United News of Bangladesh

Popular online fashion house Banglargonji - Tee of Bengal, in collaboration with Ayub Bachchu Foundation, have jointly organised a two-day t-shirt fair and commemorative exhibition at the Safiuddin Shilpalay in the capital’s Dhanmondi. The commemorative exhibition, titled ‘Harano Bikeler Golpe’ honouring the late rock legend Ayub Bachchu, was inaugurated by Ayub Bachchu Foundation founder and widow of the rock icon Ferdous Akhtar Chandana on Friday. The exhibition is showcasing an exclusive glimpse of the late LRB founder-frontman Ayub Bachchu’s seven historic guitars, along with his exclusive memorabilia including t-shirts, his sunglass, hats and caps, and his wristwatch, from the AB family’s collections. Read more: Ayub Bachhu's 4th death anniversary comes and goes quietly Trendsetting Bangladeshi fashion brand Banglargonji - Tee of Bengal is also showcasing its flagship event ‘Banglargonji Mela’s fifth edition alongside this commemorative tribute to Ayub Bachchu. The inauguration ceremony of this two-day event on Friday was joined by LRB guitarist Abdullah Al Masud and Banglargonji CEO Mohammad Yearuzzamanand as the special guests, alongside fans of Ayub Bachchu from all walks of life. “Ayub Bachchu dedicated his entire life to enthral his beloved fans, and this commemorative exhibition is also dedicated to them. We are displaying some of his exclusive memorabilia for the first time ever and personally, I am overwhelmed to see the response of his admirers, Ferdous Akhtar Chandana told UNB. LRB guitarist Abdullah Al Masud said, “There hasn't been a day since his death when we haven't felt his physical absence. These guitars have histories of their own, and we are glad that the admirers and fans of our boss (Ayub Bachchu) are enjoying the opportunity to see these exclusive memorabilia.” The other part of the event, the traditional ‘Banglargonji Mela,’ has returned to the t-shirt enthusiasts in the city for the fifth time. Due to the Covid-19 pandemic, the t-shirt fair could not take place in 2021. Banglargonji - Tee of Bengal became a popular brand among youths due to its unique Bengali calligraphy and typography-based t-shirts, enlivening the social humour, puns and metaphors from the past to the present.

The Dhaka Edition of the World Press Photo Exhibition 2022 was inaugurated at Drik Gallery in the capital Friday to recognise and celebrate the best photojournalism and documentary produced last year around the world. Drik Picture Library, in partnership with the World Press Photo Foundation, organised and inaugurated the Exhibition 2022, which is being showcased as part of its worldwide tour, displaying the photo stories from the 65th World Press Photo Contest. Dutch Ambassador to Bangladesh Anne van Leeuwen inaugurated the exhibition. World Press Photo Foundation Executive Director Joumana El Zein Khoury, Photographer and former World Press Photo Jury Abir Abdullah, and Managing Director of Drik, ex-jury board chair for the World Press Photo contest and eminent photojournalist Shahidul Alam were also present. "The World Press Photo is more important than it's ever been because of how vitally important free speech and the free press are to the global community, and all of the images we've seen so far reflect reality. Some of them are heartwarming, while others are gory; and all of that is a collective result of those brave journalists' hardships," Anne said. "One of the most distressing things you might see, in my opinion, is that these threats occasionally originate from the same institutions and organisations that are supposed to protect free speech in the media. Those of you who are journalists, photojournalists, cartoonists – please know that the international community is with you and that we support you." Shahidul said: "All these printings and framings in this exhibition were done in Bangladesh, something that happened for the first time; and it happened because there is now a level of trust. The World Press has a regulation that none of the works can be censored, and Drik was the only place in Bangladesh where we could honour this obligation because there is no other venue in this repressive environment that can withstand that pressure." Read more: 'Bangladesh Press Photo Contest 2022' underway at Drik Gallery Joumana said: "All these photographs depict stories that have come from all the different regions, and have been selected by juries who understand those regions."

