United News of Bangladesh

People's Theater Association, a cultural unit consisting of 262 ethnic minority and underprivileged children and youth drama organizations carrying out various activities for the past 33 years, awarded a total of 390 children and young cultural workers with its 'Manchakuri' and 'Manchamukul' medals. The award ceremony and cultural program were held on Friday, July 5, at Bangladesh Shilpakala Academy's National Theater Hall auditorium. Planned by the founding President of People's Theater and Director General of Bangladesh Shilpakala Academy Liaquat Ali Lucky, the awardees were selected from all over Bangladesh. Prominent playwright, researcher and Associate Professor of BRAC University’s Department of Bengali Language and Literature Mahfuza Hilali delivered the welcome speech at the event, while Yasmin Ali, Head Teacher of Music and International Affairs Editor of People's Theater, delivered remarks as the guest speaker. Among the representatives from child theatre activists, Samia Muttakia Mahua and Pushpita Bepari spoke at the event, which was presided over by Liaquat Ali Lucky. “Since 1990, we have been showcasing and performing children's plays that are being performed all over the world today. We have to understand the power of children's plays in our Bengali literature and culture, and how deeply the world is evaluating our plays,” Lucky said at the event. Following the discussion, youngsters from Bangladesh Shilpakala Academy's music and dance teams, along with the "Manchakuri" and "Manchamukul" cultural teams, presented a number of group music and dance performances. People's Little Theatre presented “Banglar Mukh," a stage play written, planned and directed by Liaquat Ali Lucky. The event concluded with the award-giving ceremony.  

Recognizing the achievements of press photographers working on Bangladesh's frontlines, the Bangladesh Press Photo Exhibition 2024, organised by Drik Picture Library, was inaugurated at Drik Gallery in the capital's Panthapath on Friday at 6 pm. The exhibition showcases 30 selected photographs from the 3rd edition of the Bangladesh Press Photo Contest (BPPC), initiated by Drik in 2022. The call for submission was announced on April 16 this year. Photojournalists submitted about one thousand photographs taken in 2023 on social, political, and cultural news elements. One of the BPPC jury members and Drik's Managing Director Shahidul Alam, delivered the welcome address at the opening ceremony. In his speech, he said, “As far as I know, no press photo competition in the world has a public interest journalism category. Due to various reasons including media ownership, the work of the media is limited to party campaigns with pictures of celebrities or prime ministers.” “The photographers of the images exhibited in the exhibition have done so at their own risk. By proving themselves through their work, photography of Bangladesh has reached far today,” Alam said. Besides Shahidul Alam, the other jury members were Amal Akash, artist, singer and activist, Samageet; Monirul Alam, photojournalist, educator, EPA, Drik; Shoeb Faruquee, photographer, educator, Photobank Gallery; and Tasmima Hossain, Editor, The Daily Ittefaq. During their remarks, they reflected on the contest and the selection process. Drik General Manager ASM Rezaur Rahman, also the exhibition curator, moderated the event. Tasmima Hossain stated, "The work of a photojournalist is very challenging. There is a need for them to see everything with a different eye, but that eye is scarce today. Developing the youth through training is equally important." The Picture of the Year 2023 was awarded to Quddus Alam of Focus Bangla, who received Tk 1,00,000 as prize money. Expressing his feelings, he said, “I started taking pictures in 1978, and after many struggles, I came to this place today. It would not have been possible to reach this stage without my wife's contribution." Six other photographers under three categories were also awarded at the event. The winners are - Kazi Golam Kuddus Helal of FIAP and Honourable Mention Piyas Biswas of Newsbangla24.com (Arts, Culture and Sports); Nayem Ali of The Business Standard and Honourable Mention Md Sazid Hossain of The Daily Prothom Alo (Politics), Abdul Goni of Daily Ittefaq and Honourable Mention Syed Mahmudur Rahman of Dainik Bangla (Public Interest Journalism). The winners and honourable mentions in each category received Tk 50,000 and Tk 10,000 respectively, alongside crests and certificates.  Denim Chakma was the winner of the Indigenous Community Grant 2024 and received Tk 50,000. He is the second winner after Drik introduced the grant in 2023. The announcement was made at the event by photographer and writer Jannatul Mawa. While receiving the grant certificate, Denim Chakma said, “Taking photos in the hills of Chittagong while feels like a war. There is always a war situation. Predicting what will happen is impossible.” The first Indigenous Community Grant winner Paddmini Chakma also exhibited some of her photographs in the exhibition.  Press photographs have proven to be a reliable source of news even in an age of fake news, making press photographers one of the most threatened professions. While Bangladeshi photographers have been celebrated globally in recent years, there is no formal recognition of their talent or valuation of their contribution to the nation, according to Drik. To celebrate the achievements of these courageous individuals who tirelessly gather news on the frontlines, the exhibition will remain open to the public till July 26, every day from 3 pm to 8 pm.

