Aneela Haque makes waves in Delhi: Khadi as bridal dress? Unusual as it may sound that is what made Aneela Haque, the leading Bangladeshi designer, stand out and draw a rave response at the Bridal Asia exhibition in Delhi held in October, 2005. According to Aneela, she likes to experiment with her designs and clothes.

James goes Bollywood: Through a song is Mahesh Bhatt's upcoming film Gangster, James was the first Bangladeshi rock singer to do playback for a Bollywood movie. Pritam has composed the song rendered by James. The song is the Hindi version of Goutam Chattopadhyay's Prithibi. In an interview James said, "It is an honour for me to have been chosen to do Goutamda's song in the film. There are two songs that I'd been asked to do and I am just excited about the entire project."

Artistes unite for Dilu's cause: Valiant freedom fighter and theatre activist Mujibur Rahman Dilu came down with GBS Syndrome in July and was struggling for his life. Theatres troupes, artists from all fields of our cultural arena, as well as the masses came forward to lend a hand to Dilu's family. Several cultural events were organised to raise funds for Dilu's treatment.

Lux Channel-i Superstar shines: Lux has been associated with feminine beauty worldwide for decades and has also tried to play a pivotal role as the stepping stone for young aspiring women in accomplishing their goals and ambitions. With that intent, Lux collaborated with the popular entertainment magazine Ananda-bichitra in 1989, which became Anandadhara later and introduced some of the eminent stars, like Moushumi, Mou, Popy, Aupee Karim, Kushum Shikdar and many others. This year, Lux went further. Partnering with Channel i, a contest was organised that provides a golden opportunity for aspiring young women to make a grand entrance into the world of stardom and glamour. The contest was named the Lux Channel i Superstar. Shanarei Devi Shanu from Sylhet won the title.

Dhaka gets a taste of opera: Cultural organisation, Nrityanchal arranged a solo musical performance by Monica Yunus, one of the most talented young sopranos in the US. The programme, held at the German Cultural Centre, did not include the whole orchestra but Monica provided Dhakaiites with a taste of opera with her impressive vocal skills.

Closeup 1 fever takes over the nation: To bring forth the gifted singers in the country, Unilever launched a grand talent hunt in Bangladesh: Closeup 1 -- Tomakeyee Khujchey Bangladesh in May. After nail biting seven months of grueling competition, Nolok Babu emerged as "the voice" Bangladesh has been looking for.

Rtv charms TV audiences: Rtv, a private satellite TV channel, began its official transmission on December 26. Professor Iajuddin Ahmed, president of the People's Republic of Bangladesh, inaugurated the TV channel as the chief guest at the Bangladesh-China Friendship Centre. Within a few days, Rtv has received accolades for its cutting edge presentation, slick programmes and innovative ideas.

Cultural Correspondent