Two-day seminar on jatrapala ends
Scenes from Dwijendra Lal Roy's jatra pala 'Shahjahan', staged at Shilpakala Academy.Photo: Focus Bangla
A two-day seminar and open discussion on 'jatrapala' ended at the Seminar Room, National Theatre Hall, Bangladesh Shilpakala Academy (BSA) yesterday. The programme titled “Jatra: Oitijjher Nabojagoron” was arranged by the Department of Theatre and Film, BSA in association with Manusher Jonno Foundation. The programme included seminars and open discussions by eminent cultural personalities and staging of the jatrapala “Shah Jahan” by the students of Dhaka University.
National Professor Kabir Chowdhury inaugurated the programme on the first day (December 5). Noted theatre personality Professor Momtazuddin Ahmed and noted jatra artiste Jyotsna Biswas were present as special guests. Sharful Alam, secretary, Ministry of Cultural Affairs was the chief guest.
Professor Kabir Chowdhury said, “Jatrapala is one of the indigenous performing arts of our country. It is rooted from the soil and people.”
Jyotsna Biswas said, “We should work together for the revival of this art form.”
An open discussion followed the inaugural session, where discussants emphasised on the revival of jatrapala and the ways of overcoming the present dilemma. Discussants also talked about how to establish a Jatra Unnayan Board.
Presided over by Bhuiyan Shafiqul Islam, director general, BSA, the discussion was moderated by noted theatre personality Nasiruddin Yousuff.
The first day's programme featured two seminars as well. Playwright Simon Zakaria and jatra artiste Milon Kanti Dey presented keynote papers at the respective seminars.
In the evening, Students of the Department of Theatre and Music, DU staged jatrapala “Shah Jahan” at the Experimental Theatre Stage. The jatrapala is an adaptation of Dwijendra Lal Roy's tragedy.
On the second day, Professor Afsar Ahmed of the Department of Drama and Dramatics, Jahangirnagar University; writer and researcher Tapan Bagchi and Mafidul Haque, trustee of Liberation War Museum presented keynote papers at three respective seminars.
“Shah Jahan” was staged on the second day as well.
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