Born in Bogura in 1946, renowned artist Abdus Shakoor Shah completed his Bachelor in Fine Arts from Bangladesh College of Arts and Crafts, Dhaka, in 1970. Under the India Bangladesh Cultural Exchange Programme Scholarship, he completed his Post Diploma in Fine Arts, from the M S University of Baroda, Gujarat, India, in 1978. Ballads and Paintings, a book featuring a variety of works with some rare photos of Shakoor, was launched several years ago.

Jaya Ahsan is practicing social distancing by staying at home, as the nation copes with the coronavirus pandemic. She has been looking after her plants, spending time with her family, and trying to stay positive in these tough times.

This morning, social media was taken by storm when Raba Khan’s inclusion in the Forbes 30 Under 30 Asia 2020 List was announced. The artiste, who made a name for herself with comedic content after launching her YouTube channel, The Jhakanaka Project, in 2014, is elated at her own achievement. “Incidentally, Forbes is the only magazine that my father reads,” said Raba in an interview over the phone. “You can only imagine how happy my family is after the official announcement.”

Celebrities are uniting to donate to different causes, as the world copes with the coronavirus pandemic.

As shootings of television projects have been stopped due to concerns over the rapidly spreading coronavirus, many crew members, including production and set workers, are struggling to make ends meet.

Internationally celebrated artist Monirul Islam believes that art, aesthetics and emotions are the basic facets of life. “For artists, life is a canvas, and they portray their realities into it,” he says.

Gallery Kobe Hankyu is currently hosting renowned Bangladeshi painter Mohammad Iqbal’s solo exhibition, titled The Holy Circle at Kobe, Japan. This is Iqbal’s 45th solo exhibition, featuring 32 oil and acrylic paintings on the titles Dreaming of a Safer World, Distant Skies, Peace in Time of Disquiet and Unknown Faces. Organised by the famous Japanese departmental store Hankyu, the show was opened on March 25 and will conclude today (March 31).

Noted actor Anwara has been working in the film industry for more than 50 years. She has acted in 600 films, as of 2015. She has been honoured with the National Film Award eight times. Anwara, known for her brilliant dancing skills, began her film career in the 1960s, with the film, Nachghor. She also had a pivotal role in the film, Prit Na Jane Rit. Furthermore, Anwara acted in a supporting role in Sangam, directed by Zahir Raihan.

Hoichoi, having recently enjoying a surge of popularity due to projects like Ekattor, Rahasya Romancha Series and Baishe Srabon, have announced an influx of all new content on their platform. World digital premiers of successful titles – Kontho featuring Shiboprasad Mukherjee, Paoli Dam, Jaya Ahsan and Nandita Roy, Anindya Chatterjee’s comedy drama Manojder Odbhut Bari, Pratim D Gupta’s romantic Love Aaj Kal Porshu and the unique treasure hunt series, Tanshener Tanpura.

Eminent Nazrul Sangeet exponent Sujit Mustafa is also one of the finest vocal trainers in the country. During the Covid-19 pandemic, the artiste has taken an initiative to teach his students from home. “Even though the true dynamics of a lesson might be compromised, it is for the safety of my students that I have decided to take my classes online,” says the singer, who has previously offered online lessons to students abroad. “The exercises are student-specific, as the enrolled students can now find lessons that are relevant to their skill cap”.

Some films tell us timeless tales. The films about our glorious liberation war are the ones that give us courage and strength as a nation. These films teach generations about our nation’s birth, our struggles and our indomitable spirit. There are several films on liberation war and in this glorious month of independence, here are some of the notable ones to watch.

The coronavirus is uniting the global community in an effort to reduce the spread of the disease, and treat those already infected. To that end, many musicians and singers in Bangladesh have come together to encourage people to stay home, and help reduce the feelings of isolation and anxiety by bringing people together through music.

It is a performance that begins from the Swaparjita Swadhinata Chattar and ends at the Smrity Chirantan in Fuller Road. Owing to concerns over the coronavirus pandemic, Lal Jatra has been postponed until further notice.

Even though a lot of talented female artistes have graced our music industry, Nishat Anjum distinguishes herself as one of the few to be

Theatre was one of the most powerful forms of expression in post-liberation Bangladesh. Popular theatre group Aranyak Natyadal has been actively staging plays for 48 years.

Celebrated visual artist Kamruzzaman Shadhin works on diverse media, including installation, video, sculpture and performance art.

Music has the power to bring together people to fight for a common cause in times of crisis and music artistes are doing so in the confinements of their home.

Renowned film director and producer Motiur Rahman Panu breathed breathed his last on March 24, at his house in Uttara. He was suffering from old age complications. Bangladesh Cholochitro Porichalok Samiti and Bangladesh Cholochitro Projojok Samiti expressed their condolences regarding the director’s demise.

Ekushey Padak awardee and Shadhin Bangla Betar Kendra singer Fakir Alamgir is one of the leading exponents of Gono Sangeet -- the songs of the masses, in the country. He played an important role as a member of Kranti Shilpi Gosthi and Gono Shilpi Gosthi, during the mass upsurge in 1969. On the Independence Day of Bangladesh, he looks back on 1971.

Suklal Roy, 37, is known as Dotara Pagol in his village, where the residents are in awe of his skills with the instrument. The artiste lives in the village Kalisthan of Kamlabari union, at Aditmari upazila in Lalmonirhat.