Theatre artistes to stage street play as protest at BSA
Today two theatre troupes are set to perform street plays at the Bangladesh Shilpakala Academy (BSA), advocating for the safety of theatre artistes. This protest is in response to the cancellation of the play "Nityapurana" on November 2, as well as the subsequent attack on renowned thespian Mamunur Rashid during a demonstration led by Bangladesh Group Theatre Federation (BGTF) activists.
The performances are scheduled to take place at 4:00pm. at the entrance of the Bangladesh Shilpakala Academy's (BSA) National Theatre Hall. Theatre troupes Aranyak Natyadal and Prachyanat will present their street plays as part of the event.
For all latest news, follow The Daily Star's Google News channel. The slogan "Natok Moder Odhikar, Rukbe Natok Shadho Kar" (It is our right to perform plays—who has the power to stop theatre?) is the central theme of today's street plays. The plays to be performed include Aranyak Natyadal's "Murkho Lokher Murkho Kotha" and Prachyanat's "Speak Out". Additionally, Aranyak Natyadal will present songs from their play as well.
Regarding the event today, Aranyak Natyadal's acting chief secretary Shamima Shawkat Lovely, said, "We are both outraged and saddened by the disgraceful incident that occurred in the theatre community, with actions like halting a performance during a demonstration and attacking the activists' protest gathering."
"The state and its institutions have not been able to ensure the safety of theatre artistes, preventing groups from performing freely. Theatre must go on. If the state fails to provide protection, theatre workers will arrange their own. If performances are blocked, they will take to the streets. Today's street theatre exhibition has been organised as an act of protest from this very standpoint," she further conveyed.
She has urged theatre artistes from across the country to attend the exhibition to enjoy the plays, join the protest, and, at the same time, ensure their own safety as theatre workers.
Previously, on November 2, an unexpected disturbance at the National Theatre Hall of Bangladesh Shilpakala Academy (BSA) led to the sudden cancellation of the play "Nityapurana".
In response, Bangladesh Group Theater Federation activists held a demonstration on November 8. During the event, as playwright Mamunur Rashid was delivering a speech to the audience, unidentified individuals threw eggs at him and escaped when theatre activists attempted to catch them.
Aranyak Natyadal cancelled their scheduled performance of the play "Company" the following day (November 9) to protest the attack. As an extension of this protest, the street play exhibition today has been organised to further voice their dissent.
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