Munier Chowdhury in the spotlight

Recitors performing at the event

The event was presided over by Ashraful Mosaddek, secretary, BSA. Acclaimed theatre personalities Ataur Rahman and SM Mohsin spoke at the event.

Munier Chowdhury, one of the frontrunners of the theatre in our country, was born in Munshiganj in 1925. His father was Khan Bahadur Abdul Halim Chowdhury.

His first play was staged in 1946 at Salimullah Muslim Hall. Later he became involved in the Language Movement during 1952. He was arrested and sent to jail for his political convictions. In prison he wrote Kabor, one of his most remarkable works.

Kabor traces the crimes against humanity, perpetrated by the Pakistani regime during the Language Movement. How the regime callously buried the martyrs in mass graves is featured in the play. The play reminds one of the sacrifices the nation had to make to attain the right to speak the mother tongue.

There are close parallels with Chowdhury's real life -- he was abducted by the Razakars (Pakistani collaborators) on December 14, 1971 and was executed with other intellectuals near the Rayer Bazar mass grave.

In his speech, Ataur Rahman said, "Munier Chowdhury had been the catalyst in modernising our theatre. His contribution can't be described in words. Plays such as Kabor, Polashi Barrack, Chiti are some of his works which went a long way in enriching our theatre."

"The new generation of dramatists should concentrate on Munier Chowdhury's work and try to learn as much as they can," said SM Mohsin.

The event wrapped up with a group recitation.