Dhaka: A three-day Poush Mela, a festival of welcoming winter, began on the Bangla Academy premises on Friday.  

This year, the festival was being held at Bangla Academy instead of the regular venue, Ramna Batamul.

Cultural Affairs Minister Asaduzzaman Noor inaugurated the festival.

A daylong cultural event, including solo performance, group dance and recitation, was arranged on the opening day of the fair.

Traditional winter foods and cakes, and artifacts of the country's rural cottage industry were displayed in the fair to attract the city dwellers.

President of Sammilita Sanskritik Jote Golam Kuddus, Director General of Bangla Academy Shamsuzzaman Khan and theatre activist Jhuna Chowdhury were, among others, present at the inaugural ceremony.

The festival will end on Sunday.