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Selim Al Deen's birth anniversary celebration

“My goal is to form an International Theatre Centre by 2010" — Nasiruddin Yousuff

Ershad Kamol
Nasiruddin Yousuff is the mastermind behind Selim Al Deen's birth anniversary celebration programme featuring theatre performances, exhibition, installation^, documentary film screenings and seminars. Dhaka Theatre and Bangladesh Shilpakala Academy (BSA) have jointly organised a six-day elaborate programme to celebrate the 59th birth anniversary of eminent playwright-theoretician Selim Al Deen. The Daily Star spoke with Nasiruddin Yousuff, director of Dhaka Theatre, who is also the convenor of the celebration programme.
According to Yousuff, "The enthusiastic gathering of masses at the death ofNatyacharya Selim Al Deen proves his popularity. We are celebrating the birth anniversary of a great litterateur who rejected the colonial mindset and successfully introduced a new trend based on our indigenous performing art forms."
"We were getting ready to celebrate Al Deen's 60th birthday with much verve at home and abroad, however, his demise on January 14 this year has compelled us to hold the programme now," he added.
Yousuff is grateful to Bangladesh Shilpakala Academy for jointly arranging this big budget programme.
Though Selim Al Deen was a pioneer of neo theatre movement in Bangladesh, which gained its momentum shortly after the Liberation War, so far Bangladesh Group Theatre Federation (BGTF) -- the common platform of theatre troupes of the country -- has not taken any initiative on Selim Al Deen after his death.
Addressing the issue, Yousuff said, "May be BGTF is 'busy' with other activities and can't
organise a memorial programme honouring the man who had made remarkable contributions to the neo-theatre movement as well as BGTF."
"They should remember that Al Deen was the dramatist of plays such as Explosive O Moot
Shomoshya and Jaundice O Bibidho Balloon --Natyachakra productions, which provided a momentum to the neo-theatre movement. He is not a property of Dhaka Theatre; rather without Al Deen theatre history in Bangladesh would be incomplete. Even troupes in India are staginghisplays,"headded.
Yousuff further said that if Selim Al Deen was critically analysed, the epic quality of his plays as well as his mastery over diction and characterisation would be realised.
Yousuff also pointed out that the public universities could have organised academic programmes on Selim Al Deen. He said. "Thanks to Al Deen's 'stubbornness', theatre was introduced at the graduation level in Jahanginnagar University and subsequently at other public universities. Moreover, his plays are included in the curriculum at different departments of several universities. However, we don't see any academic programme on Selim Al Deen."
On future plans, Yousuff said, "I'm directing two more plays by Selim Al Deen: Swarnobowal Putra and Usha Utshob. Shimul Yousuf will direct Selim’s play Dhaboman. Moreover, our once popular production Banopangshul is expected to be staged again next year. I'm planning to.dramatise Selim AI Deen's diary. I'll also direct a performance based on Tagore’s stay in Bangladesh. Other theatre troupes will stage Al Deen's plays as well. Our next celebration programme will feature these plays.”
"Moreover, by 2010, I'm planning to form an International Theatre Centre at Shakhipur. Tangail. In fact, it was a dream of Selim Al Deen. Activities, of Bangladesh Gram. .Theatre, vyilt operate from the institute," Yousuff said.