Dhaka: A year-long Shakespeare Carnival will kick off at Shilpakala Academy on Friday marking the 452^nd birth and 400^th death anniversary of English playwright William Shakespeare on 23 April.

This was announced by Shilpakala Academy director general Liaqat Ali Lucky at a press conference at the academy premises.

Finance Minister AMA Muhit is expected to inaugurate the year-long festival while theatre personalities Ramendu Majumder, Ataur Rahman, Aly Zaker, Mofidul Islam, Nasir Uddin Yousuff Bachchu, and country director of British Council Barbara Wickham will also be present.

The inaugural programme of the carnival will begin at the main gate of Jatiya Natyashala at Shilpakala Academy with the stage performance of 10 teams.

A documentary film about the practice of Shakespeare in Bangladesh directed by Babul Biswas and produced by Shilpakala Academy will be screened after the performance.
A special Speech on Shakespeare in Bangladesh will be delivered by Prof Fakrul Alam of Dhaka University.