Art and Culture
Charyapada Revival Festival kicks off
To celebrate a decade of reviving Charyapada songs, Bhavanagar Foundation is hosting a three-day "Charyapada Revival Festival 2025" from July 9 to 11 at the Bangladesh Shilpakala Academy’s seminar hall and studio theater. This marks the festival’s second edition, featuring devotees, researchers, and musicians from Bangladesh and abroad.
Visiting the playground of natural beauty, Darjeeling
Darjeeling is known as the ‘Queen of the Hills’. Last year I went to Darjeeling with my family. First, we travelled from Dhaka to Kolkata. After reaching there, we arrived at Howrah Railway Station very early in the morning and took the train named Vande Bharat to Jalpaiguri. It is known as the fastest train in West Bengal. Our train started its journey at 6:30am. There was a lunch and breakfast package on the train. They served breakfast at 7am. The breakfast menu included bread, butter, vegetables, eggs, tea, and juice. During the train journey, we enjoyed the surrounding natural scenery.
Sur Sudha Sangeetyan's annual cultural festival held
Sur Sudha Sangeetyan's annual cultural festival has been held at the Ramesh Chandra Dutta Memorial Auditorium in Dhaka on Friday (July 4).
The Dhamrai Rathajatra and the nature of Asharh
Asharh means kadam flowers, Asharh means rain, and the festival of Rathajatra. In Bangladesh, it is a beautiful fusion of nature and culture. On the morning of the 13th of Asharh, a brief shower occurred. Ignoring the drizzle, I set off from Dhanmondi to Dhamrai. The sky remained cloudy. Since childhood, I have heard that it always rains on the day of the Rathajatra, meaning chariot pulling, with every pull of the chariot's rope. In different places, the rope is pulled at different times. Does that mean it rains locally at those places? Perhaps not. But such is the nature of Asharh rain—it doesn't last continuously for long. It comes and goes.
The Shroud
On days when it was impossible for Shaziya to wake up in time for the dawn namaz, she would blame it on her high blood pressure, and had a habit of saying she had no peace because of those damn tablets.
‘Taandob’ Piracy: Loss for film industry people, responsibility also theirs
This Eid, superstar Shakib Khan’s film Taandob hit the theaters. Directed by Raihan Rafi, the movie boasts a stellar cast and was off to a roaring start at the box office. However, just two weeks after its release, a pirated copy of the film began circulating online, dealing a severe blow to its commercial success. In an op-ed, filmmaker Dipankar Dipon —an expert in post-production and a university lecturer on the subject—analyzes the piracy crisis surrounding Taandob. He explores why this case stands out, who bears responsibility, and how Bangladesh’s film industry can combat piracy to protect its future.
120 eminent citizens express concern over demolition of 'Anjali Laho Mor' mural
One hundred and twenty-one cultural activists, poets, writers, journalists, and progressive citizens of the country have expressed deep concern over the recent administrative order to demolish the mural ‘Anjali Laho Mor’ installed at Jatiya Kabi Kazi Nazrul Islam University at Trishal in Mymensingh.
Speech of a hungry locality
Just a while ago, Kutub Uddin was sitting among the leaders and activists at the sitting room in the downstairs. The adda had become lively. Someone was chewing betel leaf while some were drinking tea or smoking cigarettes. One story after another in response. This time there will be a hard contest. Victory is surely yours, leader. Everyone was saying the same in unison. He was nodding his head. A faint smile on his face. Everyone is talking about victory. Having lost three times, he is quite anxious about victory. However, this time the tide is rising. That tide will carry him to the port of victory. No one can stop this current of the tide. Can't even stand in front of it. That belief in his heart is growing stronger day by day. Last time too, he dreamed of being covered in garlands of flowers in victory march. But that dream disappeared at night as the opponent gained victory. So, this time too much excitement couldn’t take hold of his mind.
In search of traditional Eid card
The practice of sending greeting cards to loved ones dates back almost 180 years. It gained popularity during the reign of Queen Victoria. Initially, greeting cards were mostly used to celebrate occasions like New Year’s, Christmas, or birthdays. But over time, this tradition expanded across the world, and cards began to be exchanged for Eid as well. While this custom is still common in many Western cultures, in Bangladesh and several regions in Asia, the exchange of Eid cards has gradually declined.
Film festival: History and theory
In primitive times, when groups of people caught a big prey and gathered around a fire at night to feast, that was their food festival. The film festival is a celebration of joy in the modern era. Here, it is the hunger of the mind that is satisfied by cinema. Though the idea of a film festival is Eurocentric, its spread has now reached every corner of the world. While people join festivals out of a desire to see stories, beneath the surface these festivals involve matters such as power dynamics, soft diplomacy, political relationship building, and cultural exchange.