Monday marked the end of the eleven-day Ganga-Jamuna Sangskritik Utsab 2022 at the Bangladesh Shilpakala Academy (BSA). Known as a marquee cultural and drama event in Bangladesh, the festival's closing ceremony took place at the BSA's National Theatre Hall. Cultural Affairs Secretary Abul Mansur joined the closing ceremony alongside Ganga-Jamuna Sangskritik Utsab Parshad convener Ghulam Quddus, Sammilita Sangskritik Jote Vice-President Jhuna Chowdhury, Bangladesh Dance Artistes' Association President Minu Haque and more. Read: Stamp on Royal Opera House Muscat launched at Aga Khan Award function After the closing ceremony, theatre group Loko Natyadal presented "Tapaswi o Tarangini," directed by Liaquat Ali Lucky. Also, Nattokendro showcased Punnah at the BSA's Experimental Theatre Hall, Ethic presented "Rajdrohi" in the BSA's Studio Theatre Hall, and Sylhet-based Kathakali presented "Che'r Cycle" at the Nilima Ibrahim Auditorium of Bangladesh Mahila Samity in the capital. From October 21 to October 31, the Ganga-Jamuna Sangskritik Utsab Parishad hosted the 11-day cultural festival at the BSA's National Theatre Hall, Experimental Theatre Hall, Studio Theatre Hall, National Music-Dance-Recitation Auditorium, Open Stage, and Bangladesh Mahila Samity’s Nilima Ibrahim auditorium. Read: 15 receive Aga Khan Music Awards 2022  A total of 122 troupes from Bangladesh and India performed at the cultural festival. Three Indian troupes – Aneek, Naye Natua – and dance troupe Chhandey Chhandey Halisahar enthraled the audience at the festival. Also, 80 performers presented solo performances at the festival. 

A stamp of the Royal Opera House Muscat (ROHM), which symbolises Oman in the fields of architecture and music, has been launched. ROHM was chosen due to its historic hosting of the Aga Khan Awards for Architecture and Music (2020-2022). Read more: 15 receive Aga Khan Music Awards 2022 The stamp of the Aga Khan Award for Architecture holds the number 15 and it is considered the second stamp for the Aga Khan Award for Music. Meanwhile the Aga Khan Award for Architecture Winners’ seminar was held on Sunday under the patronage of Sayyid Dr. Fahd Al Julanda Al Said, Vice Chancellor of Sultan Qaboos University (SQU). Read more: Ustad Zakir Hussain receives Aga Khan Music Award Later, a film was screened on the Aga Khan Award for Architecture, highlighting the award’s focus on extraordinary architecture in terms of contemporary design and social aspects which enhance the society, repair historic sites, reuse resources, design natural scenery and improve the environment.

