Hamdan Ballal, a Palestinian co-director of the Oscar-winning documentary “No Other Land”, has been injured and detained following a confrontation in the West Bank, according to a fellow filmmaker and an activist group.

Bangladeshi-origin fashion designer Tasmit Afiyat Arny has been named among four influential American-South Asian fashion designers by North America-based fashion and lifestyle platform Anokhi Media.

Pohela Baishakh will be celebrated across the country, in every district and sub-district. The ministry has doubled the budget allocation for this. Special attention is being given to areas with significant ethnic populations, ensuring their participation.

In response to the rising wave of violence against women and environmental destruction across Bangladesh, Bangladesh Tree Protection Movement and BotTala are coming together to organize a cultural protest under the banner “Resist Violence Against Women and Nature.”

The summit was officially announced in Bangladesh at a launch event held at the Indira Gandhi Cultural Centre in Dhaka, today, alongside a discussion celebrating 111 years of Indian cinema. The event, organised by the High Commission of India in Dhaka, highlighted the objectives and potential global impact of WAVES. Ann Mary George, first secretary (Culture) at the High Commission of India, shared the vision for WAVES, stating, “We aim to make this an annual event, much like the World Economic Summit in Davos or the Raisina Dialogue for foreign policy. This will be a landmark platform for media and entertainment.”

During yesterday’s episode of WWE Raw, John Cena finally reached his breaking point with fans and did not hold back in expressing his feelings.

The Department of Theatre at Jagannath University staged a play titled “Jujuburi”, a narrative adapted from Badruzzaman Alamgir’s story “Aber Pankha Loiya”, as part of the postgraduate production for the 2021–22 academic session. Held at the department’s studio theatre today at 12pm, the performance was directed by Theatre Department’s Professor Kamal Uddin Kabir.

Singer and actress Parsha Mahjabeen Purnee narrowly escaped a life-threatening incident when her Uber car caught fire in the capital's Kurmitola at around 1 PM, today.

The judges for the audition round included Naeem Ashraf, Rahima Sultana, and winners from previous seasons. In the studio round, the judging panel will consist of Naeem Ashraf, Rahima Sultana, and actress Purnima. The show is hosted by Mousumi Mou and produced by Ajay Poddar.

Sontu, the beloved celebrity dog from Khulna, Bangladesh, passed away on Sunday night after battling health issues for several days. 

On Facebook, Lamia posted, “Is there no one with me? Just because my parents are gone, does that mean I have no one? No one, no one, no one.” At 4:10 pm, she made another post, stating, “They broke my leg. They are not even letting me go to the hospital. They threw bricks at my car and shattered it. I cannot walk.”

The cover art of “Chronicles of Allen Swapan” was designed by Asifur Rahman, with editing by Mehedi Haque and Sheikh Korashanee. The comic is rated ‘M’ (Mature) and is intended for adult readers.

Moore shared her dismay upon learning that her debut book, “Freckleface Strawberry”, had been banned in Department of Defense-run schools under the Trump administration. In a statement posted on Instagram, she conveyed her disappointment over the decision.

Quick probe finds rift between theatre artistes

A fire broke out at the home of content creator Nuruzzaman Kafi in Kalapara, Patuakhali. At the time of the incident, six members of his family, including his parents, were inside the house.

In an unprecedented event, Avro creator Mehdi hasan Khan has agreed to receive the coveted Ekushey Padak, on the condition that his teammates Rifat Nabi, Tanbin Islam Siyam, and Shabab Mustafa also be conferred with the award.

In a bid to introduce a unique community engagement event that blends entertainment and competition, Stayverz Bangladesh has organised a thrilling and immersive experience—titled “Squid Game Parody”—scheduled for February 10 (Monday) at 4pm at the Kick Off Football Ground in Purbachal 300 Feet, Dhaka.

Among the recipients are late novelist Shahidul Zahir (Md Shahidul Haque) and poet Helal Hafeez, who will be honoured posthumously for their contributions to Language and Literature. Renowned photographer and founder of Drik Gallery and Pathshala South Asian Media Institute, Shahidul Alam, will receive the award for his work in Culture and Education. Filmmaker Azizur Rahman, famed for his work on “Chhutir Ghonta”, will be conferred the award posthumously for his contributions to Arts (Cinema), while Ustad Nirad Baran Barua and Ferdous Ara will be honored for Music. Nasir Ali Mamun will be recognized for Arts (Photography), and Rokeya Sultana will receive the award for Arts (Fine Arts).

Renowned entrepreneur Rubiat Fatima Tony’s husband, Shahadat Hossain, passed away while undergoing treatment in Bangkok.

When NSU graduate Zarin Mahmood landed in Canada in 2017, she had left behind a life of relative certainty to enter the grind of a life far away. Discarding her desire to pursue business, which was her major in university, she jumped on the opportunity to complete a Master’s in Technology Innovation Management at Ottawa’s Carlton University.