The two-day long 36th National Poetry Festival began under the theme "Poetry Abhors War and Genocide" on Dhaka University (DU) campus on Thursday.
The National Poetry Council organised the event at Hakim Chatter adjacent to the DU Central Library.
The programme started with the national anthem, after placing wreaths at the tombs of National Poet Kazi Nazrul Islam, Shilpacharya Zainul Abedin and artist Kamrul Hasan.
Poet Nirmalendu Goon inaugurated the festival through a video message.
After the inauguration of the festival, invited poets from India, Nepal, Philippines and Iran held open discussions and recited poems.
The first day of the national festival was divided into five segments.
National Poetry Council President also DU Pro-Vice Chancellor (Admin) Poet Prof Muhammad Samad presided over the festival.
Nirmalendu Goon said, "Many of our prominent poets who were above our heads for so long, have gradually disappeared. In terms of age, I am the second oldest among the living poets of Bangladesh. And my friend Poet Mahadev Saha is one year older than me. He is now above my head. If he was in good health, he would probably have inaugurated the festival."
Nirmalendu remembered the inception of the Poetry Council against Gen Hussain Muhammad Ershad.
Poet Muhammad Samad said, "Poets have been protesting against unjust war and genocide through their poems for ages, regardless of country-time-religion-caste-tribe."
"Israel is trying to wipe out the Palestinian nation, including about 22 million children, women and the elderly in Gaza. A new barbaric massacre continues. About 30,000 Palestinians have been killed in the Gaza Strip by Israels indiscriminate attacks. Most of them are women and children. So looking at the world history of war and genocide, the theme of this years festival has been set as poetry doesn tolerate war and genocide," Prof Samad said.
Council General Secretary Tariq Sujat and Convener of the National Poetry Festival 2024 Shihab Sarkar spoke in the programme, among others.
