AGP Executive Report

Tagore Debate: A new essay asks whether Rabindranath Tagore can pass the “Gen Z test” as critics recast the revered poet as a Muslim hater, stirring debate over Bangladesh’s cultural legacy. Baul Performers: Police blocked a Dhaka protest against attacks on Bauls and cultural events, detaining former Chhatra Union president Dipak Shil. Furniture & Design: Dhaka’s National Furniture Fair opens today, with 44 companies showcasing local designs through October 31. Creative Economy: BNP leader Khosru has called for creative industries to become a mainstream driver of economic growth. Bengali on Screen: Netflix and Hoichoi are teaming up to bring Bangladeshi stories, including Mahanagar, to a wider audience. Cultural Heritage: A feature highlights efforts to keep Bangladesh’s distinctive rickshaw art alive.

Music: Bangladeshi rock band Vikings will revisit 11 early songs on a new album, Vikings Replayed, due January 1, 2027, with a companion film to follow. Fashion & Lifestyle: Haal Fashion and Annex Communications have teamed up to develop fashion shows, reality programmes, podcasts and digital content, with a focus on emerging talent. Folk Heritage: Abbasuddin Ahmed’s 125th birth anniversary will be marked with tribute performances and discussions by Bangladesh Shilpakala Academy and Chhayanaut. Screen: Hoichoi and Netflix are bringing Bangladeshi stories, including Mahanagar, to Netflix audiences. Visual Arts: A Delhi exhibition features kantha works by artists whose stitched designs recall migration from Bangladesh to India. Creative Economy: Bangladesh’s culture minister says creative industries should become a mainstream driver of economic growth.

Art & Legacy: Renowned painter Jogen Chowdhury, born in Faridpur, has died at 87. His expressive, distinctive work brought him acclaim in India and beyond. Creative Economy: Bangladesh’s industries minister says creative sectors should become a mainstream driver of economic growth. Bangladeshi Stories: Hoichoi is taking titles including Mahanagar to Netflix, while artist Kamrul Hasan Lipu is showing his first solo exhibition in Japan. Entertainment: Model, actress and TV host Tulona Al Harun has died at 39.

Art & Heritage: Bangladesh-born painter Jogen Chowdhury, renowned for his expressive, psychologically charged figures, has died in Kolkata at 87. He also supported Bangladesh during the Liberation War. Creative Economy: Culture Minister Khosru says creative industries should become a mainstream economic driver, giving the sector a higher place in national growth plans. Living Traditions: A feature highlights efforts to keep Dhaka’s rickshaw art alive, while artist Kamrul Hasan Lipu explores his roots in a solo exhibition in Yokohama. Entertainment: Model, actress and TV host Tulona Al Harun has died at 39.

Creative Economy: Finance Minister Amir Khosru says art, culture, crafts, music, cinema and theatre should become mainstream economic drivers, with support for artists’ skills, branding and marketing. Cultural Diplomacy: State Minister Shama Obaed visits Spain and the UK from October 26 to 30 to build cultural partnerships and promote Bangladesh’s creative economy. In Memoriam: Model, actress and TV presenter Tulona Al Harun, 39, died Friday night after cancer spread through her body. She worked across television, fashion and acting. Living Heritage: Old Dhaka artist Mohammad Hanif Pappu has painted rickshaws since 1976, keeping alive a tradition recognised by UNESCO in 2023. Bangladeshi Art Abroad: Kamrul Hasan Lipu’s debut solo exhibition, “DOT: The Beginning of Everything,” is underway in Yokohama, exploring his roots. Bengali on Screen: Netflix and Hoichoi are bringing Bangladeshi stories, including “Mahanagar,” to a wider audience.

Creative Economy: Finance Minister Amir Khosru says art and culture should become part of Bangladesh’s mainstream economy, with planned support for artisans in finance, design, branding and online sales. Digital Creators: KineMaster now lets users in Bangladesh export watermark-free videos up to 1080p without a Premium subscription, lowering costs for aspiring editors and journalists. Art Abroad: Kamrul Hasan Lipu’s first solo exhibition in Japan brings together work exploring memory, identity and folk imagery; it closes on October 25. Theatre: Bangladesh is among the countries represented in the announced programme for Lahore’s six-day Punjab MAAS International Theatre Festival, which features performances, workshops and discussions. Fashion: A Chattogram expo has brought around 70 women-led brands and entrepreneurs together to showcase wedding and lifestyle products.

Baul Music: A women-led Baul night went ahead in Sunamganj despite a petition to stop it over religious and social concerns; police said the gathering passed without incident. Bengali Streaming: Hoichoi and Netflix are joining forces to bring Bengali stories, including Mahanagar, to a wider audience. Beauty & Fashion: Bangladesh’s Korean skincare boom is raising concerns about counterfeit products, leaving shoppers unsure how to verify what they buy. Art & Justice: Rohingya artist Enayet Khan, who fled Myanmar and settled in Cox’s Bazar, uses paintings depicting violence against his people to preserve their stories and seek justice. Bengali Cinema: A look at how filmmakers Satyajit Ray and Rituparno Ghosh brought Durga Puja to the screen.

Streaming: Hoichoi and Netflix are teaming up to bring Bengali series, including Mahanagar, to a wider audience. A separate announcement promises a new Bengali series from the platforms. Cinema: Clayface is set to hit Star Cineplex on October 23. Visual arts: Bangladeshi artist Lipu’s debut solo exhibition, DOT: The Beginning of Everything, is underway in Japan. Bangladeshi talent: Tama Mirza has received two awards across two continents. Film industry: Producers behind Mother Bhumi, Rehana Maryam Noor and The Tourist are heading to Indonesia’s JAFF Market for a new exchange programme.

