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Programme upholds Dhaka's heritage
Rifat Munim
A daylong cultural programme titled 'One mile square' on preservation of the heritage, archaeological sites and ecological balance of old Dhaka was held at seventeen different locations in the city on December 4.
The programme jointly organised by Dhaka-based organisation Britto Arts Trust and London-based organisation Visiting Arts included mixed media installations and presentations, video installations, film screening of documentaries and drama performances.
Thirty-eight local and foreign artists displayed and presented their respective works in different areas in old Dhaka, including Ahsan Manzil, Beauty Boarding, Kalpana Boarding, Bulbul Lalitkala Academy, Laal Kuthi, Shyambazaar, Bahadur Shah Park and Shakhari Bazaar.
Sarah Khatun Miah's 'A carnival of life faded away', Nasir Ahmed's 'Ek chilte roddur', Sanjida Shaheed Sunny's 'Colour therapy', Mohammad Wadud's 'Today's Dhaka', Rabi Khan's 'In search' and Owen Benchet's 'Staging Dhaka's awakening', among others, presented artworks of mixed media installations, focusing on various aspects of the life and heritage of old Dhaka.
The installations of Sarah Khatun Miah, Mohammad Wadud and Owen Benchet focused mainly on the lustre and beauty of the lost heritage of old Dhaka. Tyeba Begum Lipi, Amirul Rajib, Anisuzzaman Sohel and Mohammad Ismail Hosain Neloy, among others, presented their artworks in digital image.
Mohammad Ismail Hosain Neloy's digital image 'Untitled' dealt with the deterioration of values and currently prevailing injustice in Old Dhaka while Tyeba Begum Lipi's 'Madonna' presented the endangered life of the Garo community.
The organisers screened a number of documentaries including Raihan Ahmed Rafi's 'Sky on Old Dhaka', Molla Sagor's 'Gangabari' and Saiful Wadud Helal's 'Cinemania'. The films dealt mostly with cultural diversity of ethnic communities and the environmental crises of old Dhaka. Ayesha Sultana and Manir Mrittik, among others, displayed their video presentations.
Nazmul Ahsan and Mahbubur Rahman, among others, presented their video installations.
Two short plays about the illegal land-grabbing in old Dhaka were also staged respectively at Ahsan Manjil and Dholai Khal. The plays were directed by Shaheed Ahmed Mithu and Rashuda Huda. 'Our communities face increasing instability through the impact of cultural difference, climate change and destruction of local habitat. This programme focuses on creativity, community action, environmental engagement and intercultural dialogue in a bid to preserve our heritage and cultural diversity', said Mahbubur Rahman who is one of the main collaborators of the programme.
The programme was the result of a two-month art project that included workshops on digital image and sound, video presentation, educational project, community based project, documentary filmmaking and preservation of green nature and ethnic culture.
The massive programme attracted a large number of locals from all walks of life, who enjoyed the exhibitions and presentations greatly.
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Bangladesh premiere of Third Person Singular Number today
Ariful Islam Mithu
The Bangladesh premiere of Mostofa Sarwar Farooki's latest film 'Third Person Singular Number' will be held today. The film will also be screened in Australia in the same month.
The producing house Impress Telefilm Limited told media at a press conference at Channel-i's Tejgoan office recently.
The conference was attended by Impress Telefilm Limited's managing director Faridur Reza Sagar, writer Anisul Haque, director of the film Mostofa Sarwar Farooki, and actors Mosharaf Karim, Nusrat Imrose Tisa and Topu, among others.
The organisers said the film would be screened in different cinema halls in Bangladesh from December 11 and in the famous Hoyt's Theatre in Australia from December 19. The film will also be screened in different places in Australia.
The organisers will arrange a seminar titled 'Challenges of Filmmaking in Emerging Countries' to be jointly hosted by Osbane Media Centre and Australian Film Institute on the occasion of this film's screening in Australia. Mostofa Sarwar Farooki will present the keynote paper in the seminar.
Faridur Reza Sagar said, 'The film was premiered in Pusan International Film Festival and screened in Middle East International Festival this year. It is a great achievement that it was screened in the world-famous festivals.'
Anisul Haque said, 'I am involved in the film. This is the third film in which I worked with Farooki. I think the audience will find the film interesting. Renowned film critics abroad appreciated the film.'
Mostofa Sarwar Farooki said, 'I am really happy that the film has earned critical appreciation abroad. I hope the audience will go to cinema halls and enjoy the film.'
He further said that DVDs of the film would be available in markets after one year.
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Ustad Alauddin Khan, Ayet Ali Khan remembered
Cultural Correspondent
A musical soiree featuring classical instrumentals in remembrance of the two great maestros of classical music Ustad Alauddin Khan and Ustad Ayet Ali Khan was held at Goethe Institut in Dhanmondi on December 5.
