Bangladesh-Malaysia Poets Summit begins today

Dhaka is set to host the first ever Bangladesh - Malaysia Poets Summit today.

Some of the most celebrated Malaysian poets will join their Bangladeshi counterparts at the summit, beginning this afternoon at the National Gallery Auditorium of Bangladesh Shilpakala Academy (BSA). Information Minister Hasanul Haq Inu is scheduled to grace the occasion as the chief guest, and High Commissioner of Malaysia, Madam Norlin Othman will be present as the Special Guest.

Hosted by the Kathak Bangladesh poetry initiative, the event is focused on getting poets and poetry lovers together to define path for the bilateral development and propagation of the poetic arts in Bangladesh and Malaysia.

 Some 13 poets are participating in this summit - six each from Malaysia and Bangladesh, alongside an internationally famed Dutch poet from Belgium, joining as a guest poet.

 National Laureate from Malaysia, Dato Dr. Ahmad Kamal Abdullah and renowned Dutch Poet Germain Droogenbroodt will attend this occasion and will be awarded with Kathak Literary Award 2015.

 The other participating poets from Malaysia are Prof. Arbak Othman, Raja Rajeswari Seetha Raman, Lily Siti Multatuliana, Dr. Fazilah Husin, Umar Uzair and the Bangladeshi poets are Asad Chowdhury, Hayat Saif, Mohammad Nurul Huda, Habibullah Sirajee, Jahidul Huq and Aminur Rahman.

 An interesting feature of this initiative is a painting exhibition of artworks by three of the participating poets. The painting exhibition - “Painting through Poets' Eye” will be held at the Gallery Chitrak on February 5. The three painter-poets are Dr. Ahmed Kamal Abdullah of Malaysia, Germain Droogenbrooth of Belgium and Aminur Rahman of Bangladesh.

On the sideline of the summit, a special programme marking the 79th birth anniversary of poet Fazal Shahabuddin will be organised at 5pm tomorrow at BSA. A commemorative book on the poet will be unveiled on this occasion.