In all of recorded history, she was the first author to be given a name. Furthermore, the poet-princess-priestess was not a Greek historical figure. According to Sidney Babcock, curator of the recently inaugurated exhibition “She Who Wrote: Enheduanna and Women of Mesopotamia, ca 3400-2000 BC” at New York City’s Morgan Library, “When people ask who the first author is, they never guess anyone in Mesopotamia, and it’s never a woman.” He claims that most of the time, they refer to an ancient Greek figure, according to a BBC special feature. If they do refer to a female author, it’s Sappho, who lived more than a millennium later and whose writings survive less than those of Mesopotamia’s Enheduanna. Read more: Female artists dominate the Venice Biennale for 1st time You won’t be the only one if you haven’t heard of her. Up until 1927, Enheduanna was completely unknown to modern society. However, Sir Leonard Woolley, an archaeologist, discovered items that bear her name. As the high priestess of the moon deity Nanna-Suen, she wrote 42 temple hymns and three stand-alone poems that scholars consider to be important contributions to Mesopotamia’s literary legacy, much like the “Epic of Gilgamesh” (which is not credited to a specific author). Her name in Sumerian means “Ornament of Heaven”, the BBC feature says. Enheduanna was a political figure in addition to being a religious leader and priestess. She was also the daughter of Sargon the Great, who some historians believe to be the one who established the first empire in world history. She was particularly important in bringing Akkad, the northern Mesopotamian region where Sargon initially attained power, together before he later conquered the southern Sumerian city-states. She did this by emphasising the connections between the rituals and beliefs associated with the Akkadian goddess Ishtar and the Sumerian goddess Inanna in her literary and religious hymns and songs, thereby establishing a shared set of beliefs throughout the empire. Enheduanna composed 42 hymns for as many temples in the southern part of Mesopotamia. The poems were transcribed by scribes at the temples for hundreds of years after Enheduanna’s death, according to the BBC. Read more: Anne de Henning’s rare photos of Bangladesh’s birth, Bangabandhu to have Paris exhibition On clay tablets, with wedge-shaped impressions known as cuneiform, are Enheduanna’s works on display throughout the presentation. She recounts the creative process in the following passage from her poem “The Exaltation of Inanna”: I have given birth, Oh exalted lady, (to this song) for you. That which I recited to you at (mid)night May the singer repeat it to you at noon! Babcock expects that the show at New York City’s Morgan Library would raise Enheduanna’s profile. Read more: Ukraine: UNESCO World Heritage Sites

Fifteen musicians have received the 2022 Aga Khan Music Awards at a ceremony held at Royal Opera House Muscat’s House of Musical Arts.  The award-giving ceremony marked the culmination of a two-day celebration in which laureates performed live or were presented in short films.  The 2022 Aga Khan Music Awards concluded on Sunday night with the presentation of awards to 15 laureates by Sayyid Bilarab bin Haitham Al Said and Prince Amyn Aga Khan during a gala concert.  A special Award for Lifetime Achievement was presented to acclaimed tabla player Ustad Zakir Hussain during the Music Awards’ opening night concert on October 29. Read more: ​​​​​​​Ustad Zakir Hussain receives Aga Khan Music Award This evening’s programme featured performances by Peni Candra Rini, an Indonesian composer, improviser, vocalist and educator; Yasamin Shahhosseini, an Iranian oud player who is reimagining the place of the oud in Iranian music; the Tehran-based Golshan Ensemble, which performs Iranian classical music; and Soumik Datta, a sarod player from the United Kingdom who fuses his training in Hindustani classical music with pop, rock, electronica and film soundtracks to raise awareness about urgent social issues, including climate change, refugees and mental health. Laureates of the 2022 Music Awards were selected by a Master Jury from a field of close to 400 nominees from 42 countries.  They share $500,000 prize money and will have opportunities for professional development.  These opportunities include commissions for the creation of new works, contracts for recordings and artist management, support for pilot education initiatives, and technical or curatorial consultancies for music archiving, preservation, and dissemination projects. Read More: Bangladeshi Marina Tabassum in Aga Khan Award for Architecture’s Steering Committee

The 1971 Liberation War of Bangladesh is deeply moving for the Kennedy family, Edward M Kennedy Jr, son of late US Senator Edward M Kennedy and nephew of late US President John F Kennedy, said Sunday. "My father was with the people of Bengal during the war. As a member of his family, I am very proud of Bangladesh's independence and progress," he said while visiting the Bengal Foundation in Dhaka's Dhanmondi. Read: Ted Kennedy Jr. meets PM Hasina along with his family Kennedy Jr and his wife Katherine "Kiki" Kennedy, daughter Kiley Kennedy, son Teddy Kennedy, niece Grace Kennedy Allen, and nephew Max Allen visited the Bengal Foundation as part of their weeklong visit to Bangladesh to celebrate the 50th anniversary of US-Bangladesh diplomatic ties organised by the US Embassy.

