A session on short stories was held on the first day of the 10th edition of Dhaka Lit Fest on Thursday.
The session, titled “‘Short Stories, Big Ideas” was held at the PSR Seminar Room of Bangla Academy.
Writers Shahnaz Munni, Ahmad Mostofa Kamal, Ruma Modak and Sumon Rahman participated in the session and talked about their experiences of writing short stories.
Journalist and writer Shahnaz Munni said: “Short stories can carry different meanings. I love to write short stories. I write them by thinking. It goes through many experiments, and the pace is fluid.”
Short stories are somewhat like a vacation job, said poet, fiction writer and cultural critic Sumon Rahman.
“I don't think anyone has taken storytelling as a separate profession. Short stories are serious art mediums. Writing short stories is suitable for me. We tell stories in poems, we also tell stories in novels."
The writer added that one has to take time with a novel, however, a short story does not give the same feeling. “But short stories surprise us.”
Moshiul Alam said: “Short stories are different from poems and novels. I think there is a relationship between novels and big thoughts.”
Asim Palash said: 'We can sometimes bring big things to a story's canvas.”
Later, Ruma Modak, prominent writer, and playwright said: “I write in the light of my experience, not outside of it. I make my mind about what I will write. I stumble many times, but I rewrite.”
Mahbub Aziz said one goes through different stages in life. “The wish to express those thoughts slowly arises.”
The 10th edition of Dhaka Lit Fest attracted a huge crowd on the opening day on Thursday.
The venue, Bangla Academy, was vibrant with artists, writers, actors, musicians and enthusiastic people from all over Bangladesh.
Following a three-year hiatus due to the Covid-19 pandemic, the 10th edition of Dhaka Lit Fest officially raised its curtain on Thursday morning.
State Minister for Cultural Affairs KM Khalid, Nobel laureate Abdulrazak Gurnah, and Indian writer and literary critic Amitav Ghosh inaugurated the event at Bangla Academy's Abdul Karim Sahitya Bisharad Auditorium in the morning.
The event will feature winners of the Pulitzer, International Booker, Neustadt International, PEN/Pinter, Prix Médicis, Academy Award, Windham-Campbell Prize, Albert Medal, Waterstones Children's Book Prize, and Aga Khan Award.
People can complete their registration by clicking this link (Register - Dhaka Lit Fest) or visiting the event website by entering their name, age, gender, occupation, mobile number, and email. After entering all the information correctly, they can select their ticket category.
Meanwhile, there is good news for students. They can buy tickets for Tk200 each. If the students buy tickets for four days together, it will cost them Tk500.
A four-day VIP ticket will be available for Tk10,000. Free parking facility and access to the DLF special lounge with a VIP ID card (including lunch) will be available under the patron category.
