The “21 Indigenous Beach Festival” will begin tomorrow, February 21-22, at 6 PM on the open stage at Laboni Point, Cox’s Bazar Sea Beach. The event is organized by the Indigenous Cell of the Bangladesh Shilpakala Academy.
Dr. Syed Jamil Ahmed, Director General (Secretary-level) of Bangladesh Shilpakala Academy, will be the chief guest. Cox’s Bazar Deputy Commissioner Mohammad Salahuddin will preside over the event. S.M. Shamim Akhtar, Deputy Director of Bangladesh Shilpakala Academy and head of the Indigenous Cell, will coordinate and oversee the program.
The two-day festival will feature cultural performances from 21 indigenous communities, including Chakma, Marma, Mro, Tripura, Lusai, Khumi, Bom, Khyang, Chak, Pangkhua, Tanchangya, Manipuri, Bengali, Santal, Mahali, Oraon, Malpaharia, Garo, Hajong, Koch, and Rakhine. The event will showcase traditional songs, recitations, and dances in multiple languages.
This festival is dedicated to the spirit of International Mother Language Day, honoring the Bengali language and the native tongues of Bangladesh’s diverse ethnic communities. Through cultural performances in 21 indigenous languages, the festival aims to highlight Bangladesh’s rich multicultural heritage globally.
By Mohammad Morshed
Photo: Collected
