The 9th death anniversary of Natyacharya Selim Al Deen was observed in a befitting manner on Saturday. Among other organisations, Dhaka Theatre, Bangladesh Gram Theatre, Department of Drama and Dramatics of Jahangirnagar University and theatre troupe Swapnadal organised different types of programmes to mark the day.
To remember Selim Al Deen, a four-day event titled ‘Selim Al Deen Soronutshab 2017’ began with paying homage to his grave at Jahangirnagar University on Saturday. The programme was jointly arranged by Dhaka Theatre and Bangladesh Gram Theatre in association with Cultural Affairs Ministry and Bangladesh Shilpakala Academy (BSA). A seminar, presided by Nasir Uddin Yusuf, was held in the Seminar Room of National Theatre Hall of BSA on the opening day, where Professor Syed Jamil Ahmed presented the keynote paper. Inaugurated by Director General of Bangla Academy Shamsuzzaman Khan, Bogra Theatre staged a play titled ‘Bason’, written by Selim Al Deen and directed by Faruk Hossain, at the Experimental Theatre Hall of BSA on the opening day. Written by Selim Al Deen, other two plays ‘Granthik Gon Kohe’ and ‘Shakuntala’ will be staged today and tomorrow respectively in the Experimental Theatre Hall of BSA as a part of the four-day event.
On the other hand, Department of Drama and Dramatics of Jahangirnagar University organised a daylong programme at the campus. Led by Vice-chancellor Dr Farzana Islam, the department brought out a ‘Soron Jatra’ (a rally for remembering) after paying homage at the grave of Natyacharya in the morning.
In addition, an acrobatic exhibition by the troupe of BSA was held at BSA, while a stage drama ‘Neo Romeo Juliet’ directed by Yusuf Hasan Arko was presented by the students of 4th year on Saturday. Swapnadal organised a two-day programme dedicating to recently-demised Begaumjadi Meherunnisa Parul, wife of Selim Al Deen. The troupe staged ‘Horgoj’—a play written by Selim, while a new production of the troupe ‘Helen Killer’—a mono-drama written by Aupurba Kumar Kundu, was staged at BSA yesterday. l