The 17-day-long second South Asian Drama Festival began in Jessore. Actor-producer Salahuddin Lovelu and playwright Masum Reza inaugurated the festival on Thursday (February 22) evening at the Town Hall grounds.
Utan Yatrapala was held in the open ground on the opening day. After a long time, the audience expressed their excitement after seeing the journey. And the two founders expressed their satisfaction to join such an event. Expressing surprise, they said that they cannot even think of organizing such a long festival in Dhaka city, which Jessore did.
The theater festival has been organized by the initiative of Theater Canvas Jessore with the slogan ‘Sanskriti Jagruk Pran – Theater Shikha Anirban’. Every evening of the festival, 16 traditional theater groups from Bangladesh, India and Nepal will stage their plays.
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Local Amir Hossain Mridha came on the first day of the event. He said, ‘I saw Yatrapala after about 30 years. Bengalis have a different attraction to travel. Today’s attendance proved that. Moreover, those who acted on stage, their presentation was also very beautiful.
Another visitor named Sathi Shahriar said, ‘I heard from my grandparents that they used to watch Utan Yatra. Our generation now does not see the journey. It was very nice to organize the yatra by creating a courtyard atmosphere in the open field. The artists mesmerized us with their performances.’
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Kamrul Hasan Ripon, Member Secretary of Natyotsav Udjakar Parshad said, ‘We have organized the Natya Utsav for the second time. This year’s event is 17 days long. The work has to be done with many challenges. The presence of people gives us encouragement. This has been organized to make the young generation towards theatre.
He also said that dramas will be staged every evening on the stage of the District Art Academy.
Meanwhile, actor-producer Salahuddin Lovelu expressed his satisfaction to join such an event outside Dhaka. He said, ‘We Dhaka people can’t even think of such a long (17 days) event. There, Jessore’s newest drama theater is showing that courage. I am overwhelmed by the initiative they have taken to build a fair society through drama.
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Deputy Commissioner Mohammad Abraul Hasan Majumdar spoke as the chief guest at the opening ceremony. Nafisa Sultana, teacher of English Department of Notre Dame University of Dhaka, Assistant Professor of Theater Department of Jagannath University Kamal Uddin Kabir, General Secretary of District Art Academy Ad. Mahmud Hasan Bulu and others.
Earlier in the afternoon a procession led by the guests was taken out from the town hall grounds. The colorful procession ends at the same place after circling the city’s main thoroughfare.
Today, on Friday, Dhaka Natuke Theater Group’s production of ‘Thakur Garhe Ke Re’ will be staged at the Zila Shilpakala Academy Auditorium. Returns’, 28 February ‘Matbring’ in the production of Evolution Jessore, 29 February ‘Ki Chah Sankhchil’ in the production of Shabad Natyacharcha Kendra Dhaka, 1 March ‘Monkey Trial’ in the production of Batighar Theater Dhaka, 2 March ‘Kainya’ in the production of Prachynat Dhaka, 3 March – India’s Madhyamgram ‘One Friday Morning’ produced by Nrityabitaan, ‘Anagata’ produced by Abhimukh of Tripura State of India on 4th March, ‘Mahakbi Michael’ produced by Tiryak Jessore on 5th March, ‘Oedipus’ produced by Fame School of Dance, Drama and Music Chittagong on 6th March, Kathaghera on 7th March ‘Ulzhan’ produced by Nepal, ‘Raja Chithi’ produced by Jagarni Theater Dhaka on March 8 and drama ‘Sharmistha’ produced by District Arts Academy Jessore will be staged on the final day on March 9.
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