The three-day long Selim Al Deen Utsab 2019 and the 8th national council of Bangladesh Gram Theatre begun at Bangladesh Shilpakala Academy on Friday.State Minister for Cultural Affairs KM Khalid inaugurated the festival, jointly organised by Bangladesh Gram Theatre and Dhaka Theatre.
At the beginning of the programme, the guests placed wreaths at the portraits of the father of the nation Bangabandhu Sheikh Mujibur Rahman, Nobel Laureate Rabindranath Tagore, national poet Kazi Nazrul Islam, Fakir Lalon Shah, poet Jibananda Das and Dhaka Theatre’s founder Selim Al Deen, at the National Theatre lobby.
Speaking on Selim Al Deen’s role in theatre and Bengali literature, Khalid described the drama doyen as “one of the most talented and visionary theatre activists” and thanked Bangladesh Gram Theatre and Dhaka Theatre for keeping his legacy alive by arranging festival.
Gram Theatre’s President Nasiruddin Yousuf Bachchu said the journey beginning in 1986 had not been easy.
Khalid handed over ‘Selim Al Deen Padak-1426’ to Bangladesh Mohila Samity this year. The organisation’s President Sitara Ahsanullah and General Secretary Tania Bakht received the award.
‘Fowzia Yeasmin Shibli Padak-1426’ was given to playwright Ruma Modok while ‘Mir Moqsud-Us-Salehin’ and ‘Bozlul Karim Sommanona-1426’ were given to dramatist Ahmed Iqbal Haider for their contributions to group theatre activities.
Students and teachers of Bangladesh Navy College put up dance and song performances and instrumental recitals at a cultural show.
A colourful procession was bought out after the award ceremony.
A council seminar was held at Shilpakala seminar and the second council seminar is scheduled for Saturday.
Rajshahi’s Padma Boral Theatre staged ‘Jatra’ ‘Bohurupe Asibo Phire’ and Faridpur’s Bangla Theatre staged drama ‘Nimojjon’ in the evening.
Several plays of Selim Al Deen are scheduled to be staged at National Theatre Hall throughout the three-day event. Ingit Theatre, Natore will stage ‘Chaka’ on Saturday while Shantinagar Theatre, Jaipurhat will perform ‘Eti Potromita’ on Sunday.
Over 500 theatre activities are attending the 2019 council conference of Bangladesh Gram Theatre.
Sammilita Sangskritik Jote President Golam Kuddus, Bangladesh Group Theatre Federation’s Secretary General Kamal Bayezid, Gram Theatre’s Presidium Member and former pro-vice-chancellor of Jahangirnagar University Dr Afsar Ahmed, Gram Theatre’s General Secretary Toufique Hasan Moyna, Presidium Member and folklore researcher Kazi Sayeed Hossain Dulal and Bangladesh Abritti Somonnoy Parishad’s Hasan Arif, among others, attended a seminar as speakers on the first day, reports UNB.
