Nationwide cultural events mark Selim Al Deen’s 76th birth anniversary

The 76th birth anniversary of eminent playwright and theatre personality Selim Al Deen, widely known as 'Natyacharya', is being celebrated across the country through theatre festivals, seminars, exhibitions, processions and commemorative programmes.

On Monday morning, teachers, students and cultural organisations paid floral tributes at Selim Al Deen’s grave on the Jahangirnagar University (JU) campus.

The JU Drama and Dramatics Department arranged daylong programmes featuring theatre songs, a photography exhibition, a commemorative rally, and a seminar where Dhaka University’s Theatre and Performance Studies teacher Sudip Chakraborty presented a keynote paper.

Meanwhile, Dhaka Theatre and Gram Theatre jointly organised a four-day festival at Bangladesh Mahila Samity, which began on Friday with the staging of Deen’s Liberation War-based play 'Deyal'.

The festival will conclude Monday evening with the Dhaka Theatre Awards ceremony and the staging of Deen’s play 'Nimmojon', directed by Nasiruddin Yousuff.

Theatre troupe Swapnadal launched its two-day festival titled 'Natyacharya Selim Al Deen Janmotsab 2025' on Monday at Jahangirnagar University and Bangladesh Shilpakala Academy (BSA). The programme features special stagings of Deen’s iconic plays 'Hargaj' and 'Chitrangada', directed by his student Zahid Repon.

On Monday evening, 'Hargaj' will be staged for the 49th time at BSA’s Experimental Theatre Hall, while 'Chitrangada' will be staged on Tuesday evening to close the festival.

In Gaibandha, Sarathi Theatre is hosting a three-day festival at Dariapur featuring tree plantations, art competitions, cultural performances, and the staging of Kalindir Git on Wednesday. Bogura Theatre is also marking the occasion with art competitions, recitations, and theatrical readings at its office premises.

Separately, Selim Al Deen Sangrohashala arranged a two-day programme including a seminar on “Henrik Ibsen and Selim Al Deen: Eastern and Western Theatrical Forms and Modernity” at the National Theatre Hall, followed by a staging of 'Rupchan Sundarir Pala' by Bangalok.

Born on August 18, 1949, in Senerkhil village of Feni’s Sonagazi upazila, Selim Al Deen studied Bangla literature at Dhaka University and later joined Jahangirnagar University, where he founded the Drama and Dramatics Department.

A co-founder of Dhaka Theatre and Gram Theatre, he was awarded the Ekushey Padak in 2007, the Bangla Academy Award in 1984, and the National Film Award for Best Dialogue in 1994.

Selim Al Deen passed away on January 14, 2008, and was laid to rest near the central mosque of Jahangirnagar University.