Commemorating the 50th anniversary of the establishment of diplomatic relations between Japan and Bangladesh, the Embassy of Japan will organise a concert by “AUN J Classic Orchestra” in Dhaka on October 15 to promote friendship between the two countries. Japanese traditional musical instruments such as Wa-daiko, Shaminisen, Koto, Shakuhachi, and Shinobue, are all the instruments of the AUN J Classic Orchestra, which are usually not played in an ensemble. The troupe was formed in 2008 by seven renowned artists who specialized in each instrument in pursuit of unique musical experiences. Their technical quality and performance level have been highly acclaimed around the world, said the Japanese Embassy in Dhaka in a media release on Tuesday.

The Russian House in Dhaka has organised two literary lectures at the University of Dhaka (DU) and the University of Liberal Arts Bangladesh (ULAB).   During the first session at ULAB on "Fyodor Dostoyevsky and Rabindranath Tagore: Litterateurs, illustrators and artists," Indian Professor Debal Dasgupta, a prominent promoter of Russian language and culture, displayed an array of illustrations, sketches and doodles by the two authors and talked in depth about the artistic abilities of the two great masters of literature, their critical look at the harmony between their illustrations and the literary characters. The second programme "Alexander Pushkin and Rabindranath Tagore: The creators of the new hero in world literature" was held at DU.

Durga Puja, the biggest religious festival of the Hindu community, is set to begin on Saturday with the incarnation (Bodhon) of goddess Durga at temples across the country, marking Sashthi. The five-day puja will come to an end with the immersion of idols of goddess Durga in rivers and other water bodies on October 5. All the preparations have been taken for celebrating the religious festival smoothly with tight security at every puja mandap in the country. Read: Keep vigil against vandalism during Durga Puja: Obaidul Quader asks AL members The Maha Saptami puja will be held on Sunday while Maha Ashtami, Kumari Puja and Sandhi Puja on Monday, Maha Nabami puja on Tuesday and Bijoya Dashami will be held on Wednesday.  Recitation of the verses from the Holy Chandi and blowing of conch shells (Shankha) and beating of drums will be heard in temples and pandals in the city and elsewhere throughout the day. The Mahalaya, the auspicious occasion heralding the advent of goddess Durga, was celebrated on September 25 last. In Dhaka city, the main puja mandaps have been set up at Dhakeshwari National Temple, Ramkrishna Mission and Math, Kalabagan, Banani, Shakhari Bazar and Ramna Kali Mandir. Dhaka Metropolitan Police (DMP) Commissioner Md Shafiqul Islam on Thursday said police are ready to thwart any possible militant attack during the Durga Puja celebration. Besides, the Puja Mandaps, where there are no CCTV cameras, will be kept under surveillance by police and Ansar members for 24 hours. President Abdul Hamid and Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina have issued separate messages greeting the members of the country's Hindu community on this occasion. In his message, President Hamid said the main religious festival of the Bengali Hindu community is Durga Puja. The country’s Hindu community has been celebrating the puja amid huge enthusiasm and festivity with different rituals since ancient times. Durga Puja is not only a religious festival, but also a social one, he added. “Communal harmony is the eternal tradition of Bengalis. This tradition must be carried forward in our overall progress together,” he urged all. Read: Benazir directs police to ensure impenetrable security during Durga Puja In her message, PM Hasina said Durga Puja is not only a festival of the Hindu community, it is now a universal festival. Destruction of evil forces and worship of truth and beauty are the main motives of Sharadiya Durgotsob. “On the occasion of Durga Puja, I wish peace, welfare and prosperity to all citizens including the Hindus,” she said. Durga Puja will be held at 32,168 mandaps (pandals) across the country, including 241 in the capital city, this year.

Several cultural bodies organised different programmes Wednesday to celebrate the 76th birthday of Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina, putting the spotlight on her life and works.   The Bangladesh Shilpakala Academy (BSA) and the Bangla Academy celebrated the occasion with different events, including cultural programmes, art camps, exhibitions and discussions. The BSA unveiled a portrait of Sheikh Hasina titled "Shobujer Buke Manobotar Janani" at its premises. Liaquat Ali Lucky, BSA director general, unveiled the 100 feet by 76 feet portrait with other BSA officials at 3pm. An exclusive art camp, featuring 80 child artists, was then inaugurated. It continued till 5pm. At 6pm, the BSA organised a discussion at its National Theatre Hall auditorium, with Lucky in the chair. Bangla Academy President and eminent novelist Selina Hossain joined the seminar as the chief guest and spoke about the life and philosophies of Sheikh Hasina. A special cultural programme, featuring BSA's baul and Bhawaiya groups, dance troops, and other musical units, then enthralled the audience.  

Hindus across Bangladesh are celebrating Mahalaya, the auspicious occasion that heralds the advent of Goddess Durga, today. Considered as a ceremonial invocation of Goddess Durga, Mahalaya is observed a week prior to Durga Puja, the largest religious festival of the Hindu community. Hindus believe the earth prepares itself and welcomes the coming of the Goddess and her children, through the celebrations. Read:Disappointment in Bagerhat as Shikdar Bari avoids large-scale Durga Puja celebration for third year running Durga Puja will begin on October 1 on the day of Maha Shashthi. Goddess Durga will come to the earth (Martyalok) riding an elephant (gaja) through the Maha Sashthi Puja this year. On Mahalaya, the Mahanagar Sarbajanin Puja Committee has arranged special programmes at Dhakeshwari Temple from 6am. On this day, Hindus remember and pay homage to their deceased ancestors by performing a puja, and offering Brahmins clothes, food and sweets in their names. This year there will be 32,168 Puja mandaps across the country. Installation of CCTV cameras has been made compulsory at all puja mandaps ahead of Durga Puja to ensure security, Home Minister Asaduzzaman Khan  said. Read:Durga puja: A festival that unites Bangladesh! To ensure security at the puja mandaps, additional forces of law enforcement agencies will be deployed as per necessary. Besides, Durga Puja organisers have been told to deploy volunteers to ensure security. The authorities concerned have been asked to provide wristbands to volunteers that will help the police to identify them.

