Chhayanaut has expressed deep concern over a series of attacks on the country’s cultural sphere.

Dawn programme features 24 performances, tributes

For Khairul Anam Shakil, Nazrul Sangeet exponent and vice president of Chhayanaut, Pahela Baishakh is far more than the start of a new year—it is a living expression of Bangali identity.

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

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 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”.

A voice that stood like a warrior against oppression, Nazrul Sangeet exponent Dalia Nausheen was more than a powerful presence at Swadhin Bangla Betar Kendra—she was a custodian of Bengali culture, holding firm till her last breath to the belief that Bangladesh would remain liberal and progressive in its ideals, philosophy and ideology.

Holding candles in their hands, the performers raised their voices in unison, presenting a series of timeless songs including “O Alor Pothojatri”, “Nahi Bhoy Nahi Bhoy”, “Dukkhe Amar Poran Kande”, and “Aguner Poroshmoni”.

Dhaka, February 7, 2026 — On Saturday evening, Chhayanaut organised its much-anticipated Dance Festival at the Chhayanaut Auditorium. Held on 24 Magh 1432 at 6:15 pm (Bangladesh time), the programme offered a rich and soulful engagement with movement, rhythm, and heritage.

Following the inaugural segment, the performances began with a choral presentation by Chhayanaut artistes, conducted by Asit Kumar Dey. Based on the resonance of Raga Malkauns, the piece brought together elements of five different ragas. Badal Chowdhury accompanied on the tabla, while Tinku Shil played the harmonium.

On Tuesday afternoon, December 23, when the gates of Chhayanaut opened, it was clear this would not be a routine cultural programme, rather a peaceful cultural protest titled “Gaane Gaane Songhoti Samabesh”, as a large crowd gathered to show solidarity in response to recent attacks on cultural spaces and growing concerns over freedom of expression.

When cultural institutions crumble, archives burn, and instruments shatter, it is not merely walls that vanish—it is memory, identity, and moral courage. Culture cannot be revised; it is what history has written. Every assault upon it shakes the quiet foundations of a nation’s conscience.

Nearly every room was vandalised, property was looted, and parts of the building were set on fire. Police and army personnel arrived shortly after the incident, brought the situation under control, and extinguished the flames. Members of the Rapid Action Battalion (RAB) were also present at the scene.

Within the scarred walls of Chhayanaut, the repair of a broken harmonium is more than a maintenance task, it is an act of institutional defiance.

Work underway to identify those involved, says Farooki

Choudhury offered a stark diagnosis of the present. Bangladesh, he said, is moving away from the spirit of the martyred intellectuals for two reasons: a shrinking practice of history and its growing distortion; and a widening distance from the dreams and consciousness of the Liberation War.

Chhayanaut has announced an expansion of its online activities as Chhayanaut Digital marks its first anniversary, unveiling a slate of research-led programming, archive-based presentations and projects dedicated to preserving cultural memory.

Chhayanaut general secretary Laisa Ahmed Lisa said in a release that the night will feature songs by five traditional lyricists, including Lalon Sain and Manmohan Dutta.

Chhayanaut has called upon the government to reconsider its decision to abolish the posts of music and physical education teachers in government primary schools.

A special musical tribute was held in memory of the late Rabindra Sangeet artiste and founding president of Chhayanaut, Sanjida Khatun, in Sydney, Australia. The commemorative programme, held in an atmosphere of mourning and reverence, took place last Sunday (July 27) at the Ermington Community Centre.