"Sheeter Pangktimala" Love & despair in winter

Cover jacket of the book

Sheeter Pangktimala, a collection of poems by 45 prominent and promising Bangladeshi poets, was published by Bangladesh Shilpakala Academy (BSA) on February 23. Adviser to the Ministry of Cultural Affairs, Rasheda K. Chowdhury launched the book at the National Music and Dance Centre of the Academy.
Sharful Alam, secretary, Cultural Ministry, was present as the special guest and Kamrul Hasan, ndc, Director General of BSA presided over the event. The poets read out from their poems published in the book at the event.
Prior to the event, the Adviser attended a brief informal meeting with the Director General of BSA where she was informed about the recent achievements, drawbacks, organogram and policies of the Academy. Heads of different departments of BSA were present at the meeting. Shafi Kamal, head of the Drama Department, delivered a speech on the academic, creative and other activities of the academy at the meeting.
The guests also visited the art gallery of the academy, which is now closed to the general audience due to the ongoing restoration of the artworks.
According to the Director General, artworks worth millions of Taka are at risk of being damaged due to the lack of proper management. The policy of the previous government prevented the academy authority to take necessary steps to preserve the artworks. The budget needed for the restoration and preservation had to be cut short. Rasheda K. Chowdhury assured consideration of these issues.
The book launch programme was opened with a chorus song rendered by the artistes of BSA. Two solo renditions by G.M. Zakir and Amit Kumar Karmakar followed.
Ashraful Mosaddek, Secretary, Research and Publication Department of the Academy delivered the welcome speech.
In his speech, Sharful Alam announced that the government will restart the Training Project for the young poets and writers organised by Bangla Academy within this economic-year.
Poets Abu Karim, Ashim Saha, Rabindra Gope, Rabiul Hussain, Tahmina Quraishi, Dilar Hafiz, Hasan Hafiz, Bimal Guha, Bulbul Mahalanbish, Arif Haidar, Diltaz Rahman, Lily Haque, Ashraful Mosaddek and others read from their poems at the programme.
For years BSA has been publishing books on different aspects of arts, which are not often commercially viable. More than 500 such publications are available. However, Sheeter Pangktimala is the first publication on poetry by the Academy.