A week-long cultural festival featuring Mro children and members of the indigenous community from Bandarban has begun at Alliance Française de Dhaka. Titled "Pawmum Parban 2025", the festival started today and will continue until December 24.

According to the organisers, the initiative aims to highlight the Mro language, art, music and cultural heritage, while also creating a platform— for the first time in the capital— to showcase the creative works of indigenous children.

Pawmum Tharkla, a community-based school located in Lama, has been working for more than a decade to preserve the Mro language, promote cultural practices and improve access to education for children. For many of the participating children, the festival marks their first experience outside the hill tracts, organisers said.

The festival features an exhibition of children's artworks, bamboo handicrafts, photography and weaving, alongside screenings of short films. Live performances, including Mro dance, songs and traditional plang bamboo flute performances, are also part of the programme. In addition, workshops, guided tours and community-focused dialogues will be held throughout the week.

Reflecting on the journey, Pawmum Tharkla co-founder Shahriar Parvez said, "Our school began in a small bamboo hut with only a handful of children. For more than a decade, we have been working to protect their language and cultural identity through education. 'Pawmum Parban 2025' offers a rare opportunity for these children to present themselves beyond the hills. We are grateful to all our partners who made this journey possible."

The festival is open to the public daily from 3pm to 9pm, except Sundays. Visitors can explore the exhibitions and engage directly with the children and community members to experience the cultural heritage of the Mro people.