A two-day photo exhibition highlighting the lives, livelihoods and resilience of indigenous communities in the Chittagong Hill Tracts (CHT) was inaugurated at Bangladesh Shilpakala Academy today.

The second phase ran from September 6 to 14 at the National Theatre Hall and featured productions by nine theatre groups. The festival aimed to highlight Dhaka’s 416-year history, heritage and culture.

The festival celebrates the influence of the two mystic figures whose teachings have shaped generations across the Indian subcontinent through messages of equality, compassion, devotion and human unity.

A week-long art exhibition celebrating the 80-year creative journey of writer, painter, singer and entrepreneur Sheikh Rabiul Haque was inaugurated yesterday at the National Art Gallery of Bangladesh Shilpakala Academy.

The broad theme of the exhibition allows the artists to approach life and society from their own perspectives.

Nrityanchal is celebrating its 25th anniversary with a three-day dance festival at Bangladesh Shilpakala Academy, bringing together more than 700 young and senior dancers across two major productions.

Tamalika spent three decades performing with Aranyak Natyadal, appearing in several acclaimed productions and earning recognition for her stage performances. She has been living in the United States for several years.

Titled “Nazruler Chhandataranga” (Nazrul’s Rhythmic Waves), the programme will be held at rehearsal rooms 104 and 105 of the Music and Dance Centre building under the initiative of the Ministry of Cultural Affairs.

The play centres on Kumkum, whose mother, Princess Mahima, was a celebrated jatra performer who portrayed Sita, Draupadi and Behula on stage. After Mahima’s death, Kumkum is left with her mother’s final wish — to have a janaza.

The programme was hosted by Bengal Foundation Director General Luva Nahid Choudhury. Prominent novelist Hasnat Abdul Hye attended as the chief guest, while renowned essayist and researcher Professor Abul Ahsan Chowdhury was present as the special guest. City Bank Managing Director and CEO Mashrur Arefin also attended the event.

Mustafa Monwar was a beloved artist who played a significant role in popularising puppet theatre in Bangladesh and encouraging children’s participation in creative activities.

A special cultural evening featuring National Poet Kazi Nazrul Islam’s traditional Leto Gaan (folk musical theatre) and Kabigaan (poetic musical debate) was held at the Bangladesh Shilpakala Academy in Dhaka on Thursday as part of the ongoing Nazrul Year celebrations.

In our society, a man is simply a man — a protector and provider with a linear existence. Women, however, are put into similar moulds that force them to lead multidimensional lives. Thus, a woman’s heart is deeper than the Pacific Ocean — containing secrets and stories born from her social identities, the phases of her life and lived experiences with others. These narratives often go unnoticed within the patriarchal system that prevails. A group of women artists has now decided to share their memoirs through an art exhibition titled “Untold Story”.

On the afternoon of 16 July 1979, in the northern Nicaraguan city of Estelí, a young man named Pablo Aráuz found an empty Pepsi bottle, filled it with petrol, lit it and threw it at the local headquarters of the National Guard. An American photographer standing a few feet away made a picture of him doing it. Somoza fled the country the next day. The dictatorship his family had run for 43 years collapsed two days after that.

A nationwide festival exploring the philosophy, music and humanist traditions of Kabir and Lalon Shah will be held across all eight divisions of Bangladesh from September 11 to October 30.

The quiet reminiscence of old friends and admirers channeled the spirit of one of Bangladesh’s most beloved figures, “Shilpi Bhai”. They were gathered to celebrate the 91st birth anniversary of the late artist and master puppeteer, Mustafa Monwar.

An open discussion and poetry-reading session followed the main programme. According to the organisers, the initiative sought to strengthen cultural ties between Bangladesh and Germany while promoting peace and empathy across linguistic and geographical boundaries.

Written during Nazrul’s adolescence, the plays bring his satire, rebellious spirit and engagement with social realities to the stage.

Popular actor Faruque Ahmed is set to return to the literary scene with his fifth book, “Muchhe Jaowa Dinguli”, a memoir drawing largely from real-life experiences.

The National Cultural Competition on Nazrul was inaugurated in Tangail today (Monday) as part of a nationwide initiative marking Nazrul Barsho.