Dances, songs, dramas harmonised at Shaheed Minar

The session started with some notable patriotic songs and popular tunes related to 'Ekushey'. 'Awami Shilpi Goshthi' and 'Nibedan' presented the chorus songs. Among the solo presentations, Mahmud Selim, Nur Taj Parveen, Bana Rani Haldar, Sheuli Ahmed, Mirazul Islam and Asad Babu pleased the crowd with their delightful performance. 'Bangla hamaar maayer bhasha(Bangla is my mother tongue...)' a folk piece in the dialect of Rangpur performed by Asad Babu had great appeal.

When darkness spread out in the sky 'Spandan' took the stage with their outstanding dance presentation performed by the group's artistes. 'Muktadhara' and 'Muktabaak' carried out the group recitation. 'Bangla Bhashar Galpa' was the splendid presentation by 'Muktabaak', composed with the famous poems of Shamsur Rahman, Abdul Aziz, Abul Hashem, Anjeer Liton and others. Shanta Srabony, Rezina Wali, Enamul Haq, Bhashhor Chakaravarty were some of the artistes who did excellent solo recitation.

The main attractions of the evening were the two patha natak (street drama) by the group 'Banga Ranga' and 'Mahakal Nattya Sampradaya'.

'Banga Ranga' promoted their first ever play 'Shadaye Kaloye' written and directed by Sajedur Rahman. The whole play exemplified the discrimination at every step in the current world scenario. 'One side of the pragmatism is white that is true and beautiful, while the other side is black that is fallacious and dark. And thus the play revealed the unwanted truth of discrimination. 'Strong and crystal clear human bond is needed to save the world' was the theme of the play. Mainul Islam, Sajedur Rahman, Asif Munir, Mostafa Sharif, Golam Mokaddes and other group members acted in the play. 'Mahakal Nattya Sampradaya' then came with their play 'Bhoionkor Padashabda' written and directed by Shafiqul Islam. The theme was taken from the eminent poet Shamsur Rahman's poem. The drama was based on the recent incidents like minority torture in Baashkhali, leakage of question papers, price hike etc. Mosharrof Hosain, Md. Rakibuzzaman, Kazi Tipu, Iqbal Choudhury, Sadiqur Rahman and Salahuddin were some of the artistes who acted in the drama.

'We have to keep 'Ekushey' in mind to build a prosperous secular country' said the speakers in the inauguration function of the 7-day long cultural programmes by Shammilito Shangskritik Jote at 'Rabindra Sarovar Open Theatre', Dhanmondi. The programme was inaugurated by eminent professor and activist Dr. Rafiqul Islam. It started with the National Anthem and Ekushey song. The whole programme was presided over by Nasiruddin Yousuf, president of the SSJ. Writer and publisher Mafidul Haq, Liakat Ali Lucky, general secretary of Group Theatre Federation, Golam Kuddus, general secretary of the SSJ, Hasan Arif and Mizanur Rahman were the other speakers.