Tabibul Islam Babu turns 75

Photo: Courtesy

Today marks the 75th birth anniversary of seasoned theatre actor and director Tabibul Islam Babu. He is the founder of the theatre company, Natyajon, which began its journey in 1997. Babu is a theatre activist who closely witnessed the evolution of Bangladeshi theatre and played an active role in the movement. He has been working in the field of theatre since the 1960s. Babu also acted in tele-plays, where Bulbul Ahmed and Abul Hayat were his co-artistes. 

“During my childhood, I acted in a few plays in Barishal. Then, I shifted to Narayanganj and played a role in Rabindranath’s Sheshrokkha in 1963, directed by the late Zia Haider,” shares Babu. “Later, I was enrolled into the University of Dhaka. Around the same time, I also got involved in theatre.” He is one of the founding members of the company, Theatre, which started its journey in 1972. “Our first play was Kobor and we also did a production of Abdullah Al Mamun’s Subochon Nirbashone,” adds Babu.

The artiste was the treasurer of Theatre for 10 years, and took the troupe to Korea as the team manager in 1986. “In 1982, we formed Theatre Arambagh, yet another division of the troupe. Later on, some of the members formed Theatre Topkhana Road as well,” says Babu. “My troupe, Theatre Arambagh’s first production was Jamidar Darpan.”

In 1986, Tabibul Islam Babu received an invitation from the Indian government to stage the play in Kolkata, Jaipur and Delhi.

Currently, he is the president of Natyajon, and is still travelling and touring with his productions. “Our production of Jyotirindranath Tagore’s Alik Babu was staged in India in 2006,” he said.