Rich tributes to Professor Zia Hyder at Shilpakala

(Anti-clockwise from top) Members of Palakar read Shuvra Shundar Kalyani Ananda by Zia Hyder. Syed Shamsul Haque and Nasiruddin Yousuff address the audience; Arif Hyder recites a poem by Zia Hyder. Photo: Mumit M.

TO pay homage to poet and pioneering theatre activist Professor Zia Hyder, Shammilito Shanskritik Jote, Bangladesh Group Theatre Federation and Nagorik Natyasampradaya in association with Bangladesh Shilpakala Academy organised a commemoration programme at the Experimental Theatre Stage on September 5.
Theatre personalities such as Ramendu Majumder, Ataur Rahman, Syed Shamsul Haque, Nasiruddin Yousuff, M. Hamid and Sara Zaker paid tribute to the late poet and theatre personality at the programme.
Describing Professor Hyder as a legendary figure in line with of the epic Mahabharata Yudhisthira, the eldest son of King Pandu and Queen Kunti, who was the protagonist of the Kurukshetra War and for his unblemished piety was known as the most pious one, discussants at the programme regretted not giving Professor Hyder due respect in his life time.
Ataur Rahman in his obituary reference to Professor Hyder focused on his remarkable contributions in Bangladeshi theatre and introducing academic theatre. Moreover, Rahman recalled the personality traits of his former colleague Professor Hyder who was the founder president of the popular theatre troupe Nagorik.
Ataur Rahman said, "Professor Hyder gave the name of the troupe Nagorik and directed many theatre, TV and radio productions of the troupe in the initial stage of the troupe."
Ramendu Majumder said, "As cultural activities in Bangladesh are Dhaka centric, talents like Professor Hyder who passed his lifetime outside Dhaka did not get his due respect. We regret all the injustice to Professor Hyder."
"Truly he was like Yudhisthira to our theatre. We used to know about legendary theatre personalities of world theatre such as Peter Brook and Grotesque from him," said Nasiruddin Yousuff.
Besides the discussion, Professor Hyder's recitation two of his poems were projected. His younger brother Arif Hyder recited a poem by Zia Hyder.
An added attraction of the programme was a reading of Professor Hyder's popular play Shuvra Shundar Kalyani Ananda by Palakar.
Suffering from Non Hodgkin's Lymphoma, Professor Zia Hyder died on September 1. A teacher in theatre at Chittagong University Professor Hyder Hyder made remarkable contributions to the neo-theatre movement in Bangladesh shortly after the country's independence.
He is also renowned for his books on theatre such as Natiker Katha (a series on the history of world theatre), Stanislavski-er Abhinoy-tatwa and Natyakalaye Bibhinya Ism O Epic Theatre. Most of these books are used as references in the theatre departments of the public universities in Bangladesh as well as Rabindra Bharati University in India. Moreover, Professor Hyder focused on introducing theatre as an academic subject at the university level in Bangladesh.
Besides, he wrote and directed many popular plays such as Ele Bele, play Shuvra Shundar Kalyani Ananda and Shada Golape Agun, which gave momentum to theatre practice in Dhaka and Chittagong simultaneously.
Professor Zia Hyder won such prestigious awards such as Ekushey Padak, Bangla Academy Padak and Shaheed Munier Chowdhury Padak.