DHAKA, Feb 22, 2020 (BSS) – The sixth edition of the popular poetry festival titled “Somodhara Kobita Utsab-2020” was held today in the city’s Chhayanat Shangskriti-Bhavan auditorium.
The daylong festival featuring poem recitation, award-giving, discussion and unveiling of cover of books bring together over 200 poets from Bangladesh and India.
Somodhara, a monthly magazine, arranged the festival for the sixth time.
Writer Selina Hossain was given “Somodhara Shahithya (literary) Puroshkar-2020” for his outstanding contribution to fiction writing category while Rahim Shah, who won Bangla Academy Literary Award this year, received the award in children’s literature.
A folk performance styled ‘Mayuth Malir Pala’ featuring the life and works of Father of the Nation Bangabandhu Sheikh Mujibur Rahman was also staged at the festival.
The programme witnessed unveiling of the cover of a book named “Podabolir Jatthra” which contains poems of 201 poets and another magazine titled ‘Somodhara’.
Bhorer Kagoj Editor Shyamal Dutta addressed the function as the chief guest while novelist Imdadul Haq Milan and poet Suraj Dev, who have been selected for the awards next year, jointly inaugurated it as per the trend.
Poets Helal Hafiz, Kaiyum Nizami and Somodhara editor Salek Nasir Uddin spoke on the occasion, among others.