“O Death O Dance”, a solo visual art exhibition displaying artist Mobassir Alam Mazumder's compositions, is as mystical and beautiful as its name. During its inauguration on May 6 at the Bishwo Shahitto Kendro Art Gallery, veteran painter and Professor Emeritus Rafiqun Nabi graced the event as the chief guest. Artist and writer Professor Abul Mansur and art critic Syed Azizul Haque also attended the ceremony as speakers. Following the affectionate speeches from the guests, Prof Nabi declared the exhibition to be open for visitors.

The day opened with a seminar titled “Comprehensive Sound Analysis: Music and Consciousness”, where Assistant Professor Dr Ali F M Rezowan presented the keynote speech. Department Head Dr Jhumur Ahmed chaired the session, with Assistant Professor Md Mahmudul Hasan serving as moderator.

Curated by Mikhail Idris, the exhibition features more than a hundred artworks by 73 artists from across Bangladesh. The works, inspired by the life, philosophy, and spiritual legacy of Gautama Buddha, explore Buddhist ideals through the lens of Oriental art traditions, merging traditional techniques with contemporary expressions.

Swapnadal’s “Helen Keller” goes deeper than the familiar narrative of perseverance. It reveals the fascinating, often overlooked connection between Helen Keller and Rabindranath Tagore — exploring how the poet-philosopher’s ideas of human dignity, empathy, and universalism profoundly impacted Keller’s worldview. In doing so, the play not only celebrates Keller’s extraordinary triumphs but also spotlights the subtle ways Eastern thought influenced Western history.

As part of the festivities, the Syed Badruddin Hossain Memorial Honor will be awarded posthumously to Dr Afsar Ahmad, the late chairman of the Department of Drama and Dramatics at Jahangirnagar University, and to Mohammad Saiful Islam, an esteemed stage and lighting designer.

For Nazrul Award 2023, the honours go to: Professor Irshad Ahmed Shaheen, a distinguished researcher at the University of South Asia, recognised for his outstanding contribution to Nazrul scholarship. Alongside his academic work in English language and literature, Shaheen has spent decades deepening the understanding of Nazrul’s legacy.

The story begins on October 14, 1954, when Jibanananda Das was gravely injured in a tram accident in Kolkata. The play then journeys through the final nine days of his life, as he lay in Sambhunath Pandit Hospital, facing his dreams, visions, philosophies, and realities from the edge of life. He passed away on October 22, 1954, leaving behind a world he so intimately captured in his poetry.

The exhibition “Ikrimikri: A World of Picture Books” opened on May 2 at La Galerie of Alliance Française de Dhaka, inviting visitors into a whimsical realm where children’s book illustrations come to life. Organised by the children’s publishing collective “Ikrimikri”, the show runs until May 7 and celebrates the power of visual storytelling rooted in Bangladeshi culture.

Kumkum Rani has devoted considerable time and effort to mastering these forms. She has a collection of nearly 700 Radharaman Dhamaail songs. Many folk artistes come to her to learn from her vast repertoire.

This year’s May Day discussion will feature playwright and professor Ratan Siddiqui as the keynote speaker, alongside Harun Rashid, chief editor of Aranyak Natyadal. Staying true to tradition, Aranyak will also release the latest issue of their annual publication, “May Day’s Paper.”

Dwip Gallery in Lalmatia opened its doors to the second exhibition of its kind, “Miniscope 2”, on April 26. Flaunting creative gateways for diverse artists from both Bangladesh and India, it is currently hosting miniature and endearing artworks.

Observed worldwide today, International Dance Day is a global celebration of dance’s power to connect people beyond borders. It’s a day that highlights the joy of movement and raises awareness of dance as an expressive, educational, and unifying force.

In celebration of International Dance Day, Dhaka is set to host a special dance extravaganza titled “Nrityasudha” this Monday evening. The event, organised by Nrityam Nrityashilon Kendra, will take place at 7pm at the Bangladesh Mohila Samity auditorium.

Multiple theatre troupes claim they applied to book shows during these “reserved” slots — and were denied. When the list of reservations became public, the frustration spilled onto social media. On the Facebook group “Theatre Connection,” theatre activist Zubair Zahid posted a blunt question: “What kind of artistic practice requires 54 working days across three auditoriums?”

The play explores the psychological and physical toll of World War I, tracing the journey of young soldiers as they are transformed from patriotic youths into disillusioned veterans.

Theatre Factory is set to debut its latest production, “Komola Rong er Bodh”, a theatrical homage to the life and works of renowned Bengali poet Jibanananda Das. The play, written and directed by Alok Basu, will premiere on May 9 at the Mohila Samity stage in Dhaka, with additional performances scheduled for May 10 and 11.​

Acclaimed photojournalist Sony Ramani has unveiled his first solo photography exhibition at the National Art Gallery of Bangladesh Shilpakala Academy (BSA), spotlighting the growing environmental crisis engulfing the capital. The exhibition opened today at 5:30pm and will welcome visitors daily from 3pm to 8 pm until April 24.

'Drik' has been hosting the Bangladesh Press Photo Contest since 2022, to highlight the success and work lives of photojournalists. We salute all the hardworking, courageous, and talented male and female photographers and photojournalists.

Around the mid-2000s, a young Munem Wasif, with his rickety Soviet-era Zenit camera, found himself indulging in the allures of the older parts of Dhaka. Infinite lived experiences and thousands of shutter counts later, his first magnum opus, “Belonging”, came to life in 2012. This photo book became one of the most revered photographic bodies of work in Bangladesh’s visual art history.

On Friday afternoon, cultural activists presented their views at a seminar titled “Review and Proposal of the Cultural Sector Budget.” The event was organised by the Theatre Artists Association of Dhaka (TAD) in the seminar room of the Shilpakala Academy.