Bangabandhu Cultural Fest comes to a close

The Bangabandhu Cultural Festival, organised by the Bangladesh Shilpakala Academy, came to a close on Friday amid much fanfare and enthusiasm. The 11-day festival, that featured a bevy of cultural activities, was held marking UNESCO's inclusion of Bangabandhu's historic March 7, 1971 speech as a 'Memory of the World International Register'.

The programmes on March 17 – which also marks Bangabandhu's 99th birth anniversary and is celebrated as national children's day – began at 10am and featured painting by over a thousand children on a 2500 square-foot canvas; drawing of Bangabandhu's portrait, clown show, acrobatic display, group song and dance performances by students of various schools, and handing out of awards from various children's painting competitions. Lawmaker Simin Hossain Rimi, chair of the parliamentary standing committee on cultural affairs ministry, and BSA Director General Liaquat Ali Lucky handed out the prizes to winners.

An exhibition of the winning artists' works have also begun at BSA's Gallery 1 was also inaugurated, which will continue till March 26.

The day's programmes ended with a screening of children's film “Ankhi O Tar Bondhura” at the National Art Gallery auditorium.