Acclaimed Indian tabla player Ustad Zakir Hussain has received prestigious Aga Khan Music Award in lifetime achievement category for his enduring contributions to the musical heritage of humanity at a ceremony at Muscat in Oman. Prince Amyn Aga Khan on Saturday night presented the special award to Zakir Hussain as he said the true impact of the Aga Khan Music Awards will be measured by the achievements of a laureate like Zakir Hussain. The award was given for his peerless musical mastery and sustained social impact as a performer and teacher, according to the award citation. The Prince said such a maestro endeavours to use his musical talent and knowledge to contribute to the well-being of the respective societies and of humanity at large.  "The gift of artistic talent bestows a responsibility on those who receive it to share their good fortune with others, to unite us despite our many apparent differences,” he said. Read more: 2 Bangladesh projects win 2022 Aga Khan Award for Architecture Prince Amyn underscored the important role of the Music Awards in supporting music educators.  “By educating young people in their own musical traditions while also providing them the tools to expand those traditions in new cosmopolitan directions, we are helping to prepare a new generation of cultural leaders that will build bridges and connections across cultures,” he said. Prince Amyn’s address was preceded by remarks from Dr Jamal al-Moosawi, Director of the National Museum – Sultanate of Oman.  Dr al-Moosawi noted that hosting the second edition of the Aga Khan Music Awards is very much in alignment with the Sultanate’s desire to build bridges of communication and cooperation between countries and cultures. The Royal Oman Symphony Orchestra was joined by the Aga Khan Master Musicians (AKMM), the resident ensemble of the Aga Khan Music Programme, in a rousing performance of “Tashkent,” composed by AKMM saxophonist Basel Rajoub and arranged for orchestra by Dmitri Yanov-Yanovsky. Ustad Zakir Hussain, meanwhile, with his mesmerising performance enthralled the audience in the Royal Opera House Muscat’s House of Musical Arts on Saturday night. He performed as a soloist with the Royal Oman Symphony Orchestra under the baton of Maestro Hamdan al Shaely in a performance of Peshkar, a concerto for tabla and orchestra composed by Zakir Hussain in 2015. In addition to Ustad Zakir Hussain, other laureates who performed live or were presented in short films include sarangi players Dilshad Khan and Asin Khan Langa, from India; Tanzanian praise singer Yahya Hussein Abdallah; Coumbane bint Ely Warakane, a hereditary griot from Mauritania; singer and guitar player Afel Bocoum, from Mali; devotional singer Sain Zahoor and “Queen of Pashtun Folk Music” Zarsanga, from Pakistan; and music researcher Musallam Al-Kathiri, from the Sultanate of Oman.  The Music Awards will continue for the second day on Sunday with more performances, films and presentations of awards. The triennial Awards, established by the Aga Khan in 2018, recognise exceptional creativity, promise and enterprise in music in societies across the world in which Muslims have a significant presence.  Award winners and recipients of a Special Mention will share a prize fund of $500,000 as well as opportunities for professional development.  List of the laureates of the 2022 Aga Khan Music Awards: Afel Bocoum (Mali) Singer and guitar player from Niafunké, Mali whose music combines acoustic guitar with local instruments to echo the sound of “desert blues” in an earthier, tradition-based style. Asin Khan Langa (India) Sarangi player, singer, composer and community activist from Rajasthan’s hereditary Langa musical community, who performs Sufi poetry set to traditional and newly composed melodies. Coumbane Mint Ely Warakane (Mauritania) Singer and ardin (harp) player from Trarza, in southwest Mauritania, who performs the music of Mauritanian griots in a deeply traditional style. Read more: Aga Khan Music Awards announces seven-member Master Jury 2022 Daud Khan Sadozai (Afghanistan) Leading exponent of the Afghan rubab who has had a major impact on the preservation, development and dissemination of Afghan music worldwide. Peni Candra Rini (Indonesia) Indonesian composer, improviser, vocalist and educator whose knowledge of traditional Indonesian performing arts informs her creation of new works produced worldwide. Soumik Datta (UK)  Sarod player who fuses his training in Hindustani classical music with pop, rock, electronica and film soundtracks to raise awareness about urgent social issues including climate change, refugees and mental health. Yahya Hussein Abdallah (Tanzania) Singer and composer of devotional songs and reciter of the Qur’an from Dar es Salaam, Tanzania who composes and sings in Swahili as well as some of Tanzania’s 126 local languages. Yasamin Shahhosseini (Iran) Leading young master of the oud who is reimagining the place of this instrument in Iranian music through her innovative compositions and improvisations. Zarsanga (Pakistan) Singer from Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, Pakistan, known as the Queen of Pashtun Folklore for her career-long devotion to the orally transmitted traditional music of tribal Pashtuns. Special Mentions Dilshad Khan (India) Tenth-generation sarangi player from a hereditary lineage in Rajasthan who is expanding the language of the sarangi in film music and through innovative cross-cultural collaborative projects. Golshan Ensemble (Iran) Four women who perform Iranian traditional music with a contemporary sound and are active as teachers, with a special focus on transmitting their musical tradition to girls and women. Sain Zahoor (Pakistan) Punjabi musician with a lifelong practice of singing Sufi poetry in local shrines and festivals, often accompanied by ecstatic dance. Seyyed Mohammad Musavi & Mahoor Institute (Iran) Founder and long-time director of Mahoor Institute of Culture and Arts, who has made seminal contributions to the development of Iranian music and musicology. Read more: Despite some event hiccups, Suman still creates magic for Dhaka fans Zulkifli & Bur’am (Aceh, Indonesia) Revitalisers of Acehnese song traditions who have cultivated community building amongst youth through their participation in Bur’am, a traditional singing and drumming ensemble established by Zulkifli.

