The two-day Jatiya Kabita Utsab 2025 began on Saturday at Hakim Chattar on the Dhaka University campus with a call to write in favour of people.
The slogan of this year鈥檚 festival is 鈥楽hadhinota Samya Sampritir Jonno Kabita鈥�.
The festival comprises songs, poetry recitations and seminars on the impact of poetry on the recent student-led mass uprising and anti-fascism movement.
Organisd by Jatiya Kabita Parishad, the festival was inaugurated by Monowara Begum, the mother of martyr Abu Sayeed.
Cultural affairs adviser Mostofa Sarwar Farooki attended the inaugural ceremony as the chief guest.
The student-led mass uprising was widely participated by women, while poetry and graffiti were important mediums of their expression and expectation, Mostofa Sarwar Farooki said.
鈥楾he government does not want to censor any publication,鈥� he said.
Addressing the event as the chair, Jatiya Kabita Parishad convener Mohon Raihan said,鈥業n 1996, the Jatiya Kabita Parishad was taken over by some supporters of the Awami League and made the parishad a subordinate organisation of the fascist government.鈥�
He said that an executive committee of the parishad will be formed today for two years.
Member secretary of the Parishad, poet Rezauddin Stalin, said that poets should stand for the liberation of humanity instead of slavery of power or political parties.聽
鈥楾he ousted fascist government made the national institutes and recognitions controversial and used art and literature against the people,鈥� he said.
Former lawmaker and poet Nurul Islam Moni delivered the welcome speech and poet Nurunnabi Sohel read out the condolence messages at the event.
The festival will end today.
