The two-day Jatiya Kabita Utsab 2026 began on Sunday at the Central Shaheed Minar with the hope for a free and fair election and a democratic, non-sectarian country with good governance.

More than 500 poets registered to read their poems at the festival organised by Jatiya Kabita Parishad.

The slogan of this year’s festival is ‘Sanskrity-Birodhi Asfalan Rukhe Dibe Kobita’.

The festival was inaugurated by Mir Mostafizur Rahman, father of martyr Mugdho, while cultural affairs adviser Mostofa Sarwar Farooki attended as the chief guest and poet Rezauddin Stalin, general secretary of the Parishad, also spoke at the ceremony, which was chaired by Parishad president Mohon Raihan.

Mir Mostafizur Rahman said that the poem expresses the emotions of people, and he prays that no more mothers lose their children in the days to come.

Mostofa Sarwar Farooki said that the student-led mass uprising was a cultural phenomenon, adding ‘A republic will have people of different opinions, and cultural spaces must be kept open for everyone.’

Mohon Raihan said that the festival was held regularly at Hakim Chattar of the Dhaka University campus, but this year the university did not allocate the venue for the traditional festival, which was alarming for cultural practice.

He also said that the people should prevent those who deny the history and tradition of the country, adding ‘The Parishad expects that the forthcoming election will be free and fair, which will help build a democratic, non-sectarian and good-governed country.’

The festival also includes a seminar by eminent writer professor Salimullah Khan on the role of poetry in mass movements from ‘71 to ’24, which will be held today, the closing day of the festival.