In a social media post, Jaya Ahsan described the gathering as a “home full of Bengali spirit” and “our kind of chaos.”

What is now one of the most widely celebrated cultural events across Bangladesh actually started as an administrative solution, and its transformation over the centuries offers a surprisingly layered look at how traditions evolve.

Folklorists have long recognised multiple categories within Bengali folk literature—songs, proverbs, riddles, and rhymes. Rhymes are not homogeneous; they appear in distinct functional types: nursery rhymes, social or satirical rhymes, occupational rhymes, ritual rhymes, and those associated with games. That diversity signals not triviality, but embeddedness. In their rhythmic repetition are folded patterns of labour, hierarchy, crisis and adaptation.

Dhaka University is set to celebrate the Bengali New Year 1433 on Tuesday with elaborate programmes, as preparations across the campus have been completed in a festive atmosphere.

The press conference closed with “Baishakh Mashe Aiso Bondhu,” returning to the language of invitation.

From the golden glow of sunrise over Mount Fitz Roy to the quiet romance of cypress-lined roads stretching across Tuscany, the Edge Gallery at Bay’s Edgewater Tower unfolded as a window to the world—each frame opening onto a different horizon on Friday, April 10. 

Theatre troupe BotTala has launched a two-day cultural festival at the Central Shaheed Minar to celebrate the 100th staging of its acclaimed play “Khona”.

Across five days, the programme will feature a wide range of folk and musical forms—jarigan, pat-er gaan, baul songs, puthi recitations, kabigan, gazi songs, gambhira, jalalgeeti, and bhawaiya—alongside ensemble dance performances by various cultural groups.

A commemorative event honouring National Film Award-winning actor Shams Sumon turned into an emotional gathering as colleagues came together to remember the late artiste on Thursday (April 9) evening at the Experimental Theatre Hall of Bangladesh Shilpakala Academy in the capital.

At his Dhanmondi residence, veteran actor and playwright Mamunur Rashid, sits with the quiet assurance of a man who has spent more than half a century shaping the soul of Bangla theatre. Widely regarded as one of its driving forces, his work has long bridged the emotional landscapes of audiences across both sides of Bengal.

Titled “Amirul Arham Documentary Film Retrospective”, the programme runs until April 11 at the organisation’s Auditorium Nouvelle Vague in Dhanmondi. Two films will be screened each day at 3:00pm and 5:00pm.

He also served as art director on several notable projects, including “Matir Moina” by Tareque Masud, the short film “Norshunder”, and “Chandrabati Kotha” by N Rashed Chowdhury.

In the Bangla cultural calendar, spring often arrives not only in colour, but in melody. This season, that arrival takes shape in “Boshonto”, a lyrical play dedicated to poet Kazi Nazrul Islam, while drawing from the timeless world of Rabindranath Tagore.

The programme, titled “Shams Suman… Smritite Amlan”, will be held on April 9 at 6:00pm at the Experimental Theatre Hall of Bangladesh Shilpakala Academy in Dhaka.

The red-walled auditorium at Alliance Française de Dhaka hummed with anticipation as photography enthusiasts, students, and storytellers gathered for an intimate Photo Adda.

An art exhibition that bridges geography and imagination has been extended, drawing continued attention from visitors in Dhaka. Titled “From Mountain to Sea”, the group show brings together artists from Nepal, Bangladesh and the Republic of Korea, offering a rich dialogue of landscapes, cultures and visual traditions.

The protest follows the government’s recent decision to rename the procession “Baishakhi Shobhajatra”, citing inclusivity and a desire to present it as a universal festival.

After a gap of more than a year and a half, Jagarani Theatre brought back its acclaimed production “Rajar Chithi” to the stage, with two shows held at the Bangladesh Shilpakala Academy in Dhaka.

The programme opened with a group dance performance set to Rabindranath Tagore’s “Amar boney boney”. This was followed by musical performances drawing from the works of Kazi Nazrul Islam, including “Dola lagilo” and “Boshonto elo elo re”.

The evening of April 3 marked the opening of the 66th solo exhibition of acclaimed photographer Nasir Ali Mamun, titled “Photoseum: Life of Poetree”, at La Galerie, Alliance Française de Dhaka.