Three-day folk music fest begins at Suhrawardy Udyan today

A three-day folk music festival titled ‘Bangladesh-India Baul Festival’ will begin today at the open stage of Suhrawardy Udyan in the capital. The event features musical performances by bauls from both countries. 

To observe the 129th death anniversary of Baul saint Fakir Lalon Shah at national level, Lalon Biswasangha, in association with Cultural Ministry, Indian High Commission, has organised the three-day festival.

State Minister for Cultural Affairs KM Khalid will inaugurate the festival as chief guest today at 5 pm, while Indian High Commissioner to Bangladesh Riva Ganguly Das, human rights activist Aroma Dutta will be present as special guests. Presided over by Lalon Biswasangha chairman Dr Anisuzzaman, executive director of Lalon Biswasangha Abdel Mannan will deliver the welcome speech.

Tomorrow, on the second day of the festival, Biswasangha Sangeetdal will present Lalon song ‘Gosthe Cholo Hori Murari’ at 4 pm. Later, a seminar on ‘Fakirer Monusotto or Baul-er Atmatotto: Sombhabonar Mohapremomoy Mukto Biswapath’ will be held at 5 pm, where Lalon researcher Abdel Mannan will present the main essay. Former director general of Nazrul Institute Mohammad Nurul Huda and Jahirul Islam, professor of Anthropology Department at Jahangirnagar University, among others, will attend as discussants.

The closing ceremony of the three-day festival will be held on October 12, where State Minister for Primary and Mass Education Mohammad Zakir Hossain will be present as chief guest and will distribute prizes (‘Dui Banglar Baul Sammanona’).

Baul singers of Bangladesh and India will present their performances every day from 7 pm to 10 pm at the open stage of Suhrawardy Udyan.