Shilpakala‍‍`s Beach Cultural Festival held at Cox‍‍`s Bazar

Cox Gazette April 6, 2020, 11:46 PM Shilpakala‍‍`s Beach Cultural Festival held at Cox‍‍`s Bazar

The two-day festival featured music, dance, acrobatics, performances by indigenous people, and performance art. Over 500 artistes from Cox's Bazar, Chittagong, Bandarban, and Bangladesh Shilpakala Academy participated in the festival.

With the objective of creating a culturally-enriched country, Bangladesh Shilpakala Academy organized a two-day cultural festival at Laboni Point of Cox's Bazar. The festival, titled "Beach Cultural Festival 2020", was held over the weekend.

Shilpakala's Director General Liaquat Ali Lucky inaugurated the festival at 4pm Friday, in the open-air stage of Cox's Bazar's district administration - located on the coast of Laboni Point. He said: "This festival is part of our big plans of organizing cultural activities in every district and sub-districts of Bangladesh. Besides, if more festivals such as this one is organized in areas which draws tourists, then even the tourists will be able to enjoy them." He also expressed hope for organizing such a festival annually.

Additional Police Super Mohammad Adibul Islam, Cox's Bazar Municipality Mayor Mujibur Rahman, Sadar Upazilla Chairman Kaisarul Haque Jewel, General Secretary of district Shilpakala Academy Biswajit Paul Bishu, and Cultural Officer Sudipta Chakraborty were present at the inaugural ceremony. Acting Deputy Commissioner of Cox's Bazar, Mohammad Ashraful Afsar presided over the ceremony.

Before the inaugural ceremony, for the occasion of the festival a parade started from Sugondha Beach, and ended at Laboni Point.

In addition, a five-foot-long portrait of Bangabandhu Sheikh Mujibur Rahman and Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina has also been installed for seven days at Cox's Bazar.

Cultural performances included group dance performances by the Tripura community of Bandarban, welcome dance and bamboo dance of the Bom community, peacock dance and umbrella dance of the Marma community, new year's dance and double dance of the Mro community, and Biju dance and jhum dance of the Chakma community.

This cultural festival was held right after the 21-day "Bangladesh Cultural Festival" - organized by Shilpakala Academy - which ended on Thursday.