Enthusiastic literature-lovers throng Dhaka Lit Fest

With a promise to promote Bengali literature and culture to the global community, International Literary Festival began today on the premises of Bangla Academy in the capital with the name Dhaka Lit Fest (DLF), reports BSS.

The three-day literary event, where people with different languages and culture gathered with a common goal to foster literature practices, virtually turned into a platform of sharing and exchanging diversified literatures and culture.

Director General of Bangla Academy Shamsuzzaman Khan read out the written speech of Cultural Affairs Minister Asaduzzaman Noor at the inaugural function of the DLF at the Bangla Academy here.

Directors of Dhaka Lit fest Kazi Anis Ahmed, Sadaf Saz and Ahsan Akbar, among others, attended the function.

According to the written speech, Noor said, "The Father of the Nation Bangabandhu Sheikh Mujibur Rahman believed that country's development will not be possible without enriching literature and culture".

Shamsuzzaman said, "There is a glorious history of our Bangla language. Such international event of Literature will further enrich our bangla literature"

Sadaf Saz said, "The Dhaka Lit Fest is being held for seventh time and this reflects continuous success of all us. We are taking huge response from writers, visitors and publishing houses from both home and abroad."

Organizers of the DLF told BSS that Dhaka Lit Fest has been regarded as the largest literary festival in South Asia. They said DLF would not remain restricted in the literary arena, rather it will create a wonderful scope for discussion on different disciplines of knowledge.

While talking to visitors at the Dhaka Lit Fest, they described this literary festival as an excellent platform for both literature-loving people, authors and other stakeholders, which eventually will diversify literature practices.

Kazi Anis Ahmed, director of Dhaka Lit Fest, said this international literary festival is being held in Bangladesh for the seventh time under the new name, "Dhaka Lit Fest". Previously, it was held with the name of Hay Festival, he added.

"Our main objective was to project our literature, culture and tradition at international level through this festival. Bangladeshi writers so far have been popularized through this festival," he added.

The organizers said the seventh edition of DLF will host over 200 speakers, performers, thinkers, representing 24 countries, making it the largest and the most diverse gathering so far. "Like every year, the programmes will celebrate diversity, pluralism, other language, culture, whilst highlighting our own, which is our way of saying "No to walls," Walls of all kinds," they added.