Shawdesh desk:

DHAKA-The 10th edition of Dhaka Lit Fest began on Bangla Academy premises here today after a three-year break due to COVID-19 pandemic.

State Minister for Cultural Affairs KM Khalid, Nobel Laureate writer Abdulrazak Gurnah and eminent writer Amitav Ghosh joined the inaugural function of the four-day lit fest in the morning at Abdul Karim Sahitya Bisharad Hall of Bangla Academy here.

Directors of the lit fest Sadaf Saaz, Ahsan Akbar and K Anis Ahmed are organizing the lit fest, which will continue from 10am to 8pm everyday till January 8.

Speaking at the opening ceremony, Abdulrazak Gurnah said: “I have come to Bangladesh for the first time. I think I will see something through this event that I have never seen in my life. The beginning of the ceremony was quite interesting.”

State Minister for Cultural Affairs KM Khalid wished the success of the 10th edition of Dhaka Lit Fest, saying that the Ministry of Cultural Affairs is involved in many ways with this event and this involvement will increase in days to come.

Indian writer Amitav Ghosh said: “I feel honored to come to such an event as I am Bangladeshi by birth.”

Earlier at a press conference on Sunday last, the organisers said that over 500 speakers, performers, and thinkers representing five continents will participate in the four-day event comprising 175 sessions.

Apart from diverse conversations and dialogues, sessions on science and technology, the event will be featured with programmes for children and youths, film screenings, drama staging, music and cultural functions.

Among others, Nuruddin Farah, Hanif Kureishi, Pankaj Mishra, Tilda Swinton, Jon Lee Anderson, Onjali Rauf, Sarah Churchwell, Geetanjali Shree, Daisy Rockwell, Esther Freud, Alexandra Pringle, Dame Sarah Gilbert, Marina Mahathir, Joy Goswami, Anisul Hoque, Mashrur Arefin, Kamal Chowdhury, Muhammad Zafar Iqbal, Marina Tabassum, Syed Manzoorul Islam, Imdadul Haq Milan, Kaiser Haq, Shaheen Akhtar, Amitabh Reza and Azmeri Haque Badhon are going to take part in the fest this year.

Besides, Nobel Laureate authors, internationally acclaimed prize-winning speakers as well as winners of the Booker and International Booker, Neustadt International, PEN/Pinter, Prix M,dicis, Academy Award, Windham-Campbell Prize, Albert Medal, Waterstones Children’s Book Prize and Aga Khan Award are expected to join the 10th edition of the Dhaka Lit Fest.

Online registration is open at register.dhakalitfest.com while tickets are available for Taka 200 and Taka 500. Children under 12 years and physically-challenged people could enjoy the event free of cost.

Any updates regarding the event will be shared through the festival’s website dhakalitfest.com and the official social media page facebook.com/dhakalitfest.