Streaming: Hoichoi and Netflix have struck a two-year deal: new Hoichoi series will stream on Netflix in Hindi, Tamil and Telugu, while 14 existing titles—including Mahanagar—join its catalogue. Visual Arts: Bangladesh-born artist Kamrul Hasan Lipu’s first solo show, DOT: The Beginning of Everything, is on in Yokohama until October 25, featuring 41 paintings inspired by Bengali folk art and his memories of home. Cinema: Clayface opens at Star Cineplex today, October 23. Remembering an Artist: Freedom fighter and artist Saeeda Kamal, daughter of poet Sufia Kamal, has died at 74. Design: Dhaka-based Nakshabid Architects won the 2026 RIBA International Prize for its alternative factory model in Bangladesh. Theatre: Cuts to subsidies are adding pressure on theatre troupes.

Film & Festivals: Producers of Mother Bhumi, Rehana Maryam Noor and The Tourist are heading to Indonesia’s JAFF Market for a new exchange programme, taking Bangladeshi cinema into an international industry forum. Screen Awards: Actress Tama Mirza has won awards on two continents, adding fresh recognition for Bangladesh’s entertainment scene. Theatre Funding: Subsidy cuts are dealing a blow to theatre troupes, raising concerns about the sustainability of live performance. Arts & Legacy: Freedom fighter and artist Saeeda Kamal Tulu has died at 74; she was the daughter of poet and activist Sufia Kamal. Cinema & Culture: A look at how Satyajit Ray and Rituparno Ghosh brought Durga Puja to Bengali cinema revisits the festival’s enduring place on screen.

Screen Honours: Tama Mirza won two acting awards on two continents, recognised for her performance in the web series Amalnama. Theatre Under Pressure: Dhaka troupes are staging fewer plays at the Mahila Samity auditorium after the end of a rent subsidy more than doubled the charge to Tk 11,500 per shift. Women’s Cricket: Bangladesh and Nepal will co-host the Under-19 Women’s T20 World Cup from January 21 to February 6, with Chattogram and Sylhet among the venues. Food Heritage: Muktagachha’s 200-year-old monda remains a puja favourite; the traditional sweet received Bangladesh’s Geographical Indication status in 2024.

Women’s Cricket: Bangladesh and Nepal will co-host the 2027 ICC Under-19 Women’s T20 World Cup from January 21 to February 6, with matches in Chattogram, Sylhet and Kathmandu. Bangladesh open against the UAE in Sylhet. Lalon’s Legacy: Bangladesh’s embassy in Kathmandu marked the death anniversary of mystic poet Lalon Shah, while a Dhaka programme also honoured his music and influence. Arts: Freedom fighter and artist Saeeda Kamal Tulu has died at 74. Bengali Cinema: A new feature examines how Satyajit Ray and Rituparno Ghosh brought Durga Puja to the screen.

Lalon’s Legacy: Bangladesh’s embassy in Kathmandu marked Fakir Lalon Shah’s death anniversary, celebrating the Baul mystic’s message of humanism and equality; a separate Shilpakala Academy programme also honoured his legacy. Durga Puja on Screen: A look at Bengali cinema explores how Satyajit Ray and Rituparno Ghosh portrayed the goddess, while Bangladeshi entertainment stars share memories of celebrating Puja away from home. Art & Heritage: Traditional alpona and a new photography exhibition in Dhaka spotlight Bangladesh’s visual arts, as a Bangladeshi cultural troupe takes local heritage to Pakistan.

Cinema: A new look at Durga in Bengali films explores how the goddess’s image shapes stories of women, family and power, from Satyajit Ray’s Devi to Rituparno Ghosh’s Utsab and Antarmahal. Puja & Performance: Bangladesh’s entertainment stars are sharing what Durga Puja means to them, while singer Topu reflects on celebrating several Pujas away from home. Visual Arts: Traditional alpona folk art remains part of Bangladesh’s living heritage, as photographer Arif Abdullah opens a solo exhibition at AFD. Remembering Artists: Tributes this week honoured painter Kalidas Karmakar on the seventh anniversary of his death and Baul mystic Lalon Shah at the Bangladesh Shilpakala Academy; Aborton also presented a tribute to Nazrul. Cultural Exchange: A Bangladeshi troupe has arrived in Islamabad to showcase the country’s heritage.

Folk Arts: Women in Chapainawabganj painted traditional alpona designs, keeping a community art form alive in homes and village spaces. Durga Puja & Performance: Festival coverage turned to art and entertainment, from a Chattogram pandal demanding justice for women and children to stars reflecting on Puja away from home. Remembering Artists: Freedom fighter and artist Saeeda Kamal died at 74; tributes also marked the legacy of painter Kalidas Karmakar. Design & Culture: A Bangladesh factory recognised for its worker-centred design won the RIBA International Prize, while Art Dhaka is set to bring traditional and contemporary work together in November.**

Visual Arts: Bangladeshi-born artist Rana Begum’s Taking Form at Dubai’s The Third Line explores how colours and materials interact, from watercolours to large-scale works. Art Dhaka is also set to bring traditional and contemporary art together in November. In Memoriam: Artist and freedom fighter Saeeda Kamal Tulu, daughter of poet Sufia Kamal, has died at 74. Kalidas Karmakar, remembered as Bangladesh’s “Alluvial Artist,” was honoured on the seventh anniversary of his death. Music and Culture: A Lalon remembrance programme at Bangladesh Shilpakala Academy celebrated the Baul mystic’s legacy. On Screen: Actress Richi returns to TV serials after years away, while singer Mehedi Sarkar makes his film-playback debut. Festival Life: Footballer Topu Barman is fitting Durga Puja visits with family around a crowded match schedule, reflecting the festival’s place in performers’ and public figures’ lives.