A glimmer of light in the darkness
Chandan Mohali, 55, is a tea worker who started drinking alcohol while still a young boy. With minimum wages, he couldn't sustain his family in the Deondi tea garden in Chunarughat Upazila of Habiganj. However, his family felt he would change upon getting married. But that was proved wrong when after a few years he descended into the liquor trade. During this period he had no time for his family and gradually his life shattered.
"Around 12 years ago I saw a play in Bangla called 'Sobbho Juger Oggo Manush'. The play really hit me," said Chandan. Not only him, but a large number of confused men have had life-changing experiences after seeing Protik Theatre's plays in the tea garden area.
Sunil Biswas, the president of Protik Theatre, witnessed since childhood how alcohol destroyed the lives of tea garden youths. A large number of his relatives succumbed to cancer because of excessive drinking. This gave him the idea of staging plays against excessive alcohol consumption.
Biswas was born in a family of tea workers in the remote Deondi tea garden. He experienced severe poverty while growing up. When he was a child, the questions of his education seemed doubtful as his parents had a paltry daily wage.
"I had to work in the tea-gardens alongside my parents and find whatever little time I could for studies," Biswas reminisced of his childhood days.
Life in the tea gardens is full of turmoil and hardship in the face of illiteracy, superstition, oppression, and above all, scorching poverty. And this is true for most tea plantations, which, ironically, propel one of the biggest foreign currency earning sectors in Bangladesh.
Despite all obstacles, Biswas never gave up the uphill task of first finishing his school education and then went on to complete his graduation--only one of the few from his community to do so. Eventually, he ended up getting a job in the tea garden, and it finally meant a respite for his family.
But the indomitable fighter inside him was never going to be content with just lifting his family from poverty. He wanted to continue the fight, this time to change the fate of his community -- one of the most marginalised peoples in the country.
"Drama & education," he said, "are the only weapons that we (tea garden communities) have in our fight against extreme poverty."
On April 14, 1986, Sunil established a theatre group called Protik Theatre with the primary aim of combating drug addiction by educating children of tea-garden workers. Needless to say, being one of only a few graduates in his community, he had very little support. In the beginning, he was one of the only 13-15 members of his Protik Theatre group. He didn't have any sponsors either, and so he started making productions from his meagre savings.
"The theatre group now has 70 members. They work selflessly without expecting any returns," Biswas says.
Gradually, Protik Theatre expanded its activities to prevent social ills such as drug addiction, child marriage and illiteracy. It's most recent triumph includes the SM Solaiman Padak, which they received earlier this year.
Chandan is now a transformed man because of Protik Theatre. Not only does he shun liquor, he is a senior member of the theatre group. His daughter who is in high school is also a member of the troupe. "Protik Theatre's plays changed me a lot," said Chandan.
Toffazol Sohel, former organising secretary of Bangladesh Group Theatre Federation, Sylhet divisional unit, told this correspondent, nonetheless, his innovative strategy shows promise from 31 years. He is working with more enthusiasm than ever to bring a meaningful change to the fate of his community, he added.
Mamunur Rashid, prominent actor- director- screenwriter told this correspondent that theater activist Biswas' good work has made him a role model across the country. He is an asset for the tea garden community, added Rashid.
Biswas' plays are vocal against illiteracy, superstition, oppression, and above all, rampant poverty in different areas of the country, he added.
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