National University Vice Chancellor Prof Dr Wakil Ahmed will inaugurate the workshop styled 'Role of proverbs and maxims in the folk knowledge', said Prof Sirajul Islam, chief editor of 'Cultural Survey of Bangladesh' project at a press conference.

Asiatic Society of Bangladesh organised the press conference at its office in the city yesterday.

Prof Sirajul Islam said about 150 folklore researchers from different districts and upazilas and local folklore activists will join the workshop and present proverbs and maxims collected from their own areas.

He also said these collected proverbs and maxims will not only enrich our culture but it can also contribute to the research of history, social science, anthropology, economics and agriculture as regional sayings reflect social attitude and relations.

Reading out a written statement, he said, "About 30000 proverbs and maxims will emerge from the workshop and it will be a big achievement for us if the collected proverbs and maxims are published after proper analysis."

Prof Islam also said the influence of folklore is very evident on the fine arts, stage arts, design, fashion, exhibition and clothing all over the world as its attraction is also increasing day by day.

Citing a survey of World Intellectual Property Organisation, he said the annual market price of country's tangible and intangible commodities is about Tk 1000 crore.

The folklore researchers will uphold their own districts' valuable proverbs and maxims in 16 sessions of the workshop and will discuss about the regional characteristics, language and present condition of the proverbs and maxims, Prof Islam said.

Referring to the Bangladesh Asiatic Society's current project, he said after the Banglapedia it is one of the mammoth tasks of the society which will contain thirteen volumes and each volume will deal with the cultural aspects of Bangladesh like its architecture, the fine arts, literature, folklore, and indigenous culture.

Asiatic Society President Prof Emajuddin Ahmed said the influence of globalisation is also evident in Bangladesh like other countries of the world and the country's folklore is at the brink of extinction due to the influence of globalisation.