For the first time, a nationwide celebration will be held on the occasion of the 135th death anniversary of the legendary mystic poet and philosopher Lalon Shah, featuring Lalon festivals and fairs across the country.
The three-day event in Kushtia, organized by the Ministry of Cultural Affairs and managed by the Bangladesh Shilpakala Academy in collaboration with the Kushtia district administration, will run from October 17 to 19, while Dhaka will host its festivities on October 18. Simultaneously, Lalon fairs and festivals will take place across all 64 districts on October 17.
The cultural program in Kushtia will feature an in-depth exploration of Lalon’s philosophy, musical performances, and a vibrant Lalon fair. The inauguration ceremony will be held at Lalon Dham in Cheuriya, Kumarhati Upazila, Kushtia, on October 17 at 4 pm.
Cultural Affairs Adviser Mostofa Sarwar Farooki will attend as the chief guest, while Md Mofidur Rahman, Secretary of the Ministry, will deliver the welcome address. Internationally renowned writer and researcher Professor Gayatri Chakravorty Spivak will participate as the keynote speaker in the Lalon lecture session.
The session will also feature prominent poet, writer, and thinker Farhad Mazhar, along with Professor A.A. Mamun from the Department of Mass Communication and Journalism at Rajshahi University. The program will be chaired by Abu Hasnat Mohammad Arifin, Deputy Commissioner of Kushtia.
Following the inauguration, the air at Lalon Dham will resonate with Lalon songs and mystical tunes. Baul and Fakir performers from across the country, including TunTun Baul, Sunil Karmakar, Rawshan Fakir, and Latif Shah, will take the stage, and the festival grounds will continue to be filled with performances by visiting Baul-Fakirs on October 18 and 19.
In Dhaka, Lalon festivals and fairs will be held at Suhrawardy Udyan on October 18. Performers at the event will include Imon Chowdhury and the Bengal Symphony, Aleya Begum, Lalon Band, Nirab & Bauls, Mujib Pardeshi, Pothik Nobi, Suchona Shely, Baula Band, Arup Rahee, Samageet, and several other musical groups.
Alongside Kushtia and Dhaka, the nationwide celebration on October 17 will mark the first-ever simultaneous observance of Lalon festivals and fairs in all 64 districts, bringing together devotees, artists, and cultural enthusiasts to honor the legacy of the spiritual luminary.