National

31st national poetry festival begins Wednesday

Jatiya Kobita Parishad will stage the annual National Poetry Festival on the premises of Dhaka University Central Library on February 1 and 2.With the slogan "Barborata Mane Na Kobita" subtitled "Poem Does Not Accept Barbarism," the Parishad is going to host the 31st annual episode of the festival.Modern Bengali Poet Belal Chowdhury will inaugurate the festival at 10 am on February 1.Jatiya Kobita Parishad president poet Dr Mohammad Samad on Tuesday announced the programme at a press conference at Dhaka Reporters’ Unity Sagar-Runi auditorium here while its general secretary Tariq Sujat read out the written statement.Poets Rabiul Hussain, Kazi Rozy, MP, Halim Azad, Aslam Sunny, Bulbul Mahalanbish and Aminur Rahman also joined the press conference."Poets from all the 64 districts of the country can recite their poems after making registration," Poet Samad said. He said so far around 200 poets registered to join the festival and hoped 100 more poets will register to take part in it.Poets from India, Russia, China, Sweden, Austria, Argentina, Germany and Puerto Rico will join the festival, he added. The two-day festival would feature elaborate programmes - including recitation of poems, songs on Ekushey, seminar, discussion and exhibition on poets and poetry. Source: BSS