Programmes of Amar Ekushey began yesterday.

On the 21st day of February in 1952 some valiant sons of this land embraced martyrdom for establishing Bangla as the state language of the then Pakistan.

On the inaugural day of the month-long programmes, the Bangla Academy organised a painting competition for children yesterday morning. Artist Kazi Abul Kasem inaugurated the competition while Prof Monsur Musa, director of the Bangla Academy delivered the address of welcome.

The Bangla Academy will organise a series of discussion sessions on "Literary Pursuit in Twenty Five Years : Post Independence Period" which will begin today. Prof Kabir Chowdhury will preside over the functions.

The week long lecture series will conclude on February 8. There will be no programmes on February 9.10 and 11 because of t he Eid-ul-Fitr. ■

The Ekushey Book Fair which has now become the main attraction of the Academy's programmes will be opened on February 16.

Meanwhile, a two-day poetry festival organised by Jatiya Kabita Parishad, was inaugurated yesterday at the Teachers Students Centre of Dhaka University with the slogan: "Poetry, the eternal power of freedom." Poet Abul Hossain inaugurated the festival.

The inaugural session was addressed by poet Belal Chowdhury. Sazzad Kadir. Muham-mad Samad, Rabiul Hussain. Ragib Ali and Mohan Raihan. A message from Begum Sufia Kamal was read out in the inaugural session. Poet Sayed Sham-sul Haque presided.

A number of poets from

across the country and five guest poets from West Bengal of India joined the festival on the first day. Just after the inaugural session, a procession was brought whicn marched towards the Central Shaheed Mi-nar.

After the procession the poets placed wreathes at the mazar of National Poet Kazi

Nazrul Islam in the university area. A poetry recitation session was held in the afternoon.

A seminar on "Poems of Bangladesh in Post Independence era" will be held at 10 am today. The discussants will include Samudra Gupta, Anis-uszaman, Borhanuddin Khan Jahangir. Slrajul Islam Chowdhury, Forhad Mazhar, and a poetry recitation session for the guest poets will be held before the closing session at 8 pm.

The Bangladesh National Museum has organised a good hand writing competition in Bangla for children at 9:30 am on February 19.

No registration is required for taking part in the competition. Children eager to participate in the competition have been requested to take their seats in the National Museum by 9 am on the day with clip board, pen, pencil and eraser. Museum authorities will serve papers.

The first ever Boi Dibosh (Book Day) in the country was inaugurated yesterday in the Central Shaheed Minar premises. State Minister for Information Abu Sayed inaugurated the function organised by Bangladesh Book Club.

Speaking on the occasion, the minister said that from now on Book Day will be observed every year on the first day of February,