Popular Culture

Thousands of people join in the festival with loving heart to God and humanity. Peoples pray for indemnity of past sins and offer donation, gift, food etc with total heart and devotion. Some believers join to relief from pain of mistakes, protection from diseases however for good fortune. During running the rath, the priest share out the offering banana. The participants receive banana as “Gift of God” and “Gift of Love”. However the fellowers sing theme holy song, “Harey Kisna, Harey Raam…” . In the Dhaka, the rally generally starts from ISKON to Dhakashori Temple. After ten day the rath again back to ISKON. Generally the Rathjatra held in the month June-July that is in Bangla ‘Srabon mas ‘.

Film and edit: J. Alam. Direction: Shahjahan Siraj . Associte: Kamrul Hasan
Production: Machizo Multimedia

Bangladeshi rickshaw is artistic decorated by plastic flower, ornaments and rickshaw art. These arts are done by enamel colors, usually bold and vivid. In the back of rickshaw, there are beautiful paintings, generally grameen scenarios and Bangladeshi movie stars action portraits. After independence, as witnessed the paintings were portraying the liberation war’s scenes . The forms of rickshaw art are changing with contemporary mode of life, culture and reality. By emerging of the digital technology, the rickshaw art now is facing the struggle of existences. The rickshaw artists are generally illiterate and have no formal art education. However this high motif art is not well recognized by the mainstream schools of art.

Rickshaw pullers generally comes from the villages, mostly are economically marginalized. With vision of a good life and good income, the illiterate villagers migrant to Dhaka after fighting with poverty. But whenever they don’t get job, as last option they start rickshaw pulling and become rickshaw puller!

By doing whole day hard job, a rickshaw puller still can not earn proper money for quality existence. The average income to a rickshaw puller is Tk. 200 – Tk300 ( 3-5 dolor). Because of economical lower status, they can not develop their social position as well. However there is prejudice about rickshaw and rickshaw in elite society, mostly are not well recognized by in the society.

Rickshaw puller generally takes unhygienic food in the roadside restaurants. They generally live in slums or rickshaw-garish. Because of poverty, they can not make peaceful life and family, however can not send the children in school. But now the situation little changing and they are getting interested in family planning and children’s education. Bachelor rickshaw pullers generally live like a homeless to save money. Married rickshaw puller’s wife generally works as a housemate or as a garments worker to makeup the family costing. Common and crude reality, because of poverty mostly rickshaw pullers children can not continue education and become ricksha puller like father.

Film, script and edit: Jahangir Alam
English text: Shahjahan Siraj
Production: Machizo Multimedia, © 2007

আজকের এই গুরুত্বপূর্ণ মেলা প্রথম শরু হয়েছিল ১৯৭৩ সালে, মুক্তধারার প্রথিতযশা প্রকাশক চিত্তরজ্ঞন সাহার মুক্তিযুদ্ধের উপর প্রকাশিত বই প্রদশনীর মাধ্যমে। ১৯৭৪ সালে মুক্তধারা ও খান ব্রাদার্স যৌথভাবে অমর একুশে উপলক্ষ্যে সাতদিন ব্যাপী এ মেলা আয়োজন করে। এরপর থেকে বাংলাদেশ সরকার ও বাংলা একাডেমীর পৃষ্টপোষকতায় সারা ফেব্রুয়ারী মাসব্যাপী এ মেলা আয়োজিত হয়ে আসছে। এ মেলা আজ শুধু মেলাই নয়, বাংলা সাহিত্য চর্চার প্রাণকেন্দ্র।

Ekushey book fair is a core event of Bangladesh literature and culture. Everyday thousands people come in this month-long event. Prominent publishers and writers of Bangladesh publish books on the eve of the Ekushey Book Fair. In this year more than 2000 books has been published.

The fair was initiated by famous publisher “Chittoronjon Saha” at 1973 by displaying his books on Bangladesh, published in Calcutta during liberation war. In 1974 Muktadhara and Khan brothers jointly organized the event for 7 days. Since 1975 it has been organizing with the patronization of Bangla Academy and Bangladesh Government as a month-long event. In this event Bangla academy regularly organized seminar and discussion on contemporary Bangla literature and issues. Nowadays the event is playing important role in the development of Bangla literature and culture.

Videography: J. Alam, Shahjahan Siraj
Concept & editing: Shahjahan Siraj
Production& Copyright: Machizo Multimedia

As like as other countries, Christmas is one of the most important religious festival of the Christians believers. As the universal spirit is loving, serving and understanding others. In this day the followers forget the social class, inequality, resentment, differences and however share love with joy and happiness as did Jesus. Bangladeshi christian gather in churches and join in special pray for national and personal prosperity.

During Christmas Bangladeshi christian celebrate with family get-together however visit relatives and friends house of exchange love and best wishes. They follow rituals and give donation to the helpless neighbors and relatives.

Along with Christmas carols they decorate house and made special food, sweets and cakes in this day. The food and gift has been distributed in the party where typical Christmas greetings exchange.

The celebrations starts on Christmas Eve, normally with the singing of the carols. In Dhaka, a global event has been organized regularly in five star hotels like Sheraton Hotel and The Pan Pacific Sonargaon Hotel with exotic lighting and Christmas tree decoration. The hotels serve special menu with special price as well.

The Christmas day is the national holiday in Bangladesh. There is many misunderstanding and prejudice about Christian faith and practices in the Muslim community. But the young generational nowadays overcoming with the positive influence of global media and global culture. Muslim young generation also nowadays join with their christian friends.

Film: Shahjahan Siraj | Edit: J. Alam | Production: Machizo Multimedia