Dhaka Lit Fest is back again at the historic premises of the Bangla Academy after three years - marking a resurgence of Bangladeshi literary culture, while vigorously enticing other cultures far beyond our own borders. The British Council is excited to partner with Dhaka Lit Fest again on its 10th anniversary edition to be held from 05-08 January 2023 at the Bangla Academy premises. Dhaka Lit Fest began its journey with a pilot event in 2011, under the aegis of the world-famous Hay-on-Wye festival.
The British Council has been collaborating with the Dhaka Lit Fest since its inception as part of Hay Festival International in 2011. We are pleased to watch it grow into an independent festival hosted on the historic Bangla Academy grounds, bringing together Bangladeshi and international literary influencers to an audience of 20,000 annually. As the largest international literary platform in Bangladesh, the Dhaka Lit Fest builds on 2,000 years of literary and cultural heritage through encouraging new writers and readers, creating a safe space for all kinds of discussion and dialogue and creating catalyst for future literary endeavours through showcasing and connections.
This year, we are supporting three speakers and authors from the UK and are continuing our collaboration with Dhaka Lit Fest by organising workshops and talks with them in Chittagong and Dhaka. Commissioned by the British Council as part of our 10-year anniversary celebration with Dhaka Lit Fest, Jatrik Productions will also produce ‘Kanka o Lila Mymensingh Geetika’, a theatre production involving persons with disabilities with visual-impairment.
By working with Dhaka Lit Fest we aim to enrich the next generation of Bangladeshi leaders and strengthen their link with the UK, while making Bangladeshi literature accessible in the UK by bringing authors and discussions to our premises and we intend our sites to be seen as safe spaces for dialogue, critical thinking and freedom of expression.
Date: 5–8 January 2023
Venue: Bangla Academy, Suharwardy Udyan Road, Dhaka, Bangladesh.
Register for tickets here.
Programme Details at the British Council corner
- Interactive IELTS tips and tricks sessions
- Live caricature activity
- The British Council’s Teaching Centre offers
- Heritage exhibit and zine-making
Find the full programme on the Dhaka Lit Fest website.
To learn more about the authors and speakers from the UK we are supporting, please see below:
Alexandra Pringle is a British Group Editor-in Chief of Bloomsbury Publication. She emerged as Editorial Assistant on the art magazine Art Monthly. She is a Patron of Index on Censorship and is organized of literary events at the Chelsea Arts Club. Pringle received honorary doctors of letters degrees from Anglia Ruskin University and Warwick University, addedly she is an Honorary fellow of the Royal Society of literature and a patron of Index on Censorship.
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/alexandrapring/?hl=en
Sarvat Hasin is a University of Oxford graduate Pakistani author who has been longlisted for the DSC Prize for South Asian Literature for her earlier book 'This Wide Night'. She won the 'Moth Writer's Retreat Bursary' in 2018 and 'Mo Siewcharran' prize in 2019. Her last book published in 2021 named the Giant Dark was another successful writing of Sarvat. Sarvat is currently living in London and works at the Almeida Theatre.
Twitter: https://twitter.com/sarvathasin
Owen Sheers, a Welsh poet, author, playwright, and television presenter. Owen is the winner of Eric Gregory Award and 1999 Vogue Talent Contest for Young Writers. Besides, he has won the 2005 Arts Council of Wales Book of the Year Award. He also enhanced his creative writing in radio, television and newspapers significantly. He also bloomed in theatre works, short play and play. His last book was published in 2018 named 'To Provide All People'.
Website: https://www.owensheers.co.uk/
