Culture Desk
In a spontaneous outpouring of huge crowds the Dhaka Lit Fest yesterday turned into a glittering festival paving the way for multiple practices of knowledge alongside promoting literary appeal of different languages.“This is obviously an excellent and encouraging event where people of various cultures and languages are sharing their views…… I am delighted and highly impressed because of its wonderful flavor in the landscape of literature,” Sarah Jane, an Australian citizen, who has been visiting the literarily festival for last three years.
The extravaganza made ways for assimilating new more ideas on literature and culture setting an example for those absorbed in literary thoughts as renowned litterateurs, cultural personalities, artists and journalists with different languages and cultures assembled to share diverse and critical notions beneficial to people.
The gathering of acclaimed figures with envious contributions in literature, culture and media from all continents across the world fostered literature practices and exchanged literary and cultural ideas on the premises of Bangla Academy.
Enthusiasm, exhilaration and confidence pervaded the three-day fest, organized by the Cultural Affairs Ministry and the DLF committee. The event, which was not glazed by boredom but prompted thought-provoking ideas, will conclude tomorrow.
Rejuvenation of songs and dance echoed in the entire areas of the fest, fittingly graced by Pulitzer Prize winner novelist Adam Johnson, Indian Bengali author Shirshendu Mukhopadhyay, Pakistani writer Mohammed Hanif, Bollywood actresses Manisha Koirala and Nandita Das, Oscar winning British actress Tilda Swinton and Ondaatje prize winning writer Philip Hensher.
About 40 internationally reputed writers, discussants and researchers from 15 countries and about 200 from Bangladesh are joining the DLF, organisers said.
Programmes schedule of the DLF includes discussions on film literature, culture, politics, women and Rohingya issues. The cover of three books of Bangla literature will be unveiled at the festival, they said.
There will be 90 sessions at the festival, which will remain open for all from 9 am to 9 pm every day.
Directors of Dhaka Lit fest Kazi Anis Ahmed, Sadaf Saz and Ahsan Akbar, among others, attended the function.
Sadaf Saz said, “The Dhaka Lit Fest is being held for the eighth 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 field, 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 eighth time under the new name, “Dhaka Lit Fest”. Previously, it was held with the name of Hay Festival, he added.
“Our main objective is 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 making it the largest and the most diverse gathering so far.
