Youths showcase Ctg culture, heritage from today

The youths of Chittagong will showcase their culture, tradition and heritage through unique art forms at a two-day youth festival from today as part of the 12-day Odommo Chattagram festival, an initiative of The Daily Star.
The youth festival, to be held at Chittagong District Shilpakala Academy in Chittagong city, will begin with several debates, participated by two groups of youths, one of Chittagong descent and the other from outside Chittagong.
The topics include “Chittagongya phoa madith poirle loha” (Boys of Chittagong are as strong as iron from birth), “What would I do if I were mayor of Chittagong” and “People of Chittagong are generous regarding food but misers over love”.
A group of teachers and students will also speak on the pros and cons of these topics.
The climax of the day's programme will come at a “planchet debate” where the debaters will impersonate the “resurrected souls” of different legends of Chittagong.
The legends include revolutionaries Masterda Surya Sen and Pritilata Waddedar, folk singer Shefali Gosh, Shyam Sundor Baishnab, philanthropist Nutan Chandra Sinha, writer Abul Fazal and politician MA Hannan.
Between the debates, members of Chittagong University (CU) Bondhusava and CU Udichi, folk singer Subhrajit Chakrabarti and drama personality Mili Chowdhury will entertain the audience.
The next day, students of eight colleges and universities of Chittagong will divide into groups to present songs, dances, drama and recitation in Chittagong dialect, illustrating Chittagong's history, culture and heritage.
Each group will get 20 minutes for their performance during the event, “Inter-University Chittagonian Cultural Competition”. Afterwards a panel of four judges comprising renowned personalities of Chittagong will select the best performance.
The educational institutions include Chittagong University, Chittagong University of Engineering and Technology (Cuet), International Islamic University Chittagong (IIUC), Ispahani College, Mohsin College, Bawa College, Southern University and Veterinary University.
Masud Bakul, the youth festival's planner, said the programme is designed engage youths of Chittagong in learning their traditions.
The youth festival coordinator, Adnan Mannan, also the lecturer of genetic engineering and biotechnology department at CU and general secretary of Dristi Chittagong, will also be present.
Dristi Chittagong, CU Debating Society, Cuet Debating Society, IIUC Debating Society, Student Climate Cell of Cuet, Cuet robotics and mechanics department, Premier University Debating Society, Premier University Robotics Club, Veterinary University Debating Society, Wikipaedia Coordination Council and Bangladesh Open Source Network Chittagong are involved in the festival's preparation.