Inauguration of the week-long drama festival

Bangladesh Shilpakala Academy (BSA) has arranged a week-long drama festival at the National Theatre Stage. Selima Rahman, the State Minister for Cultural Affairs, inaugurated the drama festival in the Academy building on April 4, 2004. Eight theatre groups from different parts of the country are taking part in the festival.

Ahmed Nazir, the Director General of BSA, was the chairperson of the inaugural programme while Selima Rahman, the State Minister for Cultural Affairs, was the chief guest and Modabbir Hossain Chaudhury, the Secretary of the Ministry of Cultural Affairs was the special guest.

In his opening speech, SM Mohsin, the Director of the Film and Drama Department of BSA, said: 'BSA has been arranging drama festivals since 1981. However this is the first time that they are holding the festival at the newly built Experimental Theatre Hall of National Theatre Stage.'

In the words of Selima Rahman: 'It is good news for the theatre groups from outside Dhaka that they will get a chance to prove their standard to the city dwellers.'

Modabbir Hossain Chaudhury said that the Ministry of Cultural Affairs will try to hold such programmes regularly.

Ahmed Nazir mentioned the history of our drama in his speech. Moreover, he reiterated BSA's support to drama.

After the speech, Chetona Theatre from Norail staged Aango Lal Mia by Mahbubur Rahman Piku.The play is a tribute to our great painter SM Sultan, known as Lal Mia to his native people of Norail. Sultan believed, 'The man who has taken a paint-brush in his hand can never take up arms.' The play portrays the fight between an artist who represents the morality of the society and a chairperson who represents evil.

Shonglap, a University passed student returns to his home district Norail where he works with a theatre group. The group wishes to use art as a weapon of protest against all kinds of injustice in society. At one stage, Shonglap becomes very popular among the villagers and they want to make him their next chairperson. However,Shonglap is killed in a clash with the cadres of the current chairperson of the village. Before his death, the protagonist of the play requests his comrades to spread the message of S M Sultan in all corners of the country.

Though the play had a powerful theme, there was much room for improvement in the direction of Mahabubur Rahman Piku. In the final analysis, the show was not up to the mark.