That night in December 1921, while his comrade Muzaffar Ahmed slept, Nazrul scribbled furiously. By the morning, the air was charged with something new. “Bolo Bir, Chiro Unnoto Momo Sheer…” (“I am the Rebel Eternal, / I raise my head beyond this world, / High, ever erect and alone!”) he declared. It was not merely the birth of a poem but of a cultural rupture. Critics would later see in “Bidrohi” a break from the ‘Rabindric’ serenity that had long defined Bengal’s literary landscape—a new current of words forged in fire, laced with the clang of rebellion.

Dhaka’s theatre scene, long in search of renewal, is finding fresh energy in Spardha: Independent Theatre Collective. Since its establishment on September 12, 2018, the troupe has earned a reputation for uncompromising productions, presenting works such as “Jibon O Rajnaitik Bastobota”, “4.48 Psychosis”, “Bismoykor Sob Kichu”, “Ami Birangana Bolchi”, and “Tobu-o Jege Uthi”. More than conventional performances, each production has served as a pointed provocation—inviting audiences to confront social realities with sharper attention.

For the first time, Dhaka University hosted a campus stand-up comedy show titled “Hashir Adda”. The event was held last evening at the TSC Auditorium, where a packed audience turned up in overwhelming numbers.

Bengal Shilpalay inaugurated “Shotoborshe Sultan” yesterday, a solo photography exhibition by Nasir Ali Mamun, held as a tribute to legendary Bangladeshi artist SM Sultan on his birth centenary.

The Dhaka unit of theatre troupe Bibarton Jessore’s children’s wing brought Rabindranath Tagore’s classic play “Rother Roshi” to the stage last evening, marking their second theatre production. 

Galleri Kaya inaugurated the “Celebrating Murtaja Baseer” exhibition yesterday, honouring the novelist, researcher, numismatist, poet, filmmaker, and art critic — with August being the month that observes both his birth and passing.

A dance performance titled ‘Dilnewaz’, inspired by a 1940s Urdu short story by Rahat Ara Begum, will be presented by Shadhona - A Center for Advancement of South Asian Culture.

Bangladesh’s art world bid farewell to one of its brightest luminaries with the passing of Professor Hamiduzzaman Khan (1946–2025) on July 20. A remembrance ceremony was held today at the Hamiduzzaman Sculpture Park, located on the premises of Summit’s Gazipur 464 MW Power Plant, where family, friends, colleagues, students, and admirers gathered to honour his legacy. Widely regarded as the country’s foremost sculptor, the artist’s life’s work left an indelible mark on the nation’s cultural and artistic landscape.

Theatre troupe Shobdo Theatre is set to present the third performance of its acclaimed play Socrates on Friday.

The “Selim Al Deen 76th Birth Anniversary Theatre Festival” concluded on Monday (August 18) with an award ceremony and the staging of the play “Nimojjon” at the Nilima Ibrahim Auditorium of Bangladesh Mahila Samity.

Bhumi Gallery in Lalmatia is currently hosting a five-day group art exhibition titled “Aranyarekha”, featuring 12 Bangladeshi artists. The artworks stem from a workshop visit to the Sundarbans. The inauguration ceremony was graced by distinguished personalities, including artist Prof Mohammad Eunus as chief guest and Prof Dr Md Anwarul Islam, Chief Executive of WildTeam Conservation Biology Center. Bird specialist Inam Al Haque presided over the event.

For the first time in Bangladesh, “The Libation Bearers”, a renowned Greek tragedy by Aeschylus, will be staged at Bangladesh Shilpakala Academy on August 19, 20, and 21.

My first instinct, when walking into “Troubling Rain” at Alliance Française de Dhaka, was to recall how often rain has been romanticised in this city’s cultural memory. Generations have sung about it, written about it, danced to its rhythm. The monsoon, in Bangla literature, has been the backdrop for longing, love, and lyricism. From Tagore’s verses to Nazrul’s songs, it has always been imagined as something that enhances beauty and deepens emotion. And yet, what Abir Abdullah does in this exhibition is strip the rain of its poetry and return it to its grit.

Marking the 76th birth anniversary of theatre luminary Selim Al Deen, theatre troupe Swapnadal is organising a two-day festival titled “Natyacharya Selim Al Deen Janmotsab 2025”. The festival, held under the slogan “Selim Al Deen—Rabindranath lives in our art, the triumph of Bangla theatre is eternal”, begins today, at Jahangirnagar University and Bangladesh Shilpakala Academy, and will conclude tomorrow.

On August 17, the Bangladeshi art world pauses in reverence to celebrate and reflect upon the birthdays of two towering figures of our modern art history—Monirul Islam, who turns 82 today, and the late Murtaja Baseer, who would have been 93. Albeit belonging to different generations, both artists carried the flag of Bangladeshi modernism beyond our borders, inscribing their names on the international stage while remaining deeply rooted in their homeland.

Since the Stone Age, stones have been the bearer of culture and the earliest civilisations. Over time, aside from making weapons, humans began to incorporate stones into building shelters. Later on, they became the first medium for written language through the art of carving, and even today, despite being replaced by papyrus and the printing press, this form of art lives on.

The Dhaka Theatre has launched a four-day festival in memory of the legendary playwright Selim Al Deen, staging his Liberation War-based drama “Deyal” at the Mahila Samity Auditorium in Dhaka. The festival, which began Friday (August 15), marks Selim Al Deen’s 76th birth anniversary and will continue until August 18.

First staged in 2022, "Agunjatra" is the Bangla adaptation of Indian playwright Mahesh Dattani’s “Seven Steps Around the Fire”, translated by Shahidul Mamun and adapted and directed by Azad Abul Kalam. The play takes audiences deep into the lives of hijra and transgender communities, confronting prejudice, politics, and the fight for dignity.

Based on Arthur Miller’s “The Price”, the play has been adapted into Bangla by Asit Mukhopadhyay, with transformation and direction by Mohammad Bari. “Mulyo Amulyo” explores the steep emotional cost of eroding family bonds in the face of a profit-driven state, a fragmented society, and the relentless march of market capitalism.

To help Bangladeshi youth learn the art of drone programming from China, a specialised training programme has been launched as a joint initiative between the Chinese Embassy and Bangladesh’s Ministry of Cultural Affairs. As part of this programme, 11 individuals have been selected to travel to China — nine as trainees, one as team leader, and one official.