Your Hobby Performance: Dhaka University Celebrates Student Creativity

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  Published in Media and Entertainment on Thursday, December 18th 2025 at 1:15 GMT by The Daily Star
      Locale: BANGLADESH

Your Hobby Performance – A Campus‑Wide Celebration of Creativity

The Daily Star’s “Campus” column published a feature on 16 March 2024 titled “Your Hobby Performance” (link: https://www.thedailystar.net/campus/campus/news/your-hobby-performance-4060626). The article chronicles a vibrant, student‑run showcase that was staged at the University of Dhaka’s Student Centre on 14 March. It presents the event as a bold attempt to bridge academic life with the arts, encouraging university students to display their talents beyond the lecture halls.

1. The Vision Behind the Event

The piece opens with a quotation from Dr. Farooq Rahman, the Dean of the Faculty of Arts, who explained that the event was conceived as part of the university’s “Creative Education Initiative.” The aim, he said, was to give students a platform to pursue “creative outlets that often sit outside formal curricula.” The event was organized by the Student Union (link: https://www.thedailystar.net/campus/student-union) in partnership with the Department of Fine Arts (link: https://www.thedailystar.net/campus/fine-arts) and received sponsorship from the Ministry of Education’s Cultural Development Fund.

2. Program Structure

According to the article, the evening’s program was divided into six themed segments:

The article provides a concise schedule, noting that the event opened at 5 pm with a welcome address by the Vice‑Chancellor, followed by the Music segment, and concluded with a closing ceremony where winners were announced.

3. Highlights and Awards

Music & Dance:
The music segment drew an audience of over 400 students, with a highlight being a Bengali ghazal performed by a sophomore from the Department of Music. The dance segment saw a group from the Bengali Folk Dance Club win the “Best Traditional Performance” award.

Drama & Creative Writing:
The drama segment featured a 10‑minute play titled “Silenced Voices” that tackled the topic of student mental health. The writers’ segment included a reading of “Dreams in the Dorm,” a poem that went viral on the university’s internal forum.

Visual Arts & Photography:
The visual arts segment showcased a live painting of the campus library, while the photography segment displayed a collection of images under the theme “Campus in the Light.” An alumnus who now works for the National Film Development Corporation (link: https://www.thedailystar.net/campus/national-film-development-corp) praised the photographic works for their “fresh perspective.”

The article lists the winners of the “Creative Talent Award” – a special prize that comes with a scholarship for a short‑term workshop abroad. The winners were:

1. Mina Rifat – Music (Classical Singer)
2. Shahidul Karim – Dance (Modern Choreographer)
3. Aisha Hossain – Drama (Actress)
4. Rahim Hossain – Visual Arts (Painter)

4. Reactions and Impact

The article quotes several participants:

• “It’s refreshing to see the university encourage hobbies,” said Shahidul Karim, a final‑year engineering student who also teaches dance.
• “The platform has made us realize that our creative sides are just as important as our academic work,” added Mina Rifat, the music winner.

The university’s communications officer, Sadia Akhter, mentioned that the event has already led to a 25 % increase in sign‑ups for the Fine Arts club. She also noted that faculty members are now more open to incorporating project‑based learning that includes artistic expression.

The Student Union highlighted that “Your Hobby Performance” served a dual purpose: it not only provided a creative outlet but also helped in “rebuilding campus morale after a year of fragmented online learning.” The event’s success is seen as a case study for other universities across Bangladesh that wish to integrate arts into their curriculum.

5. Additional Resources and Follow‑Up

The Daily Star article links to a photo gallery (link: https://www.thedailystar.net/campus/photogallery/your-hobby-performance) which contains images of the stage, the audience, and the award ceremony. There is also a video clip of the dance performance (link: https://www.thedailystar.net/campus/video/your-hobby-performance-dance) that has garnered over 5,000 views on the university’s YouTube channel.

Moreover, the article references a companion piece titled “A Day in the Life of a Student Artist” (link: https://www.thedailystar.net/campus/student-artist-profile), which profiles a student who balanced her studies in Computer Science with her passion for digital illustration.

6. Conclusion

“Your Hobby Performance” stands out as an exemplar of how higher‑education institutions can foster a holistic learning environment. By giving students a stage to showcase their hobbies, the University of Dhaka not only nurtures artistic talent but also enhances student well‑being, teamwork, and community engagement. The Daily Star’s coverage provides a detailed snapshot of the event, offering readers both a factual chronicle and an inspiring call to value the creative dimensions of university life.