Artist Uttam Kumar Roy’s solo art exhibition ‘The Actuality of Fiction’ (Golper Bastobota) began at La Galerie, Alliance Française de Dhaka (AFD) on Friday. Eminent artist Monirul Islam joined the exhibition’s opening ceremony as the chief guest, while eminent sculptor Alak Roy, Professor Mohammad Eunus, Chairman of the Art Bangla Foundation, and Md Fazlur Rahman, Secretary, Bulbul Academy of Fine Arts (BAFA) also attended the event as the special guests. The mobility of life, in which the artist is located, his entity is beaming with that in many ways. The stress of the psychological degradation that people constantly face is formed by the realm of mind of Uttam Kumar Roy where he wants to discover the truth of the root with visual acuity. This is the reality of the story behind his artworks which are being showcased in this exhibition, and it is unveiled through feeling the pressure and mental agony being born in the perception of life every moment. These feelings create special images in the neurons of the artist’s brain and imagery gradually transforms into a scenario through several psychological stages. The creative process often begins with a cause that triggers a mental reaction, leading to realization and ultimately culminating in the creation of artwork. As the artist delves deeper, motifs arise in harmony with the chosen colour technique, and this artistic journey varies in complexity and simplicity, a testament to the unique paths taken by different artists. Uttam Kumar Roy, born in Dinajpur, Bangladesh on July 1, 1975, showed a strong interest in art from a young age. He pursued his passion by completing a 5-year course in Drawing and Painting at the Bulbul Academy of Fine Arts (BAFA) in Dhaka in 2001. In addition to his artistic education, he pursued scientific studies and earned a Master of Science degree in Botany from Jagannath University, Dhaka in 1998, demonstrating his diverse academic background. This unique combination of scientific rigour and artistic creativity characterizes his educational journey. In his teaching career at BAFA, Roy shares his extensive knowledge and experience in visual arts to educate and inspire future artists. His dedication to teaching contributes to the development of aspiring artists. Roy’s artistic excellence has been acknowledged through numerous awards both nationally and internationally. In Bangladesh, he was honoured with the National Best Award (New Media) at the 22nd National Art Exhibition by Bangladesh Shilpakala Academy in 2017 and the National Best Award at the 17th National Art Exhibition by Bangladesh Shilpakala Academy in 2007. Additionally, Roy has also participated in prestigious artist residencies, including the 5th Artist Residency in Kyoto, Japan in 2015. Curated by Mustafa Zaman, the exhibition will be open to all till Tuesday, July 16, Monday to Saturday from 3 pm to 9 pm (closed on Sunday).

