Artist Dilara Begum Jolly is known for her works which touch upon themes of gender, trauma and the feminine figure. Initially trained as a painter from Government Arts College, Chattogram, and later as a printmaker from Santiniketan, Jolly has expanded her practice on various media. Her solo exhibition, Parables of the Womb, starts today at Bengal Shilpalay. In an intimate chat with The Daily Star, the artist shares her art concepts, inspiration and more.

The 34th national poetry festival, Jatiya Kabita Utsab, concluded yesterday at University of Dhaka.

Pias Majid is a renowned name in the world of Bengali literature. The poet-writer was honoured with HSBC-Kali O Kolom Young Poets and Writers Award for his contribution in the literary arena, in 2012.

Saiful Huq Omi has been documenting the lives of Rohingyas since 2009. A solo photography exhibition, In Search of The Future by Omi was arranged by UNHCR at Edge Gallery, Gulshan, recently. Steven Corliss, UNHCR Representative in Bangladesh and Masud Bin Momen, Foreign Secretary of Bangladesh were present as guests in the opening day.

Bong Joon Ho with his award for Film Not in the English Language for ‘Parasite’.

The festivity of the International Children’s Film Festival Bangladesh 2020 continued as the winners were announced in the closing ceremony at the National Public Library, recently.

For the first time, Tauquir Ahmed has written a poetry book, Ekguccho Kobita, which will be released at the Ekushey Boi Mela.

A group art exhibition, titled Tribhuban (Three Worlds), is underway at Shilpangan Gallery in Lalmatia, Dhaka.

In 2011, the entire country mourned for an icon of Bangladeshi music -- Azam Khan, a man who went from liberating the country as a guerrilla fighter, to being a revolutionary in the pop music industry.

A movement in support of a global campaign to restore the ancestral houses of legendary film directors Satyajit Ray, Ritwik Ghatak and Mrinal Sen in Bangladesh, has started.

This year’s celebration was dedicated to the 100th birthday of the Father of the Nation, Bangabandhu Sheikh Mujibur Rahman.

The month-long Ekushey Boi Mela will commence today. Thousands of new books are published and released by authors from around the country, in one of the most anticipated events of the year.

Shamir Montazid, an online educator at 10 Minute school, is currently pursuing his PhD at the University of Oxford, United Kingdom. An avid writer, Shamir’s previous publication Heisenberger Golpo was one of the best-sellers at the Ekushey Boi Mela, last year.

Summit Power Limited (SPL), the largest independent power producer in the country and a leading infrastructure developer and operator in South Asia, has set up ‘Hamiduzzaman Sculpture Park’ located at Summit Gazipur 464 MW Power Plant’s Premises at Kodda, Gazipur to promote art.

Deepika Padukone recently took to Twitter to announce her next project. The film, also starring Rishi Kapoor, will be the Indian adaptation of Hollywood film The Intern, which featured Robert De Niro and Anne Hathaway in the lead roles.

An education delegation team from Nepal visited Manikganj SK Government Girls High School in the district town, recently.

A solo art exhibition titled, Shomoyer Golpo, by Habibur Rahman, is ongoing at Kala Kendra, Mohammadpur. The exhibition opened on January 17, curated by artist Wakilur Rahman. Eminent artist professor Rafiqun Nabi and Mahmudul Helal inaugurated the exhibition.

The much awaited Ekushey Boi Mela opens tomorrow. Like every year, besides the literary professionals, many stars of the showbiz world have authored their own books, which will be released at the fair.

Artist Ata Mojlish is known for his precision of work and impeccable presentation skills. As I opened the door to his ongoing exhibition, Truce- Juddhobiroti, at Dwip Gallery, I stepped into a red and blue zone.

Books everywhere -- on shelves, shops, and vans-- this is how Bangla Bazaar, the biggest book hub of the country, looks like when preparations for Ekushey Boi Mela begins every year. Known commonly as Boiyer Adi Bari, Bangla Bazar turns busy since the month of January, among its hustle and tussle, and a crowd of cover designers, writers, editors, and most prominently, book binders.