Themed “Trial of war criminals is the demand of poetry”, a two-day 27th Jatiya Kabita Utsab (National Poetry Festival) 2013 began at Hakim Chattar, beside Dhaka University's Central Library, yesterday.

Several hundred Bangladeshi and Indian poets are taking part in the country’s biggest poetry festival, being organised annually by Jatiya Kabita Parishad since 1987.

This year's festival was dedicated to late eminent poet and novelist Sunil Gangopadhyay and eminent journalist Foyez Ahmed.

The nation expects and demands the identification and trial of war criminals and removal of its stigma, said eminent poet Syed Shamsul Haque while inaugurating the festival.

Poet Robiul Hussain reiterated the demand for February 1 to be declared "Poetry Day".

The festival began with placing of wreaths at Central Shaheed Minar and graves of National Poet Kazi Nazrul Islam, Shilpacharya Zainul Abedin and artist Kamrul Hasan. The parishad President poet Habibullah Sirazi presided over the inaugural.