Choudhury offered a stark diagnosis of the present. Bangladesh, he said, is moving away from the spirit of the martyred intellectuals for two reasons: a shrinking practice of history and its growing distortion; and a widening distance from the dreams and consciousness of the Liberation War.

Chhayanaut has announced an expansion of its online activities as Chhayanaut Digital marks its first anniversary, unveiling a slate of research-led programming, archive-based presentations and projects dedicated to preserving cultural memory.

Chhayanaut general secretary Laisa Ahmed Lisa said in a release that the night will feature songs by five traditional lyricists, including Lalon Sain and Manmohan Dutta.

Held at the Chhayanaut Sangskriti Bhaban auditorium in Dhanmondi, the evening began at 7pm with Iffat Ara Dewan’s emotive rendition of “Aji Jhorer Raate Tomar Abhisar”. Her voice set the tone for a programme that unfolded as a conversation between rain, music, and memory—filled with longing, passion, and nature’s drama.

Chhayanaut is all set to celebrate Bangla New Year, Pahela Baishakh, with its iconic cultural programme at Ramna Batamul in Dhaka.

The much-anticipated annual Nazrul Utsav 2025 kicked off yesterday, celebrating the philosophies of Kazi Nazrul Islam, the national poet whose works embody a powerful message of secularism, humanity, and unity. The two-day festival, organised by the Bangladesh Nazrul Sangeet Songstha (BNSS) at the Chhayanaut premises, is scheduled to run from 5pm to 9:30pm, featuring performances by over 100 artistes from Bangladesh.