A day-long Lalon festival and fair was held at Suhrawardy Udyan in the capital on Saturday.
The festival and fair were a part of a three-day 鈥楴ational Lalon Smaran Utsab鈥� to commemorate the 135th anniversary of the death of legendary mystic bard Fakir Lalon Shah.
Several thousand audience and Lalon devotees attend the event, organised by the Ministry of Cultural Affairs and managed by the Bangladesh Shilpakala Academy.
The event began with a documentary film on Lalon Shah. Salzar Rahman directed the film.
The musical event began by rendering Lalon songs including Sob Loke Koy Lalon Ki Jaat, Allah Bolo Monre Pakhi and Jodi Torite Basona Thake by Suklal Roy and Anny Bairagi.
Cultural activist and singer Arup Rahi rendered some lalon songs including 鈥筆aap Punyaer Katha Ami Kare Ba Shudhai鈥� and 鈥筂anush Guru Nishta Jar鈥� while popular musical troupe Samageet performed a few songs including titled聽 鈥笶man Manab Janam Aar Ki Hobe鈥� and 鈥笹oshte Chalo Hari Murari鈥� at the event.
Singers including Shuchona Shelly, Baula Band, Pathik Nabi and Team Creative, Neerab and Bauls, Dina Mondal, Mujib Pardeshi, Kaniz Khandaker Mitu, Sagar Baul, Bengal Symphony, Aleya Begum, Shiblu, Makhon Dewan, Martha, Tuntun Baul and Lalon Band performed at the event, which was moderated by Deepak Suman and Moumita Zannat.
Bangladesh Nationalist Party standing committee member Abdul Moyeen Khan, cultural affairs adviser Mostofa Sarwar Farooki, and cultural affairs secretary Md Mofidur Rahman, among others, attended the event.
Cultural activists and the leaders and activists of different political parties attended the event.
The three-day National Lalon Smaran Utsab, that began at Chheuria under Kumarkhali in Kushtia on Friday, will end today.