Two Bangladesh projects are amongst six winners of the 2022 Aga Khan Award for Architecture (AKAA). A monograph that includes essays on issues raised by the Master Jury’s selections of the shortlist and the winners for the 2022 Award will be published by Architangle in October 2022, according to a message received from Geneva. The Urban River Spaces project in Jhenaidah created by Khondakar Hasibul Kabir and Suhailey Farzana, and the community spaces of the Rohingya Refugee Response program by architects Rizvi Hassan, Khwaja Fatmi and Saad Ben Mostafa will share the US$1 million award with four other winning projects. Read: Bangladeshi projects shortlisted for Aga Khan Award for Architecture 2022

Bangladesh Shilpakala Academy (BSA) has announced that it will hand over the prestigious Shilpakala Padak to 20 recipients for the calendar years 2020 and 2019. A total of 18 cultural luminaries and two revered cultural organizations are receiving the award which will be handed over at a gala event at BSA on Thursday. BSA Director General Liaquat Ali Lucky shared the details of the award ceremony at a press conference held at the National Theater Hall seminar room on Tuesday. President Abdul Hamid will virtually join the event as the chief guest. Home Minister Asaduzzaman Khan Kamal and Cultural Affairs Secretary Md Abul Monsur will join the award ceremony at BSA’s National Theater Hall auditorium as the special guest, which will be presided over by State Minister for Cultural Affairs KM Khalid. The 2020 award winning cultural personalities are - Malay Bhowmick (dramatics), Mahmudur Rahman Benu (vocalist), Shahid Kabir (fine arts), Shameem Akhtar (film), Shibli Mohammad (dance), Shah Alam Sarkar (folklore), Shamsur Rahman (instrumental/shehnai), Shafiqul Islam Swapan (photography), Dahlia Ahmed (recitation), and Dinajpur Natya Samity (creative cultural unit). The recipients of 2019 award are - Masud Ali Khan (dramatics), Hasina Momtaz (vocalist), Abdul Mannan (fine arts), Anupam Hayat (film), Lubna Marium (dance), Shamvu Acharaya (folklore), Mohammad Moniruzzaman (instrumental - flute), M A Taher (photography), Hasan Arif (recitation), and cultural institution Chhayanaut (creative cultural unit). Each award recipient will get a gold medal, a cheque for Tk 1 lakh, and a certificate. The award has been conferred on deserving creative personalities for their continuous contributions in several fields of arts, culture, entertainment and literature since 2013. However, the award was not conferred in 2019 and the ceremony could not take place in 2020 due to global pandemic of COVID-19.

Information and Broadcasting Minister Dr Hasan Mahmud has said the government will do what it takes to preserve the literary works of iconic lyricist Gazi Mazharul Anwar, who died last week, at the Bangladesh Film Development Corporation (BFDC). "With over 20,000 songs and many other literary works, Gazi Mazharul Anwar cemented his legacy as one of the most prolific Bangla songwriters in history. His family and co-workers must find and collect all of his works, and we will preserve those at the new complex of the BFDC," the minister said. "I have been a lifelong fan of music, and works of the late songsmith have been a great part of my life – our lives. His majestic songs, from 'Akasher Haatey Achhe Ek Rash Neel' to the thrilling patriotic track 'Joy Bangla, Banglar Joy' – are our treasures."

Marking 50 years of Nepal-Bangladesh ties, a group exhibition is going on in Baber Mahal. The modern and multifaceted artworks in this exhibition are offering the local audience a showcasing of Bangladesh and its cultural heritage to generate renewed enthusiasm for Bangladeshi visual arts among the art-loving people of Nepal, according to the organisers. The "Spirit of Friendship" lifted its curtain on September 2. Ganga Prasad Uprety, chancellor of the Nepal Academy, inaugurated the exhibition curated by renowned Bangladeshi artist Kanak Chapa Chakma. Read: Rush to register: Mahfuz Canvas to host student art show in Dubai! The exhibition is featuring the artworks of 10 prominent Bangladeshi artists Azmeer Hossain, Jayatu Chakma, Kanak, Lumbiny Dewan, Mong Mong Sho, Munna Bong, Nomosta Rema, Pingcu Tripura, Sourav Choudhury, and Sudhip Chakma. This year's April marked 50 years of diplomatic relations between Nepal and Bangladesh. As part of the milestone's extended celebration, the Bangladesh Embassy in Nepal, in collaboration with Siddhartha Art Gallery, Baber Mahal, is jointly hosting the exhibition. The exhibition will continue till September 12.  

A special 3-day visual art show titled 'STIGMATIZED DAY' began at  Nandan Mancha of Bangladesh Shilpakala Academy (BSA) on Sunday, commemorating the August 21st grenade attack massacre. Fine Arts department of BSA organized the event with the support of the Ministry of Cultural Affairs. Curated by artist Abhijit Chowdhury and co-curated by Sujon Mahahbub and Shubhra Talukder, the performance art programme is showcasing the graphic representation of the brutal Dhaka grenade attack which took place at an anti-terrorism rally organised by the Bangladesh Awami League on Bangabandhu Avenue in the capital on August 21st, 2004. Read:'BRAVEHEART’: Gallery Cosmos pays rich artistic tribute to Bangabandhu