The five-day Bengali New Year celebrations marking Baishakh 1433 continued at the Bangladesh Shilpakala Academy (BSA) on its third day, featuring a lively mix of folk-inspired performances, discussion sessions and traditional festivities.
Organised by BSA with support from the Ministry of Cultural Affairs, the programme includes an open-air Baishakhi fair highlighting rural heritage and cultural traditions, alongside stage performances at the National Theatre Hall.
The day began with the national anthem performed by the Jatiyatabadi Samajik O Sangskritik Sangstha (JASAS), followed by a group rendition of Prothom Bangladesh Amar Shesh Bangladesh. A children’s dance performance added colour to the opening segment, with subsequent cultural presentations also staged by JASAS.
A brief discussion session was held later at the National Theatre Hall, where Cultural Affairs Adviser Nitai Roy Chowdhury attended as chief guest. He described culture as the foundation of national identity, history and collective values, calling it “the soul of a nation”.
He also stressed the importance of preserving cultural heritage to strengthen Bangladesh’s position in South Asia and announced plans to expand Shilpakala Academy activities to the upazila level.
BSA Director General Sheikh Rezauddin Ahmed, also known as Rezauddin Stalin, delivered the welcome address, highlighting efforts to support cultural organisations like JASAS in nurturing future artists and intellectuals. Special guest Syed Sohrab also spoke at the event, which was chaired by Helal Khan and moderated by Zakir Hossain Rokon.
The cultural segment resumed after the discussion under the musical direction of Ethun Babu and concluded with an acrobatic performance by the Rajbari Shilpakala Academy troupe.
The fourth day of the programme, scheduled for 16 April at 4:00 pm, will feature Ruhul Kabir Rizvi as chief guest, with actor and BNP leader Ashraf Uddin Ahmed Ujjal as special guest and Professor Dr Saiful Islam as keynote discussant. The session will be chaired by Sheikh Rezauddin Ahmed with a welcome address by Secretary Mohammad Zakir Hossain.
Cultural performances will include presentations by ethnic minority groups under the theme Jati Boichitrye Boishakhi Utsab. Later in the evening, a puppet show titled Bachherer Biye will be staged at the Experimental Theatre Hall.
The Baishakhi festival will continue at the academy premises until April 17 and remains open to all visitors.
