Selim Al Deen birth anniversary celebration begins today

Nasiruddin Yousuff speaks at the press conference.

Marking the 62nd birth anniversary of theatre icon Selim Al Deen, a two-day festival begins today (August 18) at Bangladesh Shilpakala Academy (BSA). The festival will feature staging of Al Deen plays, a memorial lecture, songs, choreography and an exhibition.
A committee, headed by Dhaka Theatre chief Nasiruddin Yousuff, has been formed to hold the celebration programme. Bangladesh Shilpakala Academy is assisting the committee.
The celebration committee held a press conference at the seminar room of BSA on August 16 to announce details on the festival. Among others, Nasiruddin Yousuff spoke to the media.
The celebration programme starts this morning with offering wreaths on the grave of Al Deen at Jahangirnagar University. The inaugural programme will take place in the evening at the National Theatre Hall, BSA. Attending as chief guest, Ramendu Majumdar (ITI Worldwide president) will inaugurate the festival. Liaquat Ali Lucky, director general of BSA and chairman of Bangladesh Group Theatre Federation, will be present as special guest.
After the inaugural, members of Swapnadal will stage a production, blending songs and choreography. Dhaka Theatre, Swapnadal and BSA will stage the plays “Nimojjon”, “Festoon-e Lekha Smriti” and “Putra” respectively at the National Theatre Hall, Experimental Theatre Hall and Studio Theatre Hall.
On the second day (August 19) of the festival, a memorial lecture on Al Deen will be held at the Seminar Room. Publisher and Liberation War Museum Trustee Mofidul Haque will deliver the lecture. In the evening, Dhaka Theatre, Swapnadal and Desh Bangla Theatre will stage “Dhaboman”, “Hargoj” and “Julan” respectively at the National Theatre Hall, Experimental Theatre Hall and Studio Theatre Hall.
The exhibition to be held at the lobby of the National Theatre Hall will feature posters, photographs and miniature replicas of stages of Al Deen plays.
Selim Al Deen was born on August 18, 1949. He wrote most of the plays staged by Dhaka Theatre. Along with Nasiruddin Yousuff, he formed Gram Theatre that aims to take theatre to the grassroots level. Al Deen's contribution to Bengali theatre is considered unparalleled.