Societal Events Report :With the slogan titled Kobita Sohe Na Danob-Jatona, a two-day long 28th National Poetry Festival (Jatiyo Kobita Utsab) was held on the premises of the Central Library of Dhaka University from February 1 to 2. Noted writer and poet Syed Shamsul Huq inaugurated the festival as the chief guest, while President of Jatiyo Kobita Parishad (National Poetry Council) poet Habibullah Siraji presided over the session. Convener of the Council Muhammad Samad, Joint Convener Tarek Sujat and General Secretary Aslam Sani spoke on the occasion. Professor of Dhaka University Fakrul Alam, Swedish poet Kristian Carlsson and Norwegian poets Anre Ruth, Haideh Daragahi, John Y Jones also spoke on the occasion. This year, a large number of poets recited their poems at the festival from home and abroad. Ashish Sanyal, Uttam Das, Shyamal Kanti Das, Shankar Chakrabarty, Dilip Das, Akbar Ahmed, Anubhab Tulsi and Samir Tati were from India, while Swedish poet Kristian Carlsson, Norwegian poet John Y Jones, Austrian poet Dorothea Muller-Ott and Swidish poets Anre Ruth, Haideh Daragahi, among others, participated in the festival.Poet Habibullah Shirazi, President of the festival, presided over the programme. Rafiq Azad, Rabiul Husain, Belal Chowdhury, Aslam Sani, Mohammad Nurul Huda, Asim Saha, Mohammad Samad, Tarik Sujat, Kazi Rosy, Abed Khan, Rafiqullah Khan, Nuh-ul-Alam Lenin, Shahriar Kabir and Kajal Bandopaddhay, among others, attended the festival. It may be mentioned that on February 1 in 1987, Jatiyo Kobita Parishad was founded to organise Jatiyo Kobita Utsab (National Poetry Festival) during the military regime of 1980s with the slogan titled ‘Poetry for Breaking Chains’ under the leadership of eminent poets including Sufia Kamal, Shamsur Rahman and Faiz Ahmed and the vigorous initiatives of young poets of the country. Since 1987, Jatiyo Kobita Parishad has been organising National Poetry Festival on February 1 and 2 every year with slogans and themes focused on the contemporary culture and socio-political situation of the country. NN Photo
