Dhaka, Feb. 27 -- A giant tiger puppet burst onto the stage, sending young Maisha reaching for her phone to capture the moment. She had earlier competed in a drawing contest at the Amar Ekushey Book Fair at Bangla Academy before joining her parents at the Shishu Chattar in Suhrawardy Udyan on Friday.

There, Kakatarua Puppet Theatre staged an interactive show featuring its popular characters.

By noon, more than a hundred children and guardians had gathered at the children's corner. Puppet friends Opu and Dipu took to the stage, weaving stories with educational messages. As they signed off, a giant "Bagh Mama" (tiger uncle) bounded in, prompting laughter and applause.

The oversized tiger danced off the stage and into the crowd, where chi...