Thousands gather at Ramna Batamul to welcome Bengali New Year
Thousands of Bangalees ushered in Bengali Year 1432 at Ramna Batamul on Monday morning, as Chhayanaut’s iconic Pahela Baishakh celebration marked its 58th edition with renewed hope, harmony, and heritage.
14 April 2025, 02:53 AM
Chhayanaut ushers in 1432 at Ramna Batamul with Raag Bhairav
As the sun rose over Dhaka, Chhayanaut’s Pahela Baishakh celebration for the Bengali year 1432 began at Ramna Batamul. The theme of Chhayanaut's Pahela Baishakh celebration this year is "Amar Mukti Aloy Aloy" (my freedom lies in light). Through this theme, Chhayanaut aims to convey a message of hope, resilience, and renewal.
14 April 2025, 01:09 AM
The spirit of defiance and freedom fuels Pahela Baishakh
As the nation now stands on the cusp of renewal, Pahela Baishakh 1432 arrives at a time when the people of Bangladesh are eager to reclaim their cultural voice—seeking a deeper connection to its identity, heritage, and hope. For centuries, it has been an occasion of collective celebration, resilience, and unity.
13 April 2025, 18:03 PM
Pahela Baishakh: Chhayanaut all set for celebrations
Chhayanaut is all set to celebrate Bangla New Year, Pahela Baishakh, with its iconic cultural programme at Ramna Batamul in Dhaka.
11 April 2025, 19:48 PM
‘Cultural healing’ and ‘inclusivity’ key in Bengali New Year celebrations as Ministry announces plans
Farooki declared that this year’s New Year celebrations would bring together not just Bengali citizens, but also 27 ethnic communities from across the country. “Diversity is our most powerful and beautiful asset,” he said.
9 April 2025, 11:20 AM
Shilpakala is not without leadership: Mostofa Sarwar Farooki
Renowned filmmaker and cultural affairs adviser Mostofa Sarwar Farooki has dismissed concerns that Bangladesh Shilpakala Academy is running without leadership following the recent resignation of its Director General, Syed Jamil Ahmed.
9 April 2025, 09:14 AM
Violence on women is a byproduct of patriarchy: Shayan
Renowned musician and social activist Farzana Wahid Shayan, known for her bold stance on gender inequality and oppression, has once again raised her voice in response to the alarming rise of gender-based violence in Bangladesh. In recent weeks, a wave of brutal incidents, including the rape of eight-year-old Asiya by a relative, has sent shockwaves throughout the nation, prompting widespread outrage and calls for justice.
10 March 2025, 09:00 AM
Bangaliyana marches on
Pahela Baishakh heralds new beginning
14 April 2025, 07:20 AM
Thousands gather at Ramna Batamul to welcome Bengali New Year
Thousands of Bangalees ushered in Bengali Year 1432 at Ramna Batamul on Monday morning, as Chhayanaut’s iconic Pahela Baishakh celebration marked its 58th edition with renewed hope, harmony, and heritage.
14 April 2025, 02:53 AM
Chhayanaut ushers in 1432 at Ramna Batamul with Raag Bhairav
As the sun rose over Dhaka, Chhayanaut’s Pahela Baishakh celebration for the Bengali year 1432 began at Ramna Batamul. The theme of Chhayanaut's Pahela Baishakh celebration this year is "Amar Mukti Aloy Aloy" (my freedom lies in light). Through this theme, Chhayanaut aims to convey a message of hope, resilience, and renewal.
14 April 2025, 01:09 AM
The spirit of defiance and freedom fuels Pahela Baishakh
As the nation now stands on the cusp of renewal, Pahela Baishakh 1432 arrives at a time when the people of Bangladesh are eager to reclaim their cultural voice—seeking a deeper connection to its identity, heritage, and hope. For centuries, it has been an occasion of collective celebration, resilience, and unity.
13 April 2025, 18:03 PM
Pahela Baishakh: Chhayanaut all set for celebrations
Chhayanaut is all set to celebrate Bangla New Year, Pahela Baishakh, with its iconic cultural programme at Ramna Batamul in Dhaka.
11 April 2025, 19:48 PM
‘Cultural healing’ and ‘inclusivity’ key in Bengali New Year celebrations as Ministry announces plans
Farooki declared that this year’s New Year celebrations would bring together not just Bengali citizens, but also 27 ethnic communities from across the country. “Diversity is our most powerful and beautiful asset,” he said.
9 April 2025, 11:20 AM
Shilpakala is not without leadership: Mostofa Sarwar Farooki
Renowned filmmaker and cultural affairs adviser Mostofa Sarwar Farooki has dismissed concerns that Bangladesh Shilpakala Academy is running without leadership following the recent resignation of its Director General, Syed Jamil Ahmed.
