Engage children in literary activities

Children should be engaged in cultural and literary activities form an early age so that they can remain protected from communalism and bigotry, said Cultural Affairs Minister Asaduzzaman Noor yesterday.

If parents let children get involved in those activities, it would also help spread peace in the Bengal region [Bangladesh and India's West Bengal], he said while inaugurating a conference.

Bengal Council for Literature and Culture organised the three-day conference -- “Sharbobangiyo Lekhok-Shilpi Sammelan 1424” [all Bengal writer-artist conference] -- at Bangladesh Shilpakala Academy in the capital.

Writers, artists, academics and cultural activists from both the countries are participating in the conference, which will end tomorrow.

Cultural programmes such as poetry recitation, dance, stage drama, seminars and discussions will be held in different parts of the capital marking the occasion.

Speaking as the chief guest at the programme, the minister said cultural activists of both Bengal, particularly the ones at the Bengal Council, have to play a vital role in spreading the ideas of non-communalism and amity.

“Cultural activists have to carry on with their selfless activities to uphold the spirit of the liberation,” he said.

Eminent writer Selina Hossain said the conference is a grand combination of Bangla literature and culture as many writers and artists are gathered here.

“Our motto should be spreading love and affection to each other through the conference,” she said.

Poet Azizur Rahman Aziz, writer Sunil Kumar Bhattacharya, dramatist Saibal Kumar Ghosh, University of North Bengal Prof Utpal Mandal, and the Bengal Council Secretary General Kamrul Islam, also spoke.

Earlier, activities of the conference started at Dhaka University around 9:00am with a poetry recitation. Vice-Chancellor Prof Dr Akhtaruzzaman was present there as the chief guest.