7-day Jatra Festival kicks off at BSA Friday

Bangladesh Shilpakala Academy (BSA) will kick off the 2024 Jatra Festival on Friday at the open stage (Mukto Moncho) of Suhrawardy Udyan in Dhaka.

This year’s festival will feature seven Jatra teams from different districts of Bangladesh, performing daily from 6 PM to 9 PM until November 7. The performances will be based on historical and social events.

“Bangladesh Shilpakala Academy believes that art is at the centre of public life. We learned morality in childhood by watching social journeys, but over time, the Jatra industry has diverged in a different direction, and we need to address that situation. The Bangladesh Shilpakala Academy is working to bring traditional Jatrapala back into public life through performance, development, practice, and the patronage of Jatra artists," said Prof Dr Syed Jamil Ahmed, Director General of BSA.

Israfil Majumdar, a participant in the student-led mass revolution, will be the chief guest, while eminent Jatra artist Anima Dey will attend as a special guest at the inaugural ceremony.

Faiz Zahir, Director of the BSA Theatre and Film Department, will deliver the welcome speech at the programme, which will be presided over by the BSA DG.

The first show of the seven Jatrapala performances, Nihoto Golap, will take place at 7 PM. Presented by Surovi Opera, the Jatrapala is directed by Kabir Khan.