Bauls perform at the festival.

The five-day Lalon Smaran Utsab (memorial festival), popularly known as Dol Utshab, ended at Chheuria Lalon Akhra in Kushtia last week.
The programme saw a chord of harmony between devotees and admirers from all over Bangladesh and overseas.
The festival is held annually to celebrate the Dol Purnima (full moon), highlighting the philosophy of Lalon. The celebration was introduced by Lalon himself around 200 years ago. In a departure from the norm, a large number of female Bauls participated in this year's festival.
Lalon Academy, an organisation consisting of elected representatives who oversee the mystic bard's shrine, organised the programme in association with the Ministry of Cultural Affairs. Banglalink partly sponsored the programme. The local administration supervised the event.
The five-day programme included Lalon Mela, discussion and rendition of songs by artistes of Lalon Academy and Bauls from across the country.
While the gathering of visitors increased by the day, Bauls, including youngsters, from different parts of the country were also present in large numbers.
On the occasion, Lalon Academy accorded a reception to Baul Abdul Karim Shah. Karim was awarded with Ekushey Padak by the government this year. Kushtia district administration handed over Taka 30,000 to Karim.