Marking the 206th birth anniversary of mystic bard Pagla Kanai, a folk festival was held at Berbari village of Jhenidah district.
Arranged by Pagla Kanai Smriti Sangrakkhan Sangsad, the three-day festival began at the ancestral home of the poet on Tuesday.
Bringing an end to the festival, a discussion was held at the Pagla Kanai Complex of the district town yesterday.
State Minister for Fisheries and Livestock Narayan Chandra Chanda attended the function as chief guest.
Local lawmakers Abdul Hye and Tahjib Alam Siddiqi, Begum Aktari Momtaj, cultural secretary,  Altaf Hossain, police super of Jhenidah, Abdul Wahed Zoarder, district council administrator, and Saidul Karim Mintu, mayor of Jhenidah municipality, were present at the event as special guests.
Dr AHM Aktarul Islam of Islamic University was present as key speaker at the programme.
Abdur Rashid, public prosecutor of Jhenidah district, and Nazrul Islam, chairman of Pagla Kanai Union Parishad, spoke on the occasion, among others.
Md Mahabub Alam Taluqdar, deputy commissioner of Jhenidah, presided over the event.
The festival featured various cultural shows like stick games, snake games, concert, recitation and discussion on the life and works of the poet.
Hundreds of devotees of Pagla Kanai and local folk artistes and cultural activists thronged the Pagla Kania Complex during the festival.
Pagla Kanai, a mystic folk poet and musician, was born in a peasant family in Lebutala village in Jhenidah district.
His real name was Kanai Sheikh but he is widely  known as Pagla Kanai.
Pagla Kanai lost his parents in childhood and was brought up by his sister. He did not go to school. He worked for some time at a local indigo factory. He was married, but gradually became attracted to an ascetic life.
He was a natural poet and could compose songs spontaneously. His itinerant group of singers included Kala Chand Bayati, Hakim Shah, Karim Biswas, Indu Biswas and Karamaddi.
They would tour the areas of Jessore, Jhenidah, Kushtia, Pabna, Rajshahi and Bogra singing in chorus, occasionally competitively.
Pagla Kanai used to compose basically mystical and spiritual songs. The main themes of his songs are the human body, the impermanence of the world, the mystery of life, and so on.
He composed songs about Prophet Muhammad (SM) as well as hymns to Krishna. Dr Mazharul Islam included 240 of these songs in his book, Kobi Pagla Kanai (1959).
Pagla Kanai is buried at Jhenidah, where his birth and death anniversary is celebrated with due respect. Fans throng the place to show respect of their hearts.