& çâÌæÚUæð´ ·¤è ¥ôÚU Îð¹Ùæ ÁæÚUè ÚU¹ð´ ¥ÍæüÌ ¥ÂÙð ÜÿØ ÂÚU ŠØæÙ ÚU¹ð´Ð ãæÚU Ù ×æÙð´, €UØô´ç·¤ ·¤æ× ·¤ÚUÙð âð ¥æÂ·¤ô ©gðàØ ·¤è Âýæç# ãôÌè ãñ ¥õÚU ÁèßÙ ·¤æ ¹æÜèÂÙ ÎêÚU ãôÌæ ãñÐ ÖÜð ãè ÁèßÙ ×ð´ ç·¤ÌÙè Öè ·¤çÆÙæ§ü €UØô´ Ù ¥æ°, çÁ™ææâæ ¥õÚU ©ˆâæã ÕÙæ° ÚU¹ð´Ð ŠØæÙ ÚU¹ð´, ÜÿØ ã×ðàææ ¥æÂ·Ô¤ Âæâ ãôÌð ãñ´ çÁ‹ãð´ ÂæÙð ·Ô¤ çÜ° ÂýØæâ ¥æÂ ·¤Öè Öè àæéM¤ ·¤ÚU â·¤Ìð ãñ´Ð

FESTIVAL OF BANGLADESH 2000-2001

Image Projection for NAM Summit

by Syed Muhammad Hussain
***Every celebration should have a purpose apart from its expressions of joy and jubilation-our Bangladesh Festival should demonstrate the country's strength, the nation's capabilities and the people's talents and determination to march on the path of peace, prosperity and harmony. The celebrations should be lively and not lavish, it should be spontaneous and imaginative, not imposed and hackneyed. It should be well managed, but need not be strictly structured - let this be in the nature of a people's festival par excellence!***
If one thinks about the momentous nature of the present times we five tn, we must admit that the beginning of the third millennium, of the 21 st century should Impel us to delve very deeply into Die times past and move’ more Importantly, perhaps to time in future. We are all standing at the threshold of a new era. a new age, and hopefully, a new beginning for the humankind. Over the last 20 centuries civilisations have progressed, achieved wonders, reached gr^at heights In discoveries and Inventions and one ominous aspect of the exceptional pace of development relates to the incredible powers and capacity we have for our self-destruction. The planet Earth never faced a greater threat than it does now tn terms of almost total annihilation.
But then the brighter side Is that we have the ability, the capacity and the means globally to make the planet Earth a global village, and truly a common heritage of mankind.
Nearer home, we Ln Bangladesh could still utilise to our benefit the New Millennium spirit. Bangladesh still can boast of being one of the new countries chalking just about 30 years since winning her independence. The world has known about her somewhat vaguely all these years in terms of natural calamities, population explosion and poverty. Efforts of ours to make our identity known abroad for the right reasons have not met with any measurable success perhaps for lack of thrust, absence of the appropriate contents and. more importantly for inadequacy in sustained. focused and purposeful handling of our external projections. For this very reason, the advent of the new century r new millennium provides a perfect canvas to draw the true map of Bangladesh for the world to see.
Bangladesh has a dual cause for celebration, as the 21st century will also signify the 30 years of her sovereign independence. These histone moments call for celebration a celebration. national Jubilation with a purpose. To present to the world everything that Is best in traditions, culture and in national achievements, to open the gateway for the people of Bangladesh' to rejoice in being Bangladeshi, in carrying through the legacies of the eternal Bangla Eshall be the noble objectives of the Bangladesh Festival. 2000-1.
Our festival can be beautifully woven around the national days we do celebrate through : 16 December 2000. 21 Feb 2001. 7 March 2001. 26 March 2001, 14 April 2001 also Christmas 2000. English New Year 1 Jan 2001 and other days of Muslim and Hindu religious festivities could also be included in the calendar of events to add to the richness and variety of presentations. Hence, effectively December 2000 to April 2001 could be the period for massive, purposeful celebrations. May. June and July could be used Ln a relaxed manner to hold festival of fruits, a welcome to rains through music and dance events. August and September 2001 could witness the arts and crafts exhibition.