9 April 2025, 09:14 AM
Violence on women is a byproduct of patriarchy: Shayan
Renowned musician and social activist Farzana Wahid Shayan, known for her bold stance on gender inequality and oppression, has once again raised her voice in response to the alarming rise of gender-based violence in Bangladesh. In recent weeks, a wave of brutal incidents, including the rape of eight-year-old Asiya by a relative, has sent shockwaves throughout the nation, prompting widespread outrage and calls for justice.
10 March 2025, 09:00 AM
Parsha wants to write her own destiny
Parsha Mahjabeen Purnee holds two very distinct identities among her audiences, one more intriguing than the other—she is a musician and now an actor with her (groundbreaking) debut in Jahid Preetom’s “Ghumpori”. A third-year university student who inspired millions through her song, “Cholo Bhule Jai” during the July Movement gets candid with The Daily Star about her journey, new-found fame and future aspirations.
7 March 2025, 18:05 PM
Theatre activists demand autonomy for Shilpakala, rally for Syed Jamil Ahmed's reinstatement
This rally, which brought together theatre artistes, writers, directors, designers, and cultural activists, came in the wake of the controversial resignation of Syed Jamil Ahmed, the Academy’s former director general. The procession aims to voice a clear and urgent demand for not only the reinstatement of Ahmed but also for the autonomy of Shilpakala Academy, free from bureaucratic interference.
2 March 2025, 11:46 AM
Nazrul Utsav 2025 opens with a message of unity and resilience
The much-anticipated annual Nazrul Utsav 2025 kicked off yesterday, celebrating the philosophies of Kazi Nazrul Islam, the national poet whose works embody a powerful message of secularism, humanity, and unity. The two-day festival, organised by the Bangladesh Nazrul Sangeet Songstha (BNSS) at the Chhayanaut premises, is scheduled to run from 5pm to 9:30pm, featuring performances by over 100 artistes from Bangladesh.
25 February 2025, 11:16 AM
‘It came as a surprise to me’
Eminent Bangladeshi artist and creator of the iconic "Tokai"character, Professor Rafiqun Nabi, was denied access to the stage at an art exhibition at the Faculty of Fine Arts, University of Dhaka. The event, held yesterday, was meant to celebrate and showcase the talents of emerging artists from the university's Department of Drawing and Painting. However, what unfolded left many questioning the university’s priorities.
18 February 2025, 19:53 PM
The enduring legacy of Ustad Zakir Hussain
In a career that spanned over six decades, Zakir Hussain worked with not just India’s musical stalwarts like Pandit Ravi Shankar and Ustad Ali Akbar Khan but also legends like George Harrison and Van Morrison.
16 December 2024, 13:27 PM
Accolades for stellar OTT performers
The Bangabandhu International Conference Centre glittered last night as celebrities, influencers, and artistes gathered for the third edition of the coveted Blender’s Choice-The Daily Star OTT & Digital Content Awards.
12 December 2024, 18:25 PM
We were complicit by our silence
In a country where a sense of freedom has barely returned after over a decade of suppression, the question of a writer’s role looms large.
7 December 2024, 18:21 PM
Shayan: Of music and defiance
Shayan’s work is a blend of personal reflection and sharp social commentary, involving themes from lost relationships to biting political critiques. In songs like “Jonotar Beyadobi”, “Bhoy Banglay Bhoy”, “Ei Meye Shon”, and “O Neta Bhai”, she speaks not just of struggles, but of hope for a better world, calling for collective action against injustice.
18 November 2024, 18:05 PM
Aly Zaker: Remembering the architect of Bangladeshi theatre
As we celebrate the artiste’s 80th birth anniversary and reflect on four years since we lost him, we remember Aly Zaker as more than just an actor; as a visionary who understood the transformative power of storytelling. His legacy reminds us that art is not merely entertainment—it is the heartbeat of life itself, shaping how we see, feel, and understand the world.
6 November 2024, 07:39 AM
Bappa Mazumder’s odyssey lives on
For over three decades, Bappa has been an invaluable asset to the country's music industry, and he continues to work on several projects, including his latest song “Shohorer Chokh”. Additionally, the musician launched a Bangla Ghazal album, titled “Onubhob”, just yesterday.
3 November 2024, 18:05 PM
The timeless allure of Jibanananda Das on screen
Known by various titles—“The Poet of Love” and “Poet of Ruposhi Bangla”—Jibanananda's metaphysical and magically realist verses have enchanted countless readers and audiences. His influence spills over from literature into cinema, inspiring iconic works from the 90s rock band Moheener Ghoraguli to films like Sayantan Mukherjee’s “Jhora Palok” and Robiul Alam Robi’s “Moribar Holo Taar Shwaad.”
21 October 2024, 18:06 PM
A bittersweet Durga Puja
Dhaka city seems to have experienced a juxtaposition of tradition and trepidation during this year’s Durga Puja celebrations.
12 October 2024, 18:20 PM