Organised by Ustad Ayet Ali Khan Sangeet Niketan, the programme marked the 42nd death anniversary of Ustad Ayet Ali Khan and the 37th death anniversary of Ustad Alauddin Khan. Australian High Commissioner in Bangladesh HE Justin Lee was chief guest and Goethe Institut Bangladesh director Angela Grünert was present as guest of honour. Distinguished instrumental artists of the Khan family performed in the programme presided over by Ayet Ali Khan Sangeet Niketon president Mobarak Hossain Khan.
'Music speaks of the culture it derives from. It also reflects different aspects of life of a particular region. Through classical music we find the predominant cultural trends of this region that takes us to different spiritual heights of mind', said HE Justin Lee. Mobarak Hossain Khan said that the Khan family had been trying to keep the trend of classical music alive, pioneered by Ustad Alauddin Khan and Ustad Ayet Ali Khan. 'These days, classical music is being neglected in our country. I earnestly hope that the present generation will realise the importance of classical music and come forward to keep it alive', he added. The performance began with an orchestra of sarod, sitar and guitar, directed by Ustad Shahadat Hossain Khan. The orchestra presented the raga 'bindo badon'. Saptak Khan presented classical guitar, playing the raga 'imon' while Rinath Fouzia presented the raga 'Bhupali' playing sitar. Mohammad Masum Billah, the only artist outside the Khan family, presented the raga 'Hangsadhani' playing flute.
The soiree ended with a group performance in which Shahadat Hossain Khan and Rukhsana Khan played sarod and Afsana Khan played sitar. They presented the raga 'Durgeswari'.
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Bruce Springsteen honoured
Culture Desk
Rock star Bruce Springsteen was presented with a Kennedy Center honour by President Barack Obama at a White House reception on Sunday, reports BBC.
'I'm the president
but he's the boss,' said Obama as he introduced the star.
Actor Robert De Niro, comic Mel Brooks, jazz pianist and composer Dave Brubeck and opera singer Grace Bumbry were also honoured.
The Kennedy Center annually awards figures from the world of arts for their contribution to US culture.
Guests included Jack Black, Edward Norton, Matthew Broderick, Ben Stiller and Martin Scorsese.
'We worked really hard for our music to be part
of American life and our fans' lives,' said Springsteen, 60.
'So it's an acknowledgement that you've kind
of threaded your way into the culture in a certain way. It's satisfying,' he added.
John Mellencamp, Jennifer Nettles, Melissa Etheridge and Sting all sang Springsteen tracks at the event.
The show will air on 29 December in the US on the CBS channel.
Meryl Streep made a tribute to her friend
De Niro: 'He did what
I and my drama school friends dreamed of -
to disappear and morph into a (character)', she
said. The pair starred together in The Deer Hunter more than thirty years ago.
Singer Aretha Franklin recounted highlights of Bumbry's career.
Bumbry, 72, was the first black opera singer to appear at Germany's Wagner festival, Bayreuth, when she was 25.
Many conservative opera-goers were outraged but by the end of the performance, the audience applauded for 30 minutes and there were 42 curtain calls.
Jack Black paid tribute to Brooks with a rendition of Men in Tights and Harry Connick Jr sang High Anxiety.
Last year's honours went to Morgan Freeman, The Who stars Pete Townshend and Roger Daltrey, as well as singer Barbra Streisand.
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Dance programme by Kashfi, Naziba held
Cultural Correspondent
A dance performance titled 'Arangatram' by Bharatanatyam students Kashfi and Naziba was held at the Bangladesh Shilpakala Academy's National Theatre Hall on December 5.
Theatre personality Nasiruddin Yusuf inaugurated the programme, organised by Shukla Sarkar of Drupad Kalakendra.
Dance artiste Shibly Mohammad's mother Jebunnesa Begum and dance artistes Rahiza Khan Jhumu, Zinat Barkatullah, Amanul Haque and Shamim Ara Nipa were, among others, present at the programme.
Nsasiruddin Yusuff said, 'Naziba and Kashfi are lucky because they have got the opportunity of taking lessons from Shukla Sarkar who is a well-known teacher of Bharatanatyam in our country.'
Wishing success of her students, Shukla Sarkar said, 'I hope Kashfi and Naziba will earn name and fame in the field of dance and they will contribute to the sector with their talent.'
Disciples of Shukla Sarkar, Kashfi has been taking lessons on Bharatanatyam for the last 19 years while Naziba has been learning the classical Indian dance for the last nine years.
The two artistes performed seven pure forms of Bharatanatyam and six creative dance numbers in their debut show.
Farhana Mahamud Kashfi has completed Bachelor of Science in Electronic Engineering from Stamford University while Naziba Bashar is a student of A-level at Maple Leaf International School.
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