40th Jatiya Rabindra Sangeet Sammelan begins at BSA

The curtain rose on the 40th edition of Jatiya Rabindra Sangeet Sammelan at the National Theatre Hall of the Bangladesh Shilpakala Academy (BSA) in Dhaka on Friday.

Organised by the Jatiya Rabindra Sangeet Sammelan Parishad (JRSP), this year’s convention features discussions, recitations, and competitions on Tagore songs.

The three-day ‘Jatiyo Rabindra Sangeet Sammelan’ is being held at the National Theatre Hall of Bangladesh Shilpakala Academy on Ashwin 29-31, 1429 and October 14 to 16.

Eminent educationist and academic scholar Professor Syed Akram Hossain inaugurated the conference on Friday morning, while renowned academician Professor Syed Manjurul Islam attended the event as the chief guest.

Around 700 artists, organisers and cultural activists are joining at the 40th edition of the convention.

This year, JRSP honoured two of its late members and pioneering Rabindra Sangeet artists, academicians and organisers – Nilotpal Sadhya and Mita Haque.

The three-day convention began yesterday at 9:30am through Bodhan Sangeet.

The final phase of the National Rabindra Sangeet competition in youth category was held on the same day at 2:30 pm, and general category will be held today at 9:30am.

The evening session of all three days feature Subachan Rabirashmi, Geeti Alekhya, recitation, reading, dance and song by revered Tagore exponents.

A special seminar will take place on the second day, today at 4pm on ‘The role of culture in creating a harmonious society’. Mofidul Haque, Liberation War Museum trustee and keynote speaker of the event, will deliver the lecture at the seminar which will be presided over by Dr Sarwar Ali. Freedom fighter and cultural personality Nasiruddin Yousuff Bachchu and Professor Sadhan Ghosh will speak at the event.

The journey of JRSP, formerly Zahidur Rahim Smriti Parishad, started on the death anniversary of artist Zahidur Rahim in 1979. The organisation later changed its name in honour of Rabindranath Tagore.

JRSP has been organising this annual convention since 1981 to promote Tagore songs among the youth.

This year’s convention is open to all music enthusiasts and will conclude on October 16 at BSA’s National Theatre Hall.