Dhaka University's Central Annual Drama Festival is set to kick off today, running for a vibrant nine-day stretch. In its 17th edition, the festival will feature an exciting lineup of 15 plays. 

These captivating productions will be helmed by students from the Department of Theatre and Performance Studies, University of Dhaka, who are on the cusp of graduating this semester. Each evening, starting at 6:30 pm, these compelling performances will grace the stage at the Teacher-Student Centre (TSC) Auditorium, University of Dhaka. 

Professor Dr Md Akhtaruzzaman, vice-chancellor of Dhaka University, will grace the event as the chief guest, while Dr A S M Maksud Kamal, pro-vice-chancellor (Academic), will also be present as a special guest on the occasion.

This year's festival will also pay tribute to the distinguished playwright Mamunur Rashid.

The festival will open with a captivating rendition of Rabindranath Tagore's "Dakghar", masterfully directed by Ifti Shahriar. On Tuesday (October 3), the stage will come alive with Selim Al Deen's "Shongbad Cartoon", directed by Rifat Jahan, and Ahmod Sofa's "Moronbilash", brought to life under the skilled direction of Rifat Karobi.

Photo: Collected

On Wednesday (October 4), the event will showcase "Mahabidya", under the direction of Monoj Mitra, and Rabindranath Tagore's timeless classic, "Chandalika", with direction by Rizvi Sultana.

On Thursday (October 5), the audience will be treated to a performance of Syed Shamsul Haque's thought-provoking play, titled "Irsha", directed by Tahia Tasneem, and an original play titled "Baidhehi", written and directed by Moumita Sarker.

Photo: Collected

Moving on to October 6, the stage will host Bankim Chattopadhyay's "Kamalakanter Jobanbondi", directed by Mirhazul Sheble, alongside Jadid Imtiaz Ahmed's "Kokilara". On October 7, Utpal Dutt's "Megh", directed by Tarikul Sardar, and Nurul Momen's "Nemesis", directed by Salman Noor, will be showcased at the drama festival.

As the festival progresses, October 8 will feature Sharadindu Bandyopadhyay's "Satyanweshi", under the directorial prowess of Pran Krishno Banik, and Rabindranath Tagore's "Streer Patra", directed by S A Tanvir. Finally, on October 9, the stage will be graced by Badruzzaman Alamgir's "Ohorkondol", directed by Debolina Chanda Daibee, and Munier Choudhury's "Dondokaronno", directed by Joya Maria Costa.

Kazi Tamanna Haque, chairperson of the Department of Theatre and Performance Studies, University of Dhaka, emphasised that a noteworthy aspect of this year's festival is that young talents will be directing plays based on literary works written in the Bengali language. She believes that through this initiative, where students and teachers come together to explore the heritage and cultural values within Bengali literature, it will further enrich their understanding of tradition and foster a more profound appreciation for universal human values.