Commemorating Independence Day and World Theatre Day 2026, Bangladesh Shilpakala Academy (BSA) is hosting a series of discussions and cultural performances, with events held across multiple venues in the capital.
A special seminar and cultural programme is set to begin at 6:30 pm today at the National Theatre Hall. The evening will commence with a screening of the documentary “The People’s President.”
Cultural Affairs Minister Nitai Roy Chowdhury will join the event as the chief guest, while State Minister Ali Nawaz Mahmud Khaiyam will be present as the special guest. The session will be chaired by Cultural Affairs Secretary Md Mofidur Rahman, with Director General Sheikh Rezauddin Ahmed delivering the welcome remarks.
The cultural segment will feature a group performance by academy artistes, followed by solo renditions by noted singers including Khurshid Alam, Alam Ara Minu, Ferdous Ara and Monir Khan.
The Bangladesh Academy of Fine Arts will present a dance piece choreographed by Farhana Chowdhury Baby. In addition, a special production titled “Colors of Hill”, directed by Antar Dewan, will be staged. Recitation will be performed by Tito Munshi.
The programme will continue on March 27 at the Studio Theatre Hall, featuring a violin recital of patriotic songs followed by a puppet show by Kaktarua Puppet Theatre. The segment will include children’s productions “Fangsang” and an adaptation of Gulliver’s Travels, tailored for young audiences.
Later in the evening, the Experimental Theatre Hall will host a special staging of “Tringsho Shatabdi” by theatre troupe Swapnadal. Directed by Zahid Repon and inspired by the works of Badal Sircar, the production explores the human cost of war, drawing parallels between global conflicts, from Hiroshima and Nagasaki to present-day crises and Bangladesh’s Liberation War.
Following the performance, Melbourne-based theatre personality Kamruzzaman Balark, recently honoured with Australia’s Medal of the Order of Australia, will be felicitated by Swapnadal.
Spanning several days, the event series brings together discussion, performance and theatre practice, offering audiences a space to engage with history, artistic expression and contemporary social reflection.
