Theatre & Arts

Theatre & Arts

Art Exhibition / ‘Bindu’: A display of passion and devotion

Enakkhi Saha Roy, Ishrat Parveen Leena, and Ranjana Sayeed — a trio of visual artists driven by their love and passion for visual arts — are practicing artists whose second group exhibition, titled “Bindu”, is being hosted at Bhumi Art Gallery in Lalmatia. The inauguration event of the art exhibition took place on December 20, where painter Professor Emeritus Rafiqun Nabi graced the event as the chief guest. The exhibition was underway after the inaugural event consisting of performances of musicians from various genres.

18h ago

Renamed halls and standup comedy mark Shilpakala Academy’s latest initiatives

Bangladesh Shilpakala Academy has officially designated three of its auditoriums to theatrical performances. The academy’s Director General Syed Jamil Ahmed, announced that these auditoriums are being renamed. Speaking at an event held at the academy’s Experimental Theatre Hall yesterday, he further stated that the Experimental Theatre Hall will be opened for theatrical productions starting December 28.

2d ago

Folk and classical music fests postponed amid security concerns

In an unexpected move, two major festivals slated for Dhaka’s Army Stadium have been postponed due to security concerns and the sudden cancellation of venue bookings. The highly anticipated International Folk Music Festival and Bengal Foundation's Classical Music Festival have both been put on hold, leaving event organisers and attendees in uncertainty.

4d ago

Art Exhibition / ‘Rong Jeno Moar Maurme Lage’: The artistic grandeur of ‘Graphics Manik Dey’  

Most of the artworks currently adorning the walls of Gallery Chitrak were created between 2016 and 2024. The exhibition features 70 pieces, including acrylic, oil, and watercolour paintings, etchings, drawings, charcoal works, and some of his iconic graphic designs for BTV. 

2w ago

TikTok Creator Awards 2024 celebrates Bangladeshi rising talents

The vibrant TikTok community in Bangladesh took centre stage last night as TikTok hosted the TikTok Creator Awards 2024 in the capital. Held for the second consecutive year in the country, the event celebrated the creative brilliance of Bangladeshi content creators who have revolutionised digital storytelling and entertainment.  

2w ago

A day at Wangala festival with the Garo community

The grounds of Lalmatia Housing Society School and College came alive with the beats of drums and the colourful celebration of Wangala, the foremost festival of the Garo community. Known as the “Hundred Drums Festival,” Wangala is a time for the community to thank Misi Saljong, the Sun Deity, for a successful harvest. This festive celebration marks the end of the farming season and celebrates the blessings of nature.

2w ago

Celebrating December with theatre, qawwali, and cultural festivals across Bangladesh

This December, the country is set to come alive with an extraordinary lineup of cultural festivities, organized by Shilpakala Academy to mark the country's month of victory. From Qawwali performances to theatre festivals, the month-long celebration promises something for everyone. These events, held across districts and major cities, aim to bring art and culture to the public, making them accessible to all.

2w ago

Anuswar theatre to stage Shahaduzzaman's 'Mohashunye Cycle'

Author Shahaduzzaman shared his thoughts on the adaptation: "The story revolves around a character who sees himself as split into two entities. The play delves into the interactions between these two sides of the same person. Inspired by Saif Suman’s vision, I extended the story into a theatrical form."

2w ago

Veteran playwright Mamunur Rashid’s wife Gawhar passes away

Renowned playwright and cultural icon Mamunur Rashid has sadly lost his cherished wife, Gawhar Ara Mamun, a quiet yet significant presence in the Bangladeshi theatre community.

3m ago

11 cultural groups protest Asaduzzaman Noor’s arrest

Noor, one of the country's leading cultural personalities, a popular actor and recitation artiste, president of the Bangladesh Recitation Coordination Council, and a member of the advisory council of the Sommilito Sangskritik Jote, was arrested on Sunday night in connection with a murder case in Mirpur.

3m ago

Jyotika Jyoti ousted from Shilpakala Academy amid colleagues' outrage

Actress Jyotika Jyoti, who also served as the Director of the Research Department at Bangladesh Shilpakala Academy, left the office on Tuesday (September 17) following protests from her colleagues. Tension escalated when Jyoti arrived at the office that morning, eventually leading to her departure from the premises.

3m ago

‘Re-love-ution’: The two-week festival celebrating love, art, and revolution

In the dimly lit gallery, decorated with revolutionary-themed art, Anusheh Anadil spoke about love and revolution. A circle of people gathered to discuss the changes they hoped to see in post-revolution Bangladesh. Outside, raindrops tapped gently, while the sound of the Tanpura filled the air. A cat, wearing a blue bandana, wandered through the audience during the inaugural session of the two-week-long festival “Re-love-ution” or “Premandolon” at Jatra Biroti in Banani.

3m ago

‘Breathing Out Burden’: Mental health support for journos covering historic student movement

The event, held on Saturday (September 14) at Counter Foto’s Mirpur campus, was designed to help frontline journalists cope with the significant mental health challenges they’ve faced since reporting on the movement, including trauma and Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD). Many of these journalists were unaware of the extent of their psychological distress, which had developed while covering violent protests and human rights violations during the movement.

3m ago

Shah Abdul Karim, the Baul king who sang his soul

Fifteen years ago today, on September 12, 2009, Karim, revered as the "Baul king," passed away, leaving behind a profound yet humble legacy of love and mysticism. Growing up in the flood-prone lowlands of Sunamganj, Karim's music became a lifeline, reflecting the rhythms of waterlogged lands and the heartache of their people. His songs, simple yet profound, captured the essence of rural life, blending spirituality with raw emotion.

3m ago

‘Monon Khonon’: Unravelling the complex threads of material culture

Wakilur Rahman’s “Monon Khonon” solo exhibition is underway at Bengal Shilpalay in the capital’s Dhanmondi area. Through this exhibition, he has crafted the essence of visual art by making local elements relevant within a global contemporary context. His work speaks to the unique relationship between the people of the delta region and their environment, using art to bridge the gap between the ancient and the modern, the local and the universal.

3m ago

‘Shilpakala Academy to become a corruption-free institution’

Syed Jamil Ahmed, the newly appointed director general of Bangladesh Shilpakala Academy, has called for the allocation of at least three percent of the national GDP for the cultural sector to make the academy financially capable and self-sufficient.

3m ago

Syed Jamil Ahmed appointed as Shilpakala DG

It is to be noted that following the recent downfall of the former government following the Anti-Discrimination Student Movement, Liaquat Ali Lucky, who served as the Director General of the Bangladesh Shilpakala Academy (BSA) for over a decade, stepped down from his position on August 12.

3m ago

Theatre activists rally for reforms after ‘dictator’ Lucky’s fall

Bangladesh Shilpakala Academy’s former Director General Liaquat Ali Lucky’s reign of power over Dhaka's theatre scene and the country, as a whole, has been described as a “living dictator.” To prevent any similar figures from taking this kind of autocratic and illicit root in the future, a group of theatre activists has put forward several proposals.

3m ago