Cultural activists rally for Sunderbans

Prachyanat stage their performance at the event.

Cultural activists took to the streets on Wednesday, armed with their weapons of choice-- music and performance arts --to protest the destructive policies and practices of the government regarding the Sundarbans. They also demanded an immediate ban on the transportation of furnace oil through the mangrove forest, during a rally organised by musical group Samageet Sangskriti Prangan, in front of the National Museum at Shahbagh.

Performances by different groups and artistes were interspersed with speeches from academics and activists, which highlighted the need for collective action to protect the present and future of the largest mangrove forest in the world.

Theatre troupe Prachyanat rendered a satirical performance of people's ludicrous reactions to the events that unfolded in the Sundarbans, through the lens of a fictional TV channel. In addition to poking fun at government officials refusing to acknowledge the severity of the damage, the play also mocked online 'activists' more concerned with getting 'likes' on Facebook through their posts than in bringing about concrete changes, and self-interested researchers who are hoping to get funding to publish their papers in international journals. It ended with a distressing scene in the future where students are learning about the Bengal Tigers and Sundarbans from a museum.

Musical troupes Samageet, Leela, Sanskritik Union and artistes Krishnokoli and Kafil Ahmed also engaged the crowd with their powerful performances to raise awareness about the threat to our natural resources.

Economics professor of Jahangirnagar University, Anu Muhammad, said, “Time and again, we have tried to tell the government of the necessity to protect the Sundarbans from detrimental activities like the construction of coal-based power plants, but it has paid no heed to us.” The government's reaction to the oil spill once again proves their indifference towards the plight of the Sundarbans, he added.