An international perspective could easily be added if the programmes and events could oe carried through in appropriate manner to coincide with the NAM Summit Bangladesh is preparing to host in September 2001. There could be a grand finale with a Celebration Show of selected Items of songs, dances, short dance drama, some music and other floorshows. It ought to be a polished, perfectly presented bouquet of the best tn our performing arts. The distinguished NAM delegates could grace this special NAM edition.
A repeal, longer version could be participated by the elite and other enthusiasts, whose contributions could enrich a fund to set up a Millennium Art Foundation, Bangladesh (MAF.B). This would indeed be a fitting tribute to the artistic, creative talents in the country.
The NAM Summit is expected to be comprehensively covered by the world media. We could, if we plan it well, utilise their presence to project the very best that we have and we can offer on a worldwide view through electronic and print media. A special programme of briefing, visits, presentations could be organised for the media representatives. The subjects should be far away from the negative aspects as mentioned earlier.
It is an opportunity not to be missed to put our best foot forward. We must also remember that a very large contingent of Journalists, media personalities would arrive in Dhaka to cover the Summit through both electronic and print media. They all would look eagerly for interesting, colourful, unusual subjects to cover on the sidelines. If we do not have positive, attractive events going on in the city, the slums, the poverty and all possible negative
aspects of Bangladesh will in all likelihood occupy the. media team for regional and global telecast and reporting. It Is not perhaps enough to nave Just a nice, cozy Media Centre for the visiting press persons, it is essential to have a well-thought out media programme, not in a naive and obvious way, but being subtle in making arrangements that they would be only too eager to avail of. What Bangladesh wishes to seek at the age of 30 is not sympathy, doles or relief, but to 'demonstrate the nation's confidence and vigour and the enabling environment to seek partnership in trade. Investment and technology Inflow.
The reasons for timing this then are many more that 1500 foreign delegates including scores of heads of state ano Sovemment, would be attending Ie Summit in Dhaka. All the events for celebrations have to be selected with care and precision with the focused objective of presenting the very best of our talents and creativity, of our achievements and visions.
Through these celebrations we should seek to bring the world to Bangladesh. Our Bangladesh Festival 2000-1 shoula be so designed as to allow a global campaign through our Missions abroad and through the
Blman Bangladesh network. Such publicity campaign should be undertaken right now. These will be in the form of Intense information and Invitation campaign for global tourist population to become aware well in time about Bangladesh as a desirable destination with an Interesting, colourful, scheduled calendar of events/activltles spread over a period of 6/7 months.
We have to remember that mounting a properly designed "Visit Bangladesh Festival 2000-2001” (or similar slogans) Ln a planned way is one of the most crucial elements for the success of the Festival.
A Supreme National Committee with the Hon'ble Prime Minister as the Chairperson will ensure a national mobilisation of popular participation, efforts and organisational support. A high-powered Preparatory Committee. with a number of functional sub-committees could be formed to;
I) prepare the overall contents of the festival, various components of the programme at the district and national levels;
11) recommend ways and means for mass participation;
ill) design the national-level celebrations items, how and by
whom;
Iv) work out a detailed time table of events, with the high point aimed at the national celebration on 26 March 2001 30th Anniversary of Bangladesh;
v) recommend extending of invitations to some world leaders to be state guests on the historic occasion, and
vi) chalk out weeklong festivities with carefully selected cvents/items during the NAM Summit. Special media links to be prepared.
It is strongly felt that since the above-outlined celebrations will Involve a range of massive preparatory work, it has to start right now m right earnest. Time is required for Involving the mass, the youth, the Intellectuals the socio-cultural activists and. of course, the print and electronic media tn the whole exercise as a massive, people-centred celebration. Impression of an elitist, restrictive, selective celebration will be counterproductive. Let there be genuine sense of participation by all let this be the festival of the people, in an authentic reflection of the heritage of eternal Bangla. In the ultimate analysis it Is the people and it is the people's achievements that we all celebrate.