Chhayanaut, the country’s esteemed cultural institution, has organized its annual monsoon celebration event titled ‘Begum Sufia Kamal ke Nibedito Chhayanaut er Borshar Onushthan’ (Chhayanaut’s Monsoon Celebration dedicated to Begum Sufia Kamal) at its auditorium in the capital’s Dhanmondi on Friday evening. Dedicated to the iconic Bengali poet and Chhayanaut’s founding President Begum Sufia Kamal, the event showcased several versatile musical presentations by the institution’s esteemed artists. The program started at 6:30 pm with a majestic performance by two back-to-back Sammelak Gaan (group songs) titled “Esho Shyamolosundoro” and “Chanchal Shyamol Elo Gogone” followed by a tribute talk on the late eminent poet. After that, a total of 10 specialised songs representing different ‘Raag’s were performed simultaneously with 10 solo performances. Raag Yaman Kalyan Mahian by Kabir Jowardar, Raag Gouro Mollar by Laeka Bashir, Raag Chhayanaut by Swapna Saha, Raag Bageshree Kannara by Kaniz Husna Ahmadi Simpi, Raag Mirabaiki Mollar by Shomudro Shubhom, Raag Tilokkamod by Shusmita Debnath Shuchi, Raag Ramdasi Mollar by Prateek Rosario, Raag Kedar by Priyonto Deb, Raag Joyjoyonti by Minhajul Islam Imon and Raag Megho Mollar was performed by Afroza Rupa at the event. Each of these songs was followed by the solo performances of Mostafizur Rahman Turzo, Laisa Ahmad Lisa, Sutpa Saha, Semanti Manjari, Dipro Nishanth, Nahian Durdana Shuchi, Bijon Chandra Mistri, Maksudur Rahman Mohit Khan, Sumon Majumdar and Mirazul Jannat Sonia, who performed Rabindra Sangeet one by one. The event concluded with a group performance of the national anthem. Begum Sufia Kamal established Chhayanaut at the end of 1961 along with several other like-minded cultural personalities. The nation celebrated the 113th birth anniversary of the iconic poet, organizer and cultural personality on June 20 this year.

Bangladesh Shilpakala Academy (BSA) has been once again hosting several appreciation courses for the calendar year 2024. This year, the organization has been organizing four appreciation courses to equip the aspirants with the necessary knowledge in four different branches of culture - art, music, dance and film. The Art Appreciation Course 2024 was held at BSA’s National Art Gallery auditorium on June 25 and 26, from 5.30 pm to 8.30 pm under the management of the BSA Fine Arts Department. Artists Sabyasachi Hazra and Aktaruzzaman Rana provided training in this two-day appreciation course to a total of 60 participants. The module covered insightful training on different branches, techniques and timelines of art including Renaissance to 17th century, Neoclassicism to Impressionism, Post-Impressionism and Expressionism, Cubism, Dada, Surrealism, Abstract Expressionism, Numedia Art, Mughal Miniatures to Bengal School, Art of Bangladesh, Shahid Minar of Bangladesh, Memorials and Paintings of Liberation War, Folk Art, Art and Society, Aesthetics, Charupath: Design and Illustration (Theoretical), Charupath: Practical Art and more - with a focus on the use of art for the excellence and development of art, art terminology, aesthetic sense, artistic thinking and writing. BSA Secretary Salahuddin Ahmed and Director of Fine Arts Department Mini Karim were present on the opening day of the workshop, while BSA Director General Liaquat Ali Lucky awarded certificates to the course participants on the concluding day. The Music Appreciation Course 2024 was conducted on June 26 and 27, from 5 to 8 pm under the direction of BSA's Music, Dance, and Recitation Department. The course covered different topics including the use of music for excellence and development in writing, music terminology, aesthetic sense, musical thinking, and art and aesthetics, along with developmental music, music education and appreciation, music and journalism, and music healing therapy. A total of 90 trainees participated in this Music Appreciation Course and received valuable insights from esteemed trainers including former Dhaka University Department of English Professor and critic Dr Syed Manjurul