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7 MIN(s)
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Arts & Entertainment Desk
A two-day cultural festival titled “Mayer Jonno – Together We Can” will be held on August 21 and 22 at the National Theatre Hall (Main Auditorium) of Bangladesh Shilpakala Academy in Dhaka, aiming to raise funds for cancer treatment and increase awareness about the disease.
Organised by Quazi Nawshaba Ahmed’s non-profit organisation, Together We Can, the festival will bring together music, theatre and inclusive performances under the themes of compassion, humanity and hope. The programme will begin at 7 pm, with the gates opening at 6:30 pm on both days.
The evening will feature “Dhoronir Gaan”, an inclusive music-and-dance presentation, followed by the stage production “Sojon Badiar Ghat”, based on the celebrated work of Palli Kabi Jasimuddin.
“Dhoronir Gaan” has been conceived as a platform where specially-abled artistes and children will perform alongside other artistes and children. Through music and dance, the initiative seeks to promote equality, dignity, friendship and inclusion, emphasising that differences should not be viewed as limitations.
The festival’s second major presentation, “Sojon Badiar Ghat”, explores themes of love, humanity, separation, social realities and human relationships. Through the theatrical adaptation, the organisers hope to connect audiences with Bengali literary heritage while encouraging empathy and reflection.
At the heart of the initiative is a personal cause. The festival seeks to support the cancer treatment of the mother of Kameliya Sharmin Chura, a student of the 47th batch of the Department of Drama and Dramatics at Jahangirnagar University and a theatre practitioner associated with Arshinagar and Together We Can. Her family is currently facing the financial burden of ongoing cancer treatment.
The organisers hope the festival will provide financial assistance to the family while also raising awareness of the challenges faced by cancer patients and their families.
Tickets are priced at Tk 1,000 and Tk 500, while students can purchase the Tk 500 ticket for Tk 300.
For online booking, tickets can be reserved through the organisers’ Google Form. All the details are available on the Facebook page of Together We Can. The initiative is supported by Renata PLC and is being held with the cooperation of the Bangladesh Shilpakala Academy.
More than a cultural programme, ‘Mayer Jonno – Together We Can’ seeks to turn art into an act of solidarity, bringing people together to support a family in need while celebrating inclusion, Bengali culture and the healing power of collective compassion.
