‘BotTala Ranga Mela 2019’ kicks off today

The eleven-day international theatre festival, BotTala Ranga Mela 2019, organised by BotTala—a performance space, begins today. This is the third edition of the festival, which will take place at the premises of Liberation War Museum, Agargaon.

The opening programme will be inaugurated by renowned theatre personality Ataur Rahman, and Secretary of the Ministry of Cultural Affairs, Dr Md Abu Hena Mostafa Kamal, NDC, will be present the chief guest. Playwrights Sadhana Ahmed, Ruma Modak and Shubhashish Sinha will attend the opening ceremony as special guests.

Noted playwright, director and actor Mamunur Rashid will be conferred with the lifetime achievement award on the concluding ceremony of the festival, on November 26. 

A total of 10 troupes from five countries are performing in this year's festival, including Bangladesh. The other countries are India, Iran, Nepal and Spain. Two troupes from Bangladesh, including the host troupe BotTola and eight others from abroad will stage their plays every day at 7:30 pm during the festival.

BotTala Ranga Mela 2019 will present the plays, Crutch-er Colonel (Bangladesh), Amar Mukher Anchalkhani (India), Dilemmas Witch My Flamenco Tailcoat (Spain), Mysterious Gift (Iran), 4.48 Psychosis (Nepal), Biswa Mangal (India), Macbeth (Bangladesh), Shluk (India), Blackhole (India), Acharya Profulla Chandra (India) and Khona (Bangladesh).

The event will also feature screenings of documentaries, discussions, songs, dances and recitations.

Like the previous years, eight theatre activists from eight divisions, who have been working diligently to promote theatre in the country, will be awarded at the festival.