Islam; Ethnomusicologist, Head of the Department, Assistant Professor at the Department of Folk Music at Government Music College and resource person of Rabindra Creative Arts University Dr Kamol Khalid; Assistant Professor of Philosophy at Government Music College Dipankar Das; Art and Cultural Journalist Abdullah Al Mamun, and MSc in Medical Music Therapy (MMT) from Mahatma Gandhi Medical College and Research Institute, Pondicherry, India Jannatul Kawsar Prattyasha. The two-day Dance Appreciation Course will be held on June 28 and 29 from 5.30 pm - 8.30 pm at BSA, under the management of its Music, Dance and Recitation Department to create a basis for constructive discussion and criticism on the importance of theoretical education in dance, dance as an art medium and dance as an art medium. The course will shed its spotlight on dance criticism, the role of Rabindranath Tagore, Uday Shankar and Bulbul Chowdhury in the evolution of dance, classical dance and Bengali dance styles and more. A total of 100 trainees will participate in the appreciation course, according to BSA. Eminent dance personalities including Sharmila Bandopadhyay, Tamanna Rahman, Belayet Hossain Khan, Saju Ahmed, Dr Saidur Rahman, Dr Nigar Chowdhury, Afrina Afroz Chowdhury, Benazir Salam, Warda Rehab, and Dr Manjulika Rahman will provide training in this course, and certificates will be awarded to the course participants on the concluding day. The Film Appreciation Course, which will be led by film critic Bidhan Riberu, Shamim Akhtar, and director Nurul Alam Atiq, will be held on June 28 and 29 under the management of BSA's Drama and Film Department. A total of 40 participants will take part in this two-day course and will be handed over certificates on the concluding day.

On Friday, Bangladeshi freelance documentary photographer Mashruk Ahmed’s research-based project exhibition ‘The War Is Not Over Yet’ began at La Galerie, Alliance Française de Dhaka (AFD). Curated by ASM Rezaur Rahman, the exhibition’s opening ceremony was joined by several special guests including Mofidul Hoque, writer, researcher and trustee of the Bangladesh Liberation War Museum; Navine Murshid, writer and associate professor of Political Science at Colgate University, USA; Durjoy Rahman, art collector and founder of the Durjoy Bangladesh Foundation (DBF); Saiful Huq Omi, photographer and founder of Counter Foto; and Francois Grosjean, director, Alliance Française de Dhaka. An ongoing research-based project by Mashruk Ahmed, this exhibition 'War Is Not Over Yet' showcases the integration of photography, videography, and archival materials, through which the artist collaborates with women freedom fighters to explore their personal narratives. According to the photographer, the exhibition also aims to provide a sanctuary for their stories and experiences. Ever since the Liberation War in 1971, the many women who fought for Bangladesh’s independence alongside their male counterparts have not received the recognition that they deserve. Only three have been awarded the title ‘Bir Protik’, as opposed to 426 men. The title ‘Birangona’ (‘War Heroine’) was instead given to women survivors of sexual violence during the war. These women soon found themselves exploited once again, often by men who would take for themselves financial rewards promised to the women, leaving them to suffer the stigma of a conservative society alone. “The war isn’t over yet. It is now a war declared on women by a patriarchal society that has stripped them of their identity and selfhood, disregarding all that they sacrificed in the struggle for our independence. This war will not be over until the women who fought for our independence are acknowledged, compensated for their sacrifices, and honoured, as they deserve to be,” according to Mashruk. A freelance documentary photographer born and raised in Bangladesh, Mashruk Ahmed pursued his photography studies at CounterFoto and is currently based in Dhaka. Supported by Durjoy Bangladesh Foundation (DBF), the exhibition will be open to all till June 26,  every day from 3 pm to 9 pm.

