20th Nat’l Rabindra Sangeet Festival begins

With the slogan "...Durjanerey Hano," the five-day '20th Jatiya Rabindra Sangeet Utshab' (National Rabindra Sangeet Festival) began at the Shawkat Osman Auditorium, Central Public Library on May 5. The annual programme, organised by Bangladesh Rabindra Sangeet Shilpi Sangstha (BRSSS), marks the 148th birth anniversary of Rabindranath Tagore. Over 100 Tagore artistes from and outside Dhaka are participating in the programme. The highlight of the first day's programme were solo and group performances.

The day's programme commenced with a rendition of the National Anthem. This was followed by choral renditions of "Akash bhora shurjo tara" and "Byartho praner aborjona" by the artistes of BRSSS. A brief inaugural ceremony came next. In his welcome speech, Tapan Mahmud, general secretary, BRSSS, introduced a seven-point agenda to create a favourable environment for the practice of Rabindra Sangeet. The list of demands also included the establishment of a Rabindra Academy and mandatory musical programmes on Rabindra and Nazrul anniversaries at all educational institutions.

Chief guest A.A.M.S. Arefin Siddiqui, vice chancellor, Dhaka University, formally inaugurated the programme. Nazrul exponent Sudhin Das, also an advisor to BRSSS, presided over the session.

In the course of the programme, the organisers felicitated noted 'tabla' artiste Md. Shahjahan for his contribution to music. Shahjahan has been involved with several musical institutions and had the rare distinction of performing alongside legendary singers Kanika Bandopadhyay, Hemanta Mukharjee, Manna Dey and many others. He has been involved with music for the last four decades.

After the inaugural, the musical soiree resumed. Aditi Mohsin rendered "Ratri eshey jethaye meshey." Nafisa Rahman and Steve Turjo (from Faridpur) rendered "Aamar praner porey" and "Tomar khola hawaye" respectively.

Rabeya Akhtar and Sima Sarkar's performance of "Ei korechho bhalo," and "Shey din amaye bolechhiley" came up next.

Among others, Tipu Chowdhury, Liton Chandra Baidya, Rita Majumdar, Lili Islam, Ashok Saha, Mahiuzzaman Chowdhury and Shanchita Mitra performed on the first day.

Artistes of Surtirtha and Bishwabina performed group songs at the programme. Their renditions included "Nitya shatye chintan," "Taharai aarti korey" and "Shundor botey tobo."

Yesterday (May 6), an open discussion on different aspects of Rabindra Sangeet from the contemporary point of view was held prior to the musical soiree.

Today, a similar discussion along with a musical soiree will be held at the venue. Tomorrow, on the occasion of Tagore's birth anniversary, a daylong programme will commence early in the morning. A documentary by Satyajit Ray on Tagore will be screened at 11:30am. Members of BRSSS will also celebrate the 86th birth anniversary of Tagore exponent and president of the organisation Kalim Sharafi.

UEFA Champions League MU in final again

Manchester United swept back into the Champions League final as the holders produced a stunning 3-1 win over Arsenal in Tuesday's semifinal second leg.

Sir Alex Ferguson's side arrived at the Emirates Stadium holding only a slender 1-0 lead from last week's first leg, but United scored twice in the first 11 minutes to set up a 4-1 aggregate triumph that booked their place in the final against Chelsea or Barcelona, who meet in their decider Wednesday.

United, who beat Chelsea in last year's final, were given a helping hand from Arsenal as South Korea winger Park Ji-Sung punished an embarrassing slip from Kieran Gibbs to open the scoring.

Cristiano Ronaldo then deceived Manuel Almunia with a long-range free-kick, and the Portuguese striker put the result beyond doubt when he added his second goal after half-time.

Arsenal barely tested United keeper Edwin van der Sar until Robin van Persie converted a late penalty after Darren Fletcher was sent off, ruling him out of the final, for a foul on Cesc Fabregas.

Even that couldn't detract from a fantastic display from United, who are the first defending champions to reach the final since Juventus in 1997.

They were simply outstanding and exposed the flaws in Arsene Wenger's inexperienced, injury-hit team with ruthless efficiency.

No team has retained the trophy in the Champions League era, but United are hitting new heights and, with the Club World Cup and League Cup already won and the Premier League within touching distance, Ferguson and company are close to a memorable quadruple.

Arsenal were fortunate to be trailing by just one goal after a timid display at Old Trafford and the onus was on Wenger's side to make a fast start.

For once the normally subdued Emirates crowd were at fever pitch, but Ferguson had talked up United's intention to press for a crucial away goal and they were true to his word.

In the eighth minute, Anderson slipped a pass to Ronaldo down the left and the Portugal winger proved he had adapted to his new role as a lone forward by finding space in the penalty area to whip in a low cross.

