Two separate three-day festivals, arranged by theatre troupes Dhaka Theatre and Swapnadal, marking the 67th birth anniversary of Natyacharya Selim Al Deen are set to end today at the premises of Bangladesh Shilapakala Academy (BSA) in the capital’s Segun Bagicha area. On the concluding day, Dhaka Theatre will stage a performance titled ‘Putul Tomar Jonom Kirup’ based on the characters from the plays written by Selim Al Deen at the Experimental Theatre Hall at 7pm.
On the other hand, the programmes of Swapnadal will come to an end through a lecture. Theatre personality Ataur Rahman will deliver a lecture on ‘The obstacles to flourishing Selim Al Deen’s theatre philosophy as well as the Bangla Theatre style and their remedy’ at 3:30 pm at the Rehearsal Room of the National Theatre Hall. Chaired by International Theatre Institute president Ramendu Mazumder, theatre personality S M Mohsin, Selim Al Deen’s widow Begumzadi Mehrunnesa, JU drama and Dramatics Department Chairman Yousuf Hasan Arko, Assistant Director of BSA Mohammad Jasim Uddin, DU Theatre & Performance Studies Department Chairman Sudip Chakraborty and Secretary General of Bangladesh Mime Federation Rezwan Razan, among others, will attend the lecture and discussion. The celebration began on Thursday by placing wreaths on the playwright’s grave at Jahangirnagar University by the artistes of Dhaka Theatre and Swapnadal.
Later, as part of the celebrations, Dhaka Theatre arranged a ‘Selim Al Deen National Painting Competition’ at the lobby of the National Theatre Hall. Theatre personalities Mamunur Rashid inaugurated the festival organised by Dhaka Theatre that was attended by Cultural Affairs Minister Asaduzzaman Noor as chief guest. Presided over by Taufik Hasan Moyna, Selim Al Deen’s widow Begumzadi Meherunnesa Selim was present as a special guest. At the programme, veteran actor Raisul Islam Asad was honoured with the ‘Seilm Al Deen Padak’.
Later in the day, Dhaka Theatre staged Selim Al Deen’s play ‘Nimajjan’ directed by Nasiruddin Yusuf at the National Theatre Hall of the BSA. Drama and Dramatics Department of Jahangirnagar University staged  ‘Karbalar Jari’, an adaptation from Moharram part from Mir Mosharraf Hossain’s historical novel ‘Bishad Sindhu’, at the Experimental Theatre Hall of the BSA on the second day, yesterday.
Swapnadal will staged Selim Al Deen’s much-acclaimed play ‘Hargaj’ at the Experimental Theatre Hall of BSA on the opening day, while they staged a newly-revived mimodrama ‘Jadur Pradip’ at the Studio Theatre Hall on the second day. Directed by Zahid Ripon, the production ‘Jadur Pradip’ was produced based on ‘Aladin’s Magic Lamp’ of the ‘Arabian Nights’. l