The ongoing Arka Fashion Week has already garnered a huge response from the festive attendees, and this four-day fashion carnival saw an influx of crowds every day, joining different segments. Friday marked the second day of Arka FW, which is currently ongoing at Aloki in the capital’s Gulshan-Tejgaon Link Road from June 13-16, and the second day of Arka FW featured a total of 8 runway shows in four different slots. One of the major highlights of the festive Friday was the engaging seminar on Tangail Tant in the early afternoon, titled ‘Tangail Tant Weaving the Future: The Role of Tradition in Contemporary Fashion’ featuring esteemed panellists including Kizzy Tahnin, Program Officer of Culture at UNESCO; Md Ayub Ali, Project Lead of Handloom Board; Raghunath Basak, President of Tangail Saree Byabshayee Shomiti; Chandra Shekhar Shaha, President of National Craft Council of Bangladesh (NCCB); and Sarmily Sarkar, Head & Assistant Professor of Fashion Studies Department at BGMEA University of Fashion & Technology (BUFT). Renowned corporate personality Zeeshan Kingshuk Huq moderated the session. Second Arka Fashion Week begins in style The first fashion show took place after the seminar, featuring Tangail Tant-themed dresses curated by Afsana Ferdousi who instructed 15 design students who went to Tangail to buy fabric, make two runway outfits each and showcase on the inaugural runway show of this year’s Arka FW. Azim Uddaula's show was in the second part of this slot, featuring men's clothing of various designs and cuts.  

The much anticipated second Arka Fashion begin at the Aloki Convention Center, Tejgaon in the capital on Thursday, intending to democratize fashion along with other exciting offerings. Initiated by Arka Studio, the Summer edition of Arka Fashion Week comes with a commitment to provide equitable opportunities to all kinds of designers and brands in Bangladesh, after its massively successful inaugural edition back in October last year. The first day of the four-day fashion week saw a bustling Marketplace with 80 stalls and was alive with a brilliant assortment of fashion and cultural festivals, despite the afternoon rain, resuming the transforming journey for the nation's fashion sector. The event is featuring specially curated runway shows, clothes and accessories by the country’s best brands and designers, a dedicated food zone and diverse musical performances every night, along with its other exciting offerings - a dedicated Marketplace, an innovative Design Lab, The Runway and several exhibitions and exclusive seminars on different fashion-related topics. The Marketplace, the heart of the event, is showcasing entrepreneurs and brands made and most importantly - designed in Bangladesh - offering a wide variety of fashion, fashion accessories, and fashion-related products. A core philosophy to expect among the brands to be found in the Marketplace is sustainability, and most participants of ARKA Fashion Week Marketplace are small boutiques and/or e-commerce/f-commerce brands.

On the occasion of World Refugee Day 2024, an inter-agency photo exhibition entitled ‘RESILIENCE’ kicked off in Cox’s Bazar Cultural Centre on Wednesday evening. The exhibition portrays the resilience of the Rohingya refugees amidst adversities in the world’s largest refugee settlement in Cox’s Bazar, Bangladesh, through the lens of Rohingya refugee photographers and humanitarian agencies. The UN agencies and humanitarian partners working in the Rohingya refugee response jointly organized the exhibition in collaboration with the Cox's Bazar Art Club. “The Edge of Hope Photography Exhibition” to be held in Dhaka June 20-27 Representatives from different UN agencies, INGOs and NGOs attended in the launching of the exhibition. The photos are testaments to the incredible resilience showed by nearly a million refugees in the state of unimaginable hardships, especially during hazards and natural calamities. The exhibition will continue till 20 June, the day of World Refugee Day.  

