Zia Haidar Memorial Drama Medal awarded

Natyadhar, a theatre troupe in the port city of Chittagong, organised a colourful programme at the auditorium of Zila Shilpakala Academy, Chittagong on Wednesday evening to celebrate its 7th anniversary.
The theatre troupe awarded theatre personality Shantanu Biswas the sixth “Zia Haidar Memorial Drama Medal” on the occasion. The medal was introduced by Natyadhar in memory of Natya Judhishthir Zia Haidar after his demise in 2008. Since then the troupe has awarded the medal to theatre personalities in Chittagong.
The speakers at the award ceremony said Zia Haidar pioneered institutional theatre in the country.
He was the first person to introduce Dramatics as a subsidiary subject at the Department of Bangla in Chittagong University (CU) in 1969, said Dr. Kuntal Barua, an assistant professor and chairman of the Department of Dramatics in CU.
Zia Haidar was the founding president of the renowned theatre troupe of the country Nagarik Natya Samproday, he said. He said that the memorabilia of Zia Haidar would be preserved in a room in the Dramatics Department of CU.
President of Chattagram Group Theatre Forum Khaled Helal said Zia Haidar was the pioneer of introducing staging of drama in proscenium in exchange of ticket in the country.
Professor Kazi Mostain Billah of CU, who was present as the chief guest, said Shantunu Biswas is a successful actor, dramatist, drama director, singer and music composer. “Natyadhar selected the right person for the medal this year,” he said.
Drama critic Prof Mashiur Rahman said Shantunu was also editor of a Drama Journal “Proscenium”.
Later, a feedback show of the production of Natyadhar “Mastar Da” was presented. The play was based on the firebrand anti-British revolutionary Surya Sen who is noted for leading the 1930 Chittagong Youth Revolt. The play portrayed the period between the formation of his revolutionary group for independence of the country and his execution by British rulers. The play has been written and directed by Khondokar Ali Murtaza Ali.
Talking to The Daily Star, some members of the audience expressed their reservations about the play. “When you write a play on a historic event, you must do thorough research,” said Masum Ahmed, a spectator.
There is a wide scope for improvement for the actors, said Alok Barua, another spectator, adding, “Most of the dialogues were not audible in the back rows.”