Literature lovers' festival begins Thursday

The eighth edition of the country’s largest literary festival, Dhaka Literary Festival (DLF) - 2018 will begin on the Bangla Academy premises tomorrow [Thursday].

The festival, popularly known as Dhaka Lit Fest, represents Bangladesh to the whole world and creates an atmosphere for litterateurs, artists, poets, journalists and cultural personalities from all over the world.

As many as 200 authors, speakers, thinkers and individuals from 15 countries, including Bangladesh, will participate in 90 sessions of the three-day festival.

Cultural affairs minister Asaduzzaman Noor along with Pulitzer Prize-winning author Adam Johnson, Commonwealth Writers’ Prize winning British Pakistani writer Mohammed Hanif will inaugurate the festival at Abdul Karim Auditorium of Bangla Academy around 11:00am.

British novelist Philip Hensher, Man Booker winning novelist James Meek, West Bengal’s popular litterateur Shirshendu Mukhopaddhay and many others will join the festival.

Biopic Manto, based on the life of popular Urdu-language writer Sadat Hossain Manto, will be screened on the first day of the festival along with many other performances and interactive panel discussions.

Manto’s director Nandita Das will be present during the screening of the film. Bollywood actress Manisha Kairala will tell her story of battle against cancer on the last day of the Lit Fest.

Along with regular contents, the festival will put emphasis on issues like ‘future technology’, ‘fake news’, ‘women’s role in comedy’, said one of the directors of the festival and author, Kazi Anis Ahmed.

The festival was first organised in 2011. Since then, its range and prestige has increased enormously.

The festival is open for all. One can register on https://www.dhakalitfest.com/register to get the entry ticket till the last day of the festival.

*The report published in print edition of Prothom Alo has been rewritten in English by Farjana Liakat