Since the fall of the Awami League government, Bangladesh has witnessed a rise in radical Islamic forces determined to shut down all forms of free thought and cultural expression. In the latest development, a stage play has become the target of the so-called “Tawhidi Janata.”
Renowned theatre group Prangonemor had planned a special staging of their popular play “Shesher Kobita” in a new interpretation to mark the traditional festivities of Chaitra Sankranti and Pahela Baishakh. The performances were scheduled to be held on April 13 and 14 at the Mahila Samiti stage in Dhaka.
However, the production has run into obstacles after the Mahila Samiti authorities received a letter from the “Tawhidi Janata,” urging them not to allow the play to be performed.
Nuna Afroz, a member and director of Prangonemor, revealed the situation in a Facebook post on Sunday morning. “Mahila Samiti informed us that they received a letter from the ‘Tawhidi Janata’ demanding that the play be canceled. We have already paid for the venue, completed all preparations, and made all promotional and production expenditures,” she wrote.
“We’ve asked the authorities for support. If the administration refuses to help, we may be forced to cancel the performance. But is this how our artistic expression is going to be silenced again and again?” she added.
In protest, Prangonemor has called for a demonstration in front of the Mahila Samiti on Sunday (April 13) at 5:30 PM. The group’s founder, Ananta Hira, confirmed the protest call.
Other theatre artists and cultural activists have also condemned the incident, urging collective resistance to safeguard the country’s cultural freedom.
It’s worth noting that similar objections from “Tawhidi Janata” have previously led to the cancellation of several theatre and cultural programs in Bangladesh.