Selim Al Deen 76th birth anniversary festival concludes with award ceremony

The "Selim Al Deen 76th Birth Anniversary Theatre Festival" concluded on Monday (August 18) with an award ceremony and the staging of the play "Nimojjon" at the Nilima Ibrahim Auditorium of Bangladesh Mahila Samity.

On the closing evening, three awards introduced by Dhaka Theatre were conferred. This year, the Selim Al Deen Medal was awarded to playwright Asadullah Farazi. The Syed Bazlul Karim and Maksud-us-Saleheen Medal went to actor-director Lucky Inam, while the Fawzia Yasmin Shibli Medal was awarded to Manipuri Theatre artiste Jyoti Sinha.

The medals were handed over to the recipients on the final day of the festival, jointly organised by Dhaka Theatre and Bangladesh Gram Theatre to mark the eminent playwright's birth anniversary.

Dhaka Theatre Director Nasiruddin Yousuff told bdnews24.com that the awards have been given every other year since 2008.

At the award ceremony, noted artist Rafiqun Nabi said, "I am not a theatre person, but I have a spiritual connection with it. An artist must understand theatre, and a theatre person must also know painting. In that sense, I have a connection with theatre too. Though I never acted, I designed theatre posters that received praise."

Expressing her feelings upon receiving the award, Lucky Inam said, "I am deeply honoured to receive this medal. Since the beginning of my theatre journey, I have heard of Bazlu Bhai. Today, receiving an award named after him makes me very happy. I am grateful to Dhaka Theatre."

Playwright Asadullah Farazi shared, "Had I not met Selim Al Deen and Nasiruddin Yousuff in the 1980s, perhaps I would not have done theatre. They encouraged me to write, and thousands have seen my plays."

Battling cancer, Farazi added, "Bachchu Bhai loves me like a son. Perhaps he thought, if not now, there might not be another chance. I am truly happy to receive this award—it will give me peace even after death."

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Following the award ceremony, Selim Al Deen's play "Nimojjon" was staged under the direction of Nasiruddin Yousuff.