Even then Arsenal should have cleared the danger but Gibbs, a teenage midfielder pressed into service at left-back in the absence of Gael Clichy, slipped over and could only watch from a prone position as Park took a touch before guiding his shot past Almunia.

As Ferguson and his staff danced a jubilant jig you could feel the momentum draining from Arsenal. There was worse to come three minutes later.

When Van Persie fouled Ronaldo way out on the right flank, there appeared little danger.

But Almunia had reckoned without Ronaldo's flair for the unexpected. Ronaldo had scored from 40 yards to beat Porto in the last round and, from a similar distance, he took aim and launched a thunderous strike towards Almunia, who appeared to lose sight of the ball as it flashed past him at the near post.

Wenger sat ashen-faced on the bench as Arsenal's proud record of 27 home European matches without defeat fell apart, and the match had barely begun.

United were rampant and it took a superb finger-tip save from Almunia to stop Wayne Rooney curling in a third goal.

The visitors continued to counter-attack imperiously after half-time and in the 61st minute Ronaldo capped a sublime break in clinical style.

He started the move with a backheel to Park, who cleverly spread play wide to Rooney on the left. Rooney's cross was perfectly weighted for Ronaldo to drive past Almunia.

Game over, and Ferguson could even afford the luxury of substituting Rooney and Patrice Evra to ensure the duo didn't earn a booking which would have ruled them out of the final.

But Fletcher will miss the final after the Scotland midfielder was sent off in the 76th minute for bringing down Fabregas in the penalty area.

Italian referee Roberto Rosetti ruled the Scotland midfielder had made contact with Fabregas before the ball, although replays suggested otherwise.

Van Persie stepped up to smash home the penalty but it was way too little, too late for Arsenal.

UEFA Champions League 'Park will play final'

Sir Alex Ferguson has hinted South Korea winger Park Ji-Sung will play in the Champions League final as a reward for his heroic display in Manchester United's semifinal win over Arsenal.

Ferguson is determined to give Park his moment in the spotlight because he believes the 28-year-old is one of his most under-rated players.

Park emphasised his value to United with a typically energetic and effective performance at the Emirates Stadium on Tuesday.

He gave United the perfect start with an alert finish after Kieran Gibbs slipped while trying to clear Cristiano Ronaldo's cross.

Then he played a key role in United's third goal with a sweeping cross-field pass to Wayne Rooney, who centred for Ronaldo to score.

Park, who also scored in Saturday's win at Middlesbrough, suffered the worst moment of his career last season when Ferguson couldn't even find him a place on the bench for the Champions League final victory over Chelsea in Moscow.

But, speaking after United's 4-1 aggregate victory over Arsenal, Ferguson revealed that the former PSV Eindhoven star is set to get his wish to play in Europe's showpiece final in Rome's Stadio Olimpico.

"He's one of the most under-rated players," Ferguson said, "He came back from South Korea tired last month but we gave him a break for two weeks. He's refreshed and you saw the results of that against Arsenal.

"If you watch the game again, you will see the running of Park and Darren Fletcher. They were star men.

"Park never stopped running and his movement and use of space was very good. I don't think he'll be disappointed (in the final) this time."

Fletcher, though, will play no part - a substitute in the last final though he didn't get on the pitch - as he was sent-off and despite not seemingly touching Cesc Fabregas in the penalty area there is no recourse for an appeal under UEFA rules.

Fidel leads fightback

Fidel Edwards took three wickets, including the prize scalp of Kevin Pietersen for nought, as West Indies fought back in the first Test against England at Lord's here on Wednesday.

England, at tea on the first day, were 182 for four after fast bowler Edwards had dismissed Alastair Cook, Pietersen and Paul Collingwood in a spell of three wickets for nine runs in 22 balls.

But Ravi Bopara, newly installed at number three and playing his first Test since making a century against the West Indies at Barbados in February, was unbeaten on 72.

Together with wicketkeeper Matt Prior, he halted the tourists' advance in a fifth-wicket stand so far worth 73.

Prior, who on his Test debut two years ago made an undefeated century against the West Indies at Lord's, was 42 not out.

England resumed after lunch with Cook and Bopara unbeaten on 34 and 33 respectively.

But in the fourth over following the interval Cook was bowled off the inside edge by a full-length Edwards delivery to end a second-wicket partnership of 64.

Next ball Edwards produced a 91mph beauty which squared up Pietersen and took the outside edge with wicket-keeper Denesh Ramdin holding a fine one-handed catch as he dived low to his right.

England, who had been 88 for one at lunch, were now 92 for three with Edwards on a hattrick at the start of his next over.

But Collingwood, playing his first innings since England's tour of the Caribbean ended in April after being signed but not used during the IPL, survived the hat-trick ball when a legside delivery hit his pads.