The second edition of Arka Fashion Week, the trailblazing event with a mission to democratize the country’s fashion, is all set to captivate the audiences from June 13 to 16 at the Aloki Convention Centre, Tejgaon in the capital. Held between October 26-28 last year, the maiden edition of the Arka Fashion Week took the city by storm. With a staggering footfall of over 7000 people, the event proved to be extremely popular, especially among the youth. Inspired by the success of last time, this unique initiative of Arka Studio will once again reaffirm its commitment to providing equitable opportunities to all kinds of designers and brands, the organizers of the fashion event said at a press conference on Tuesday, held at the venue of the fashion week. The press conference was joined by Arka Fashion Week’s founder Asad Sattar, alongside co-organizers Aumia Khundkar, and Sk Saifur Rahman. Representing Azra Mahmood Talent Camp for Face of Bangladesh (the national competition of Face of Asia), Dewan Sajid Afzal was also present at the press event. Breaking down the details of the four-day fashion week, the organizers at the press conference said that the prime intention of this unique fashion event is to initiate an appropriate and world-class fashion week, with several different offerings for the fashion enthusiasts in the country. “Arka Fashion Week's main goal is for Bangladesh to transition from exporting clothing to exporting fashion, with the goal of seeing Bangladeshi retail labels and companies contribute to the export of culture. These changes in the fashion and textile industries will elevate our country's profile and strengthen our economy, as we want to see ‘Designed in Bangladesh’ tags attached to our fashion elements, besides our hard-earned ‘Made in Bangladesh’ tags,” Asad Sattar said at the event. The event will feature specially curated runway shows, clothes and accessories by the country’s best brands and designers, and most importantly, the event will continue to be a place for fashion-savvy individuals to express their sense of style, the organizers said. The event will once again have a food zone and diverse musical performances every night, along with its other exciting offerings - a dedicated Marketplace, an innovative Design Lab, The Runway and several exhibitions and seminars on different fashion-related topics. The Marketplace, the heart of the event, will house entrepreneurs and brands made in Bangladesh, which work with fashion, fashion accessories, and fashion-related products. A core philosophy to expect among the brands to be found in the Marketplace is sustainability. Most participants of Arka Fashion Week Marketplace are small boutiques and/or e-commerce/f-commerce brands, according to the organizers. This year, a couple of new segments, workshops and seminars will be introduced at the Arka FW, to cover all aspects of fashion including the challenges and issues faced by the industry. The fashion week this year will facilitate an exhibition concerning Tangail weaving and ways to preserve the traditional art of handloom textiles. The first of seminars, ‘Tangail Tant Weaving the Future: The Role of Tradition in Contemporary Fashion’ will be held on June 14 at 2:40 pm to 3:30 pm and set to be moderated by Zeeshan Kingshuk Huq; the second seminar will take place on June 15 at 2:40 pm - 3:10 pm titled ‘The New Vanguard: Empowering Next-Gen Leadership in Bangladesh's RMG Sector’ and will be moderated by Asad Sattar; the third seminar will be held after that during 3:20 pm - 3:50 pm titled ‘Fashion Forward: Crafting the Future of Bangladesh's Fashion Education’ which will be moderated by SK Saifur Rahman and the fourth seminar titled ‘What Contemporary Consumers Actually Want: Gaps in Retail’ will be moderated by Aumia Khundkar on June 16 at 3:20 pm to 3:50 pm. With a goal to integrate Tangail Tant into the contemporary design conversation, Arka Fashion Week has connected seven emerging artists with the weaver community to create a collaborative exhibition that showcases the deep history, current artistic practices, and future possibilities of Tangail Tant. Led by Nawshin Khair, Sk Saifur Rahman, Tahsin N Choudhury, and curated by Jewel A Rob, the results of the initiative, titled Tangail Tant Exhibition, will be exhibited at this fashion event, with the participation of artists Tulsi Rani Das; Asif Iftekhar; Tanisha Tasnim Kuasha; Anika Tasnim Anup; Sarah Jabin; Mohosin Kabir; and Najmun Nahar Keya. The inauguration of this unique exhibition will take place on the fashion week’s inaugural day at 5 pm. Several concerts will also mesmerize the music lovers across the four days of this fashion event. The schedule features Firoz Jong and Karnival on the inaugural night; Muza on Friday, Indalo on Saturday and EDM (artists TBA) on its closing night on Sunday. On the fashion week’s inaugural day at 5 pm, the special modeling competition ‘Face of Bangladesh’ will take place. ‘Face of Bangladesh’ is the national competition of ‘Face of Asia’ that takes place at the Asia Model Festival in South Korea, and this year’s winners will be traveling to South Korea in October for Face of Asia 2024, Road to Gangwon Land. The second edition of Arka Fashion Week will welcome everyone from 11 am to 10 pm every day, and the festivity will conclude on Sunday, June 16.