Bengal Foundation hosts four-day ‘Prane Ano Gaan’ festival

To mark Victory Month, Bengal Foundation is set to host a four-day cultural festival titled "Prane Ano Gaan", beginning tomorrow and running through December 27. Organised with the support of Dhaka Bank, the festival brings together music, poetry, visual art and craft to celebrate Bangladesh's cultural heritage, traditions and contemporary life.

According to the organisers, the programme is part of Bengal Foundation's ongoing effort to invigorate cultural practice in the country and to keep artistic expression dynamic, inclusive and multidimensional.

The main musical performances will take place daily at 5:45pm at Level 4 of Bengal Shilpalay in Dhanmondi. The festival will be inaugurated tomorrow at 6 pm by Dhaka Bank Chairman Abdul Hai Sarker.

Across four evenings, audiences will experience a rich spectrum of performances—classical music, folk songs, Nazrul and Rabindra Sangeet, life-oriented songs, poetry readings and recitations.

The opening day, on Wednesday, will feature patriotic songs and poetry recitations by Mostafizur Rahman, Mansi Sadhu, Mainur Rahman Khan, and Mohiuddin Shamim. Nazrul's devotional songs will be presented by Bitu Kumar Shil, while folk music will be performed by Kiran Chandra Roy.

On Thursday, Supriya Das will present Bangla thumri, while Bhaswar Bandyopadhyay will read from Jasimuddin's iconic poem "Nakshi Kanthar Math". Film songs from Bangladesh's cinema will be sung by Champa Banik, alongside folk performances by Labik Kamal.

Friday's programme includes "Tin Kobir Gaan" by Azizur Rahman, modern Nazrul songs by Susmita Debnath, poetry recitation by Raihanul Amin Kallol, and Rabindra Sangeet by Adity Mohsin.

The festival concludes on Saturday with Mahuya Manjari Sunanda performing Rabindranath Tagore's lesser-known "Bhanga Gaan". Life-oriented songs will be sung by Farzana Wahid Shayan, while folk singer Tuntun Baul rounds off the evening.

Beyond the stage, the festival also hosts "Karukotha", a curated fair of rural handicrafts and artisanal products. The fair runs daily from noon at Subir Chowdhury Square on the ground floor of Bengal Shilpalay until December 27.

In addition, a group art exhibition titled "Onnoshyor" explores women's lived experiences, histories and creative practices through works by 35 artists. Curated from collections of Bengal Foundation and Abul Khair, the exhibition will be on display at the Kamrul Hasan Exhibition Gallery from December 24, 2025, to January 17, 2026.

For younger audiences, the festival also offers "Akash-Kusum", a hands-on craft workshop designed for children and adolescents.

All programmes under "Prane Ano Gaan" are open to the public, inviting the city to come together in song, art and shared celebration during the month of victory.