The four-day SM Sultan festival, organised marking 88th birth anniversary of the master artist Sultan, ended on Saturday with a colourful traditional boat race on the Chitra River in Narail. Seven hundred participants form different areas of the south-west region participated with 14 boats, of which 11 boats were rowed by male contestants and three ... Read more
Art & Culture
Bhawaiya festival begins in Rangpur
Banglalink extends patronage Bhawaiya songs have been an integral part of the culture of Rangpur division from time immemorial. People from the region are deeply attached to the dialectic genre that is coupled with moving music. With the passage of time, Bhawaiya has become more exquisite and refined. Artistes of repute such as Abbasuddin, Harolal ... Read more
Mymensingh Museum: Height of neglect
Mymensingh Museum is unable to display its wealth of artefacts to advantage due to the negligence of the concerned authorities over the last 17 years. The museum was established in 1969 by the then Deputy Commissioner of Mymensingh at the “baganbari” of zamindar Madan Babu on Amrita Babu Road in the district town. Run initially ... Read more
This Eid that was
The pattern of Eid celebrations has been changing with time. To get a glimpse of the Eid festivity more than half a century ago, New Age talked with four cultural personalities. They had almost the same observation that they do not find that enthusiasm and emotion for celebrating the day together with all relatives and ... Read more
Murtaja Baseer turns 81
A versatile genius Murtaja Baseer, considered one of the foremost painters of Bangladesh, has established his individual style. He is also known as a versatile genius. Throughout his illustrious career, Baseer has gradually transformed his working style into abstract realism. Today marks the 81st birth anniversary of the painter. The artist is the son of ... Read more
Eid festival at Fantasy Kingdom and Foy’s Lake
Concord Entertainment’s Fantasy Kingdom complex in Ashulia, near Dhaka, includes Fantasy Kingdom, Water Kingdom, Heritage Park, X-treme Racing Go-kart and Motel Atlantis, and is a delight for children and adults alike. In Chittagong, Concord entertains the public with Foy’s Lake Amusement World, Sea World and Foy’s Lake Resort. Keeping in mind that
Homage to Humayun Azad in Chittagong
To pay tribute to Humayun Azad, the plucky writer who dedicated his literary career to fighting against communalism, religious bigotry and superstition, a recitation evening was held at District Shipakala Academy in the port city on Sunday. To mark the 8th death anniversary of the lone warrior of rationalism and intellectual freedom, Proma Abritti Sanghathan, a ... Read more
Differently-abled women craft a new future
Eid Update Differently-abled women craft a new future As Eid inches closer, differently-abled female workers at Pratibandhi Mohila Club (club for women with disabilities) are busy meeting the huge demand for their handcrafts. The club, at Shilpacharya Zainul Abedin Road at Shaheeb Quarter Park area, is run by Pratibandhi Community Center (Center for people with ... Read more
Sultan’s 89th birth anniversary today
Master Bangladeshi painter SM Sultan was born in 1923 in Masimdia, Narail district. After only five years of schooling in Victoria Collegiate School in Narail, he joined his father to work as a mason. A bohemian and mystic, Sultan works delve deep into rural life, especially peasants, fishermen, day labourers and their simple lives. His ... Read more
Parisian pain and a few red roses
Nazia Andaleeb Preema Sitting at the Café Brasila, near my hotel in the heart of the city of Paris, having double espresso is a privilege. I have been coming to Paris for the last four years now. Summer is supposed to be the best time to be in Europe but this no longer feels like ... Read more
Deforestation featured through installation
The ongoing six-day art exhibition, organised by Britto Art Trust, generates awareness on the impact of deforestation in the country through installations by 18 artists and a photographer. The exhibition is an outcome of a four-day workshop, which was held in Dohar under Dhaka district in which 15 local and two Dutch artists participated. Nature photographer ... Read more
Rudro Rabi O Jalliwanwala Bagh premiered
Bangladesh Shilpakala Academy’s National Theatre Reparatory premiered its second production Rudro Rabi O Jalliwanwala Bagh on Sunday, a day before observation of Tagore’s 71st death anniversary, at the National Theatre Hall of the academy. Earlier, the troupe staged a press show at the same venue on Saturday. Noted playwright Manzur-e Moula’s innovative play, Rudro Rabi O ... Read more
Chitrangada staged
Theatre fest organised by Swapnodal Chitrangada staged On Sunday, the 5th day of theatre festival organised by Swapnodal, Tagore’s lyrical drama version of Chitrangada was staged at the experimental theater hall of Bangladesh Shilpakala Academy. It was the 17th show of the Swapnodal’s current production, directed by Zahid Repon. Tagore wrote the lyrical drama in 1892, ... Read more
Mohajoner Nao staged before sailing to Korea
Subachan Natya Sangsad staged its popular Mohajoner Nao at the Experimental Theatre Hall on Saturday before going to South Korea to participate at the Keochang International Theatre Festival. Shakoor Majid’s play Mohajoner Nao is a biographical sketch of the legendary baul Shah Abdul Karim. The well-composed production, directed by Sudip Chakroborty, attracts the
Lucky Enam directs yet another theatre on biranganas
Noted theatre actor-director Lucky Enam is coming up with yet another project on the biranganas of the war of independence in 1971 just after a decade of her first direction of Ami Birangana Bolchhi. Her latest theatre venture Bideho depicts the stories of sacrifices of the war heroines of 1971 through three women actors. Among ... Read more
Cutting across cultures
In conversation with Dr. Samuel Berthet Director of Alliance Française de Chittagong (AFC) Dr. Samuel Berthet is a man of culture. Berthet’s childhood memories conjure up the diverse cultural atmosphere circling his scenic school Ecole du Lac (Pond) at Grenoble, France. “My school was an experimental one in a socially and culturally mixed area where ... Read more
Nishimon Bisharjan goes to India
Mahakal Natyasampraday will tour West Bengal, India with its latest production “Nishimon Bisharjan”. An adaptation of Rabindranath Tagore’s “Bisharjan”, the play has been dramatised by Anon Zaman and directed by Ashik Rahman. The troupe will leave the country today, informed its chief Mir Zahid Hasan. During their weeklong stay, they will hold three shows. The ... Read more
Bhawaiya on verge of extinction
Eminent singer Ferdousi Rahman observes that bhawaiya, one of the most melodious music genres of the country, is under threat of extinction due to lack of patronisation and practice. In an interview with New Age Ferdausi Rahman, one of most popular bhawaiya singers the country has ever produced, revealed the present condition of the rich ... Read more
Six-day theatre fest begins tomorrow
Theatre troupe Swapnodal will pay tribute to Nobel laureate poet Rabindranath Tagore, dramatist Selim Al Deen and Indian director Badal Sircar by organising a six-day theatre festival beginning tomorrow, informed the organisers at a press conference held on Monday at the seminar room of Bangladesh Shilpakala Academy. The festival will mark
Most troupes are inactive
Secretary general of Bangladesh Group Theatre Federation (BGTF) Jhuna Chowdhury tells New Age that most of the theatre troupes are inactive across the country. According to Jhuna Chowdhury just over 100 out of over 300 members of the federation are active at present. ‘Just imagine about a hundred troupes are completely inactive and another 100 more