However, he did not last long with Edwards, who had been bowling in the IPL for the Deccan Chargers, dismissing Collingwood for eight when the Durham all-rounder edged to second slip Devon Smith.

The aggressive Edwards, whose round arm, 'slingshot', style can make him difficult to face had good reason to be pleased with his haul as conditions, apart from slight swing, favoured the batsmen.

Bopara then gave England something to cheer when he whipped left-arm spinner Sulieman Benn off his legs for a sixth boundary which saw him complete a 102-ball fifty.

West Indies captain Chris Gayle had earlier won the toss and elected to field in overcast conditions which looked as if they might assist his pacemen.

However, the cloud cover soon disappeared as England captain Andrew Strauss and fellow left-handed opener Cook settled in on a ground where the last six Tests have all ended in draws.

But Strauss, who made hundreds in three successive Tests against the West Indies during England's 1-0 series loss in the Caribbean, fell for 16 when caught behind after edging an intended square-cut off Jerome Taylor.

PCL T20 Chittagong 2009 Younus takes first hattrick

Mehrab Hossain laid the foundation but Mohammad Younus took the honours with a hattrick as Brothers Union confirmed themselves as the first to the semifinals of the Habib Group PCL Twenty20 tournament at the MA Aziz Stadium yesterday.

After Mehrab's 59 made sure Brothers reached 148-8, the well-built left-arm spinner from Cox's Bazar, Younus, finished the game in style for Brothers against Top Sports of Noakhali to secure a comfortable 60-run victory.

Younus removed Mahmudullah Riyad, Aslam Khan and Alamgir Hossain in the 16th over to close the Top Sports innings at 88 runs only and in the process become the first man to take a hattrick in this version of the game in Bangladesh.

“It was fantastic and the most pleasing moment for me. My captain (Nafis Iqbal) advised me before the start of the over to bowl my best and I did just that,” the excited Younus said after the hattrick.

Riyad, who offered some fight with 37 in his side's otherwise poor showing, was the first victim when the right-hander went down the wicket but missed and got stumped by wicketkeeper Sadid Hossain. Aslam Khan played the ball on to the stumps off the next ball and then Alamgir was trapped leg before.

The Brothers win also confirmed Abahani's berth in the last four which will take place on Saturday as Top Sports joined Mohammedan to exit the competition.

Brothers rode on left-handed opener Mehrab's 52-ball 59 that contained six fours to put up a fighting total on board while local boy Nafis contributed a 28-ball 36.

In the second match, it was Pakistani Wasim Nayeem who dominated the proceeding with a splendid all-round performance as Dhaka Sports handed a six-wicket defeat to Pirates of Chittagong to brighten their chance of reaching the semifinals.

After a three-wicket haul, Wasim put the bowlers to the sword during his 43-ball 79 that featured six boundaries and as many sixes as Dhaka Sports raced to 161-4 in reply to Pirates' 156-4. Anisur Rahman contributed 29 off 23 balls with three fours.

With the outcome, Dhaka Sports now have six points from two matches while Pirates lost both the matches they have played so far.

Earlier Waqas Ahmed entertained the sparse crowd with a bizarre knock which saw 43 runs came from 14 balls with seven fours and two sixes after Pirates of Chittagong decided to bat first.

National all-rounder Nayeem Islam however was the top-scorer with a 47-ball 57 that saw five fours.

SCORES IN BRIEF
BROTHERS UNION: 148-8 in 20 overs (Mehrab 59, Nafis 36, Mubarak 6, Dollar 6, Kapugedara 18, Tushar 0, Rezaul 11, Razzak 10, extras 2; Weeraratne 2-15, Elias 1-12, Sanwar 3-37, Lokuarachchi 2-29)
TOP SPORTS: 88 all out in 15.5 overs (Sadat 1, Sanwar 5, Weeraratne 26, Lokuarachchi 7, Riyad 37, Elias 6, extras 4; Mubarak 2-7, Dollar 2-18, Rezaul 1-12, Razzak 1-13, Younus 3-17)
Result: Brothers won by 60 runs.
Man-of-the-match: Mehrab Hossain (Brothers)

PIRATES OF CHITTAGONG: 156-4 in 20 overs (Nayeem 57 not out, Waqas 43, Noman 20, Extra 5: Wasim 3-34, Shahadat Hossain 1-47).
DHAKA SPORTS: 161-4 in 18.4 overs (Wasim 79, Anisur 29, Rajin 16, Hanif 15 not out, Extras 6; Nomanullah 2-25, Waqas 1-32, Nayeem 1-18).
Result: Dhaka Sports Club won by six wickets.
Man-of-the-match: Wasim Nayeem (Dhaka Sports).