Bangladesh can be an example for other countries if people from all disciplines, not just the architects, can put in their best efforts for the country, says a young architect.  “We got the recognition relatively in a very early stage. It proves that those in the architecture discipline are demonstrating world class examples,” architect Saad Ben Mostafa told UNB. Mostafa is one of the three young architects whose project titled “Community Spaces in Rohingya Refugee Response, Cox’s Bazar” won the prestigious 2022 Aga Khan Award for Architecture (AKAA). Six winners, who will share the USD 1 million award, one of the biggest in architecture, show promise for communities, innovation and care for the environment. Read more: 2 Bangladesh projects win 2022 Aga Khan Award for Architecture Mostafa along with his two teammates — architects Khwaja Fatmi and Rizvi Hassan — will receive the award with other winners on Monday. The graduate from the Bangladesh University of Engineering and Technology (BUET) laid emphasis on focusing on work while understanding people’s needs and roots, not just replicating foreign designs. “I would say, we are going to receive the award on behalf of all. I see it as a big recognition for Bangladesh,” architect Fatmi told UNB. Architect Hassan said they wanted to see whether they can work based on local elements – taking materials and creating a beautiful, sustainable and an advanced design. Read More: Bangladesh project among Aga Khan Award for Architecture Winners In future, he said, they want to work in rural areas. “We want to engage people from the villages in our work. We want to see them join hands with us. We will work together.”

Marking 100 years of the founding of Dhaka University (DU), a permanent art gallery was inaugurated at the Alumni Floor of Nawab Ali Chowdhury Senate Building on Friday. Dhaka University Alumni Association (DUAA) envisioned and initiated "Rong Tuli-te Dhaka Bishwobiddyaloy," which consists of a total of 113 artworks, including 106 paintings and seven sculptures, describing the glorious history of DU and its successful, influential students and alumni. DU Pro-Vice Chancellor (Academic) ASM Maksud Kamal inaugurated the gallery at 5pm today. KM Khalid, state minister for cultural affairs, joined the opening ceremony as the chief guest. AK Azad, former president of DUAA, spoke at the ceremony as a special guest, while General Secretary of Dhaka University Teachers' Association Professor Md Nizamul Haque Bhuiyan, eminent painter Professor Rafiqun Nabi, Managing Director and CEO of Eastern Bank Ali Reza Iftekhar and Managing Director of Dhaka Bank Emranul Haque also joined the opening ceremony.