Shahadat Hossain Khan: A committed cultural organiser

Shahadat Hossain Khan is a man of multiple talents -- an actor, director, musician, set and light designer -- known in and outside the district.
Khan was born in 1952 at Akua to a reputed family of the town. Khan has been an avid fan of theatre from his early days.
He first acted in a play, titled “Dakat”, when he was a student of class six at Nasirabad Collegiate School. Khan formed the theatre troupe Bahurupi Natya Shangstha in the town in 1975. He is the founding secretary of the organisation and has since occupied the post.
Khan directed many plays, including dance-dramas that won wide appreciation from the audience. “Jai Porajai” was the first play directed by him. Among the several other plays that Hilu has directed are: “Shonghat”, “Mohuar Gronthona”, “Chorjapoder Horini” and “Kobi Priya” (a dance-drama on the life of National Poet Kazi Nazrul Islam).
Khan has won many awards for his contribution to the field of theatre as an artiste and director. He was also awarded several times in inter-district drama competitions in Mymensingh, Rangpur and Rajshahi. Other awards came his way at National Theatre Festivals in 1977 and 1978.
Besides being a drama artiste, Khan is an expert guitarist. He formed a band called Black Shadow in 1975 and performed at different districts of the country. Khan was also awarded first prize at the Dhaka divisional cultural competition organised by Mymensingh Arts Council in 1975.
Many cultural organisations such as Subachan Nattya Sangsad in Dhaka, Srijani Sangskritik Sangha and Youth guild Friendship Society in Kolkata of India and and Mymensingh Zila Parishad have accorded receptions and honoured Hilu.
Elected presidium member of Bangladesh Group Theatre Federation twice over, Khan has traveled to India, Malaysia, USA, UK, Singapore, Thailand, Hong Kong, Indonesia, Italy, Austria, France, Belgium, Sweden, Netherlands, Denmark, Germany and Nepal as an artiste.
A pioneer in the cultural arena in Mymensingh region, Khan also took part in the Liberation War as an organiser in Mymensingh. He said that his elder brother Anwar Hossain Khan, a flute player, was killed by collaborators of the Pakistani army in 1971.
Talking to this correspondent, Khan said that culture has taken a backseat in Mymensingh for several reasons. The Town Hall auditorium collapsed in 1998. Construction of a new auditorium is yet to be completed, he said. Though there are several theatre groups in the town, many cannot accommodate artistes The social attitude is not favourable for cultural activities like plays, said Khan, adding that a major problem is the shortage of female artistes.
To overcome the prevailing crisis, government patronage is needed, said Khan. Initiatives should be taken to revive the glorious tradition of theatre and other cultural forms in the region, he concluded.