Home ›› 01 Oct 2021 ›› Show Biz
After a long hiatus, the Ganga-Jamuna Cultural Festival returns today to the Shilpakala Academy, commemorating the birth centenary of the Father of the Nation Bangabandhu Sheikh Mujibur Rahman and the golden jubilee of independent Bangladesh.
However, the Indian cultural groups will not be present in this year’s festival due to the pandemic, so the local counterparts will be carrying the stage. Ganga-Jamuna Sangskritik Utsab Parshad organised the eighth edition of the festival in association with Cultural Ministry of Bangladesh, India-Bangladesh Foundation and Bangladesh Shilpakala Academy (BSA).
The 12-day festival will continue till October 12 at the main auditorium hall of BSA National Theatre, Experimental Theatre Hall, Studio Theatre Hall, National Music-Dance-Recitation Auditorium and the open stage of the National Theatre Hall.
This year’s event would showcase 36 theatrical performances by 36 different theatre groups from Dhaka and beyond. Music, choreography, and recitation will be performed by 44 music recitations and dance troupes in the auditorium, and the festival will showcase around 3500 artists from 140 noted and promising cultural groups.
Eminent music composer, Freedom Fighter and Shwadhin Bangla Betar Kendra artist Shujeyo Sham will inaugurate the 12-day festival today at the National Theatre Auditorium. State Minister for Cultural Affairs KM Khalid will be the chief guest at the inaugural function.
Eminent thespians including former Minister for Cultural Affairs Asaduzzaman Nur, Ramendu Majumder, Ataur Rahman, Mamunur Rashid, Nasiruddin Yousuff And Liaquat Ali Lucky, Chairman of Bangladesh Group Theatre Federation and Director General of Bangladesh Shilpakala Academy will be the guests of honour in the inaugural session.
The inaugural evening will then showcase “Paayer Awaaz Paoa Jay,” written by Syed Shamsul Haque and directed by Abdullah Al Mamun at the National Theatre Hall. Meanwhile, the Experimental Theatre Hall will have Aranyak Natyadal’s play “Kohe Facebook,” written and directed by Mamunur Rashid.
The cultural stage will start from 4pm to 6:30pm every day and the stage play will start at 7 in the evening every day. Advance tickets for the play will be on sale at the counter.
