Khulna Correspondent

A two-day pitha utsab (cake festival) began at the premises of Bangladesh Shishu Academy (BSA) district office here to mark the "Tarunner Utsav" today.

District Administration, BSA, Department of Women Affairs and Jatiya Mohila Sangstha jointly organised the festival aimed at familiarizing the public in general with different types of pitha.

The festival is featuring pithas from different areas of the district that have been passed down from generation to generation.

Commissioner of Khulna Division Firoj Sarker addressed the opening ceremony as the chief guest while Deputy Commissioner Muhammad Saiful Islam was in the chair.

Additional Deputy Commissioner Sadia Afrin and District Children Affairs Officer Saddam Hossain also spoke on the occasion. Commissioner Firoj Sarker said: "We have to promote pithas not only for tradition but also as food."

"As a nation, we traditionally eat a lot of pithas and sweets. We are researching pithas unique to different parts of the country in this festival. The festival aims at promoting pithas as an Intangible Cultural Heritage and upholding the geographical indication of our local pithas," he added.

Besides, the inaugural ceremony included tricks with sticks, dance recitals and others. The festival on the BSA premises is featuring over 50 stalls, including patishapta pitha, Pakon pitha, chitoi pitha, bhapa pitha, jamai pitha, Andhosa pitha and many others.

The pitha stalls are displaying pithas popular in different areas of the district. Later, the chief guest distributed prizes among the winners of an arts competition to mark the "Tarunner Utsab".