ‘Pan Sundari, ‘Nirbachito Golpo’, ‘Ami ar Amin Jokhon Azimpurey Thaktam’ and ‘Snaner Shobdo’, which is being published from Mowla Brothers at this year’s Amar Ekushey Boi Mela. Anannya Literary Award was introduced in 1993. The award honours a woman writer every year for her contribution to literature. A handful of eminent women writers have been conferred with this prestigious award over the years, including Selina Hossain, Rabeya Khatun, Niaz Zaman, Rizia Rahman, Nilima Ibrahim, Dilara Hashem, Rubi Rahman, Begum Akhtar Kamal, Jharna Das Purkayastha, Akimun Rahman, Nadira Majumdar and more. Read more: 10 promising, successful women receive Anannya Award 2021

A living exhibition and an open workshop titled "Learning from Puran Dhaka: The Urbanity of Occupations along the Buriganga Riverfront" began at La Galerie of the Alliance Française de Dhaka (AFD) Saturday. Dhaka South City Corporation Mayor Sheikh Fazle Noor Taposh, Ambassador and Head of Delegation of the European Union (EU) in Bangladesh Charles Whiteley, Ambassador of France to Bangladesh Marie Masdupuy and Embassy of the Netherlands in Bangladesh Chargé d'affaires Thijs Woudstra joined the opening ceremony. "It's a beautiful project. The heritage of Dhaka is very important and the heritage of Old Dhaka is extremely important," said Ambassador Whitely, adding that it is very exciting to see some students will be exploring Old Dhaka.

The long-awaited 6th edition of Dhaka Art Summit (DAS) was inaugurated on Friday at the National Art Gallery of Bangladesh Shilpakala Academy (BSA) in the capital. This marks the return of the summit which is regarded as Bangladesh and South Asian region’s biggest art and painting biennale exhibition platform, after three years of hiatus due to Covid-19 pandemic. Prime minister's private sector and investment adviser Salman F Rahman inaugurated the nine-day Dhaka Art Summit (DAS) at National Art Gallery auditorium on Friday morning. State Minister for Cultural Affairs KM Khalid, Director General of Bangladesh Shilpakala Academy Liaquat Ali Lucky, and DAS organizing committee chairman and Cosmos Foundation Honorary Advisor Emeritus Ambassador Farooq Sobhan were also present as the special guests. Read: 9th Dhaka International Mobile Film Festival begins Saturday Director of Dhaka Art Summit and President of Samdani Art Foundation Nadia Samdani MBE, Trustee of Dhaka Art Summit and Samdani Art Foundation Rajeeb Samdani, and Managing Director and CEO of Golden Harvest Agro Industries Limited Mohammad Saker Shamim also joined the inauguration ceremony. Several influential personalities including Radwan Mujib Siddiq, grandson of Father of the Nation Bangabandhu Sheikh Mujibur Rahman and trustee of Centre for Research and Information (CRI), and State Minister for Power, Energy and Mineral Resources Nasrul Hamid, among others, visited the Summit after its gala inaugural ceremony.