Theatre group Prangonemor had faced last-minute uncertainty over the staging of its acclaimed production Shesher Kobita after receiving threats from a group identifying themselves as ‘Touhidi Janata’. The group reportedly sent a letter objecting to the play and warning against its performance. The incident sparked immediate backlash within cultural community, prompting calls for intervention.
Responding to the widespread criticism, both the administration and the Bangladesh Mahila Samity stepped in on Sunday to assure Prangonemor that the play would be allowed to proceed without obstruction. They also requested the troupe cancel its planned protest in front of the theatre. The update was confirmed by playwright, director, and lead actress Nuna Afroz via Facebook.
“The administration and Mahila Samity have assured us they will ensure the play goes on without disruption,” Afroz posted around 5pm. “They have also asked us not to go ahead with the protest. Since the authorities have taken responsibility, we are suspending the protest event.”
Despite the assurances, the scheduled performance on Sunday could not be held due to time constraints. “The administration encouraged us to continue with today’s show, but we received the message at 3:35pm— too late to proceed,” Afroz explained in her post.
To accommodate affected ticket holders, Mahila Samity has allocated its Nilima Ibrahim Auditorium to the group for an additional show on April 15. The originally scheduled performance on Pahela Baishakh (April 14) at 7pm will continue as planned at the same venue on Bailey Road.
Nuna Afroz also addressed the audience in her statement: “We sincerely apologise for this unforeseen disruption. Those who booked for today’s (Sunday’s) performance are welcome to join us on April 15. If possible, we’ll try to accommodate some of them on April 14.”
The group had originally rented the venue for two days to mark Chaitra Sankranti and Pahela Baishakh with their sixth major production. However, plans were thrown into disarray after Nuna Afroz received a phone call alerting her to a written objection issued in the name of ‘Touhidi Janata’. The group demanded cancellation of the show, citing unspecified religious concerns.
Nuna Afroz went public with the threats via Facebook and appealed in an open letter to cultural affairs adviser Mostofa Sarwar Farooki, urging him to take steps to safeguard the performance and ensure artistic freedom.
Earlier in the day, Prangonemor had planned a protest in front of the Mahila Samity at 5:30pm, but withdrew the decision following the authorities’ intervention.
Shesher Kobita is adapted from Rabindranath Tagore’s novel of the same name by playwright Ananta Hira and directed by Nuna Afroz, who also plays the lead role of Labonya. The 45th staging will be held on April 14, followed by the 46th on April 15 — both at 7pm.
This incident mirrors a previous episode in November 2024, when the Bangladesh Shilpakala Academy prematurely halted the 127th show of Nityopuran, a production by Desh Natok, following similar objections from ‘Touhidi Janata’. Theatre activists later staged a protest demanding artistic freedom and institutional accountability.