'Celebrating Life' kicks off in Bogra
Guests look at a photo after the inauguration of a photography exhibition at Bogra Zila Parishad auditorium yesterday. The photography exhibition is part of a week-long festival titled 'Celebrating Life' that kicked off yesterday. Photo: STAR
People in Bogra enjoyed a rare taste of 'Celebrating Life', as The Daily Star and the Standard Chartered Bank yesterday kicked off the district-level festival featuring fabulous songs and dance by eminent artists and a photo exhibition in the district town.
The enthusiastic people flocked to Titu Milonayatan, an auditorium at the heart of the northern district, to enjoy the songs by noted singer Fahmida Nabi and others and dance by Spandan in the evening.
The week-long festival features a six-day photo exhibition at Bogra Zilla Parishad auditorium and daylong film show at Titu Milonayatan. A rally was also brought out in the morning to mark the inauguration of the festival titled 'Celebrating Life'.
The best films -- documentaries and fictions -- and the photographs from the contest titled 'Celebrating Life 2008', a joint initiative of The Daily Star and the Standard Chartered Bank, are being shown in the festival. Similar festivals will also be held in 11 other districts across the country.
"This is something different and exceptional. We rarely enjoy such photography exhibition and film shows in Bogra," said Runa Rahman, a student of law, who came to see the photography exhibition.
People from all walks of life, especially the students of colleges and universities, are very enthusiastic about the programmes, she said.
At the inaugural ceremony of the photo exhibition featuring over 100 pictures of rural life, Tajmilur Rahman, a former headmaster of Bogra Zila School, said the exhibition appears to be of great significance. Such exhibitions will give students a lot of opportunities to learn many more things outside their classrooms.
Fayruz Fannana Shamma, a second year student of SOS Hermann Gmeiner College, came to the photo exhibition.
"This is a truly unique initiative. I found wide interest about the photo exhibition and film show here. All our friends will surely again visit the exhibition to see films," she said excitedly.
Speaking at the inaugural ceremony of the photo exhibition, Mahfuzul Bari, an elderly photographer in Bogra, said photography has now become a very important part of life.
Besides bringing to light the joy and sorrow of common people, photography plays a special role in identifying criminals, he noted.
Addressing the audience at the packed auditorium, Managing Editor of The Daily Star Syed Fahim Munaim said The Daily Star always appreciates and highlights the issues concerning the people and their life. The daily will continue to do so in future, he added.
Shah Masud Imam, regional head of corporate affairs of Standard Chartered Bank, said they will continue to help organise more programmes of such nature in future.
Rafi Hossain, coordinator of the 'Celebrating Life', said there are many talented people in different fields in the country, but they cannot display their talents due to lack of opportunities.
The Daily Star and the Standard Chartered Bank have created such opportunities and all can participate in similar contest in 2009, he said at Titu Milonayatan.
Cultural activist Zahurul Haque Babla, banker SM Zahurul Huque and many other noted personalities of the district were present at the programme.
Zaheen Music, Channel i, Shaptahik 2000, Radio ABC, Urmi Group and dots & marks are the media partners of the festival.
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