A meet-the-press session regarding the upcoming Muslin Festival was recently held at Kabi Sufia Kamal Auditorium of Bangladesh National Museum.
The speakers at the press conference included Honourable Minister for Cultural Affairs, Asaduzzaman Noor, MP; Begum Akhtari Momtaz, Cultural Affairs Secretary; Dr Muhammad Musa, executive director, BRAC; Faizul Latif Chowdhury, director general, Bangladesh National Museum and Saiful Islam, CEO, Drik.
An exciting and unique festival known as the Muslin Festival will be inaugurated at the Nalinikanta Bhattasali Gallery, Bangladesh National Museum on February 5, Friday at 3:30pm, informed Saiful Islam, CEO of Drik.
A range of activities is planned during the month-long Muslin Festival. Saiful Islam, in his speech introduced the festival and its activities to the press invitees. He also referred to the organising partner the Bangladesh National Museum and special partner, Aarong with the support of the Ministry of Cultural Affairs in hosting this event. The month long festival is the culmination of over two years of research into the history of muslin and our nation’s contribution to it. The exhibition will bring artefacts, including real muslin and also the new muslin woven by the weavers of Drik’s Bengal Muslin team.
There will be a book launch, a film screening and seminars planned during the month. A special cultural evening has been designed to be conducted at Ahsan Manzil on February 6 where muslin’s past, present and future will be displayed through a cultural show. Islam discussed about each of the activities to be held throughout the festival in brief.
Honourable Minister for Cultural Affairs, Asaduzzaman Noor, MP, applauded the initiative and thanked Bangladesh National Museum, Aarong and Drik for this effort of reviving the heritage of Bengal Muslin, saying that "many of us have forgotten or misinterpreted muslin in the past." He thanked Drik for taking this initiative, "It was supposed to be our responsibility! Nevertheless, we are happy we could be a part of this."
Begum Akhtari Momtaz, Cultural Affairs Secretary, in her speech expressed her gratitude to the organisers for the initiative and requested all to participate in reliving nation’s lost heritage-muslin.
Dr Muhammad Musa, executive director, BRAC, mentioned about Aarong’s significant role in the preservation and promotion of Bengali heritage and tradition in textile industry, especially jamdani. He added this initiative fits with Aarong’s vision of supporting the crafts with pride and sustainability. Through this initiative, the story of muslin will be told with clarity and integrity and of benefit to all, he anticipated.
Faizul Latif Chowdhury, director general, Bangladesh National Museum praised the glory of this magnificent fabric being produced and manufactured in this region and confirmed that Bangladesh National Museum would take this initiative forward. He expressed his gratitude to Drik and Aarong for organising such a significant event. He expected that Bangladesh’s younger generations would be excited and informed through this upcoming festival and exhibition.
The efforts of the 26 month long project will culminate with the delivery of the following five key activities in the Muslin Festival 2016;
Exhibition: "Muslin Revival" – 3:30pm, February 5
Cultural event: "Muslin Night" - 7:30pm, February 6
International quality publication: "Muslin. Our Story" – to be launched during the opening of Muslin Festival
Documentary film (45 minutes): "Legend of the Loom" – to be launched as trailer at the Muslin Festival
Seminars and discussion forums: 9:00am–5:00pm, February 7