A composite Bangladesh through the Ages" could be creatively sketched out revolving around the red-letter days that we do celebrate every year on this occasion these days will be specially strung in a garland of festivals. Let me oiler some implementable suggestions.
December 2000: Special nationwide competitions, tournaments. Victory Day celebrations with special documentaries, feature films exhibitions on our Liberation War.
January 2001: Mela, fairs, dance dramas, Jatras, open theatre, clrcus/maglc shows. Islamic art and culture festivals during the Holy Ramadan Including Qlrat competition Eto all OIC countries.
inlc calligraphy exhibitions, d for excellence.
February 2001 : Ekushcy, 2001 : Ekushcy. with bigger Bol Mela, 30 years of publications Ln Bangla and English, cultural shows, special anniversary editions of selected poems, short stories, plays, novels, essays etc. published over 30 years.
Feb. March. April, 2001 : National series of exhibition of arts and crafts, paintings, sculptures, photographs and so on. National awards for best exhibits: Sports and games, youth and women's special events, children's festivals nationwide celebration of the Independence and National Day and by our Missions abroad. Thematic symposia, debates, essay writing, etc; Nationwide Pahela Baishakh festivities on a grand scale.
On the 30th anniversary the nation should salute Its sons and daughters for theli outstanding achievements tr selected fields; special Jubilee coins can be minted, special commemorative stamps to be brought out and medals ol merits could be instituted. / month-long National/Dhata International Trade Fair (DITF can also be simultaneously organised for December 2000 with a wide range of Bangladesh products, arts and crafts of high quality.
Every celebration should have a purpose apart from Its expressions of Joy and Jubilatlor our Bangladesh Festival shoulc demonstrate the country'; strength, the nation's capabill tics and the people's talents ant determination to march on the path of peace, prosperity ant harmony. The celebration; should be lively and not lavish. 1 should be spontaneous ant Imaginative, not Imposed aht hackneyed. It should be wcl managed, but need not b< strictly structured let this belt the nature of a people's festiva par excellence)
Thirtieth Anniversary o Bangladesh in the twenty-firs century provides a perfec setting for us to go for < purposeful, focused tourisn
campaign. As mentioned earlier, our solemn Victory Day celebrations in December, 2000 through to Pahela Baishakh Ln mid April. 2001 are spread over the most colourful 4-5 months in a pleasant season for the world tourists to come, see and feel Bangladesh at her best. He history, traditions and culture, her youthful seasons and joyous celebrations, her songs and dance, music and literature could be brought to life in a well-designed format.
we are certainly capable of mounting such a festival in style and with rich and varied contents. Preparatory work on the contents and the calendar of events need to start In right earnest. We also need to launch an early multi-country campaign to Inform. Invite and inspire for participation from within the country and from without. As soon as the mainframe of Bangladesh Festival, 2000-1 Is decided upon with a broad Itlncraiy, a preliminary information sheet should be prepared for widest possible dissemination though our Missions abroad (also through the resident Missions of foreign countries in Dhaka). Our Missions and our Blman offices abroad could circulate this information sheet to the authorities concerned as well as to the major tour operators, travel agencies, airline offices, hotels, and so on. Secondly, appropriately worded slogans could easily be added without extra expenditure. In the regional and international advertisements that Blman. BSC, BOI place Ln various regional/international magazines on a regular basis. Moreover, special supplements brought out tn foreign capitals on Bangladesh national days could have details of the festival. Of course, nearer the time, a concentrated projection will be necessary. A regional and global programme for attracting the attention to and the participation in our Bangladesh Festival, 2000-1 is to be designed well ir time to enable the visitors tc target Bangladesh as theli destination during December 2000 to April through Septem bcr2001
The writer is a retiree Secretary to the Government one former Ambassador of Bangla desh to Morocco. Nepal anc