With a theme to showcase the architectural marvel in Bangladesh, The Daily Star and Standard Chartered Bank announced the launching of “Celebrating Life 2018” contest today.

Open to submission from all over the country, the theme for this year's competition is “Architecture of Bangladesh”, said the organisers at a press conference at a hotel in the capital.

Like previous years, there will be three categories: lyrics, photography and film. A participant is allowed to submit his or her works in all the mentioned categories. Last date for submission is July 31, 2018.

Starting in 2008, it has become a platform for photographers, lyricists and filmmakers to showcase talents on themes connected to Bangladesh's heritage. 

Detail about the contest is available at www.celebratinglifebd.com.

Speaking at the press conference, Editor and publisher of The Daily Star Mahfuz Anam said that the reason for selecting the theme on architecture is to revisit culture of the country and expressing the different aspects of its history to the world.

“We are enriching ourselves [with the Knowledge of our cultural history] by scooping different aspects of our heritage…. and thus we are letting the world know about the cultural diversity within us,” he said.

The country’s enriched history of architecture is not as familiar as of music, dance and drama, he said while emphasising to promote the culture more.

CEO of Standard Chartered Bank, Naser Ezaz Bijoy said that the institution has been with the initiative since its inception paving the way for the young latent talents who are waiting to be discovered.

Last year, the theme was "Celebrating Diversity of Bangladesh” and the winners were Salma Moon (lyrics), Hasan Mahmud Prottoy (photography) and Nuhas Humayun (film).

This year, Celebrating Life contest will honor the personalities, who have been involved in filmmaking/ television production, photography, music and lyrics writing for decades, with Lifetime Achievement Awards through a gala event.

Festival Director of the contest Rafi Hossain, Country Head of Corporate Affairs of SCB Bitopi Das Chowdhury and lyricist Mohammad Rafiquzzaman were present at the press conference.