Drama festival arranged by BSA

'The aim of this drama festival is to decentralise theatre practice from Dhaka to all parts of the country. BSA has been holding this type of festival since 1981 to decrease the gap of the quality of the productions between the renowned theatrical groups and those from the district level. And I think we are successful in doing that,' said SM Mohsin, Director of Drama and Film Department of BSA.

However, theatre leaders criticise this objective. As Ramendu Majumdar, the President of International Theatre Institute (ITI) Bangladesh Branch said, 'It is a fact that BSA is giving scope to some of the regional groups to stage shows in Dhaka. However, I doubt how effective this would be. I think, they should jointly work with Bangladesh Group Theatre Federation (BGTF). Moreover, they should do something to enrich the mainstream theatre. First of all they should patronise the mainstream theatre, as theatre practice in Bangladesh is not yet popular enough. Then they should play an active and effective role at the district level. Without the involvement of the mainstream theatre activists, the BSA officials would not be able to do any thing productive other than wasting money.'

Mamunur Rashid, the President of BGTF, also has a grouse. In his words, 'Our organisation has got regional branches at the district and division levels. I do not understand how BSA can arrange a drama festival without our involvement. In their current festival they have invited those theatre groups which are not very active most of the time. Most of those groups are not even our regional level members. I do not understand much about BSA's way of selecting groups for the festival.

I think, if BSA really wants to do something for theatre in our country, they should work in a joint venture with BGTF. Moreover, they should immediately open the National Theatre Stage for performances.'

Ataur Rahman, the General Secretary of ITI Bangladesh Branch, also gave his response to the festival 'It is appreciable that BSA is trying to give exposure to the theatre groups from the district level. However, their approach is not is not acceptable.

'I do not understand why BSA is not opening the newly built National Theatre Stage for the mainstream theatre groups to display drama. How can they patronise theatre otherwise? A lot of money has been spent on sending technical teams to several district-level theatre groups to investigate their development. In this sector BSA should appoint renowned directors, playwrights and designers to work with those groups to stage quality productions. This will help their project to spread the theatre culture throughout the country.

'Moreover, the government should provide bigger budgets for art and culture and should involve the artistes in the projects to run it smoothly. In this case political victimisation of artistes should be eliminated.'

Liakat Ali Lucky, the General Secretary of BGTF said, 'Usually the audience expect to watch quality productions in a festival arranged by a government organisation like BSA. In my opinion, the festival was not fruitful at all. BGTF has got nearly about 300 theatre group-members all over the country. If BSA wants to improve the standard of the production of the theatrical groups from district level, they could have invited BGTF member groups. At least, BGTF ensures the minimum standard of its members. Ignoring these groups is wrong. I fail to understand BSA's motivation behind this festival.

'Moreover, I know that BSA also arranges workshops on drama. Their role is mysterious in that case also. I think it is simply a wastage of money. In my position as the General Secretary of BGTF, I told them to change their procedure, but they have not taken any step yet. I believe that on the National Theatre Stage at BSA, only those groups which stage quality plays have the right to display theatres. It is really pathetic that the groups, which are not active the year round, are staging plays at the National Theatre Stage while the mainsteam theatre groups in the country are ignored.'