Marking the 74th birth anniversary of Bangladeshi playwright and theatre artist Natyacharya Selim Al Deen, Dhaka Theatre conferred ‘Seilm Al Deen Padak’. This year the award has been given to actor Pijush Bandyopadhyay and the eminent theatre personality Syed Jamil Ahmed.
The award ceremony took place on the opening day of the four-day festival at the National Theatre Hall of Bangladesh Shilpakala Academy on Friday.
Freedom fighter and artist Shahabuddin Ahmed inaugurated this four-day festival on Friday morning. Before that, there was a colorful procession with Bangladesh Graam Theater workers from all over the country.
After receiving the award, Syed Jamil Ahmed said, "It is a special honour to receive this medal from the veterans in the name of the noted artiste. However, I have a little bit of confusion that Nasir Uddin Yusuf was supposed to receive the Salim Al Din Padak first.”
Pointing towards Nasir Uddin Yusuf on the stage, Jamil Ahmed said, “It means nothing for me to come to this medal without giving it to you. Hopefully, this mistake will be rectified later.”
Pijush Bandyopadhyay said, “I am extremely grateful, happy, and blessed. From the beginning of Bangladesh Graam Theater, I was with Salim Al Din and Nasir Uddin Yusuf. There were many others, who are not there today. I miss them so much.”
Highlighting the role of Salim Al Deen in the journey of Graam Theater, Nasir Uddin Yusuf said, "The journey of Graam Theater was started with the inspiration of Selim Al Deen. Without Salim Al Din we would not be united. Those who received the Salim Al Deen Padak are meritorious. We are grateful to them.”
Presided over by Bangladesh Graam Theatre President Nasir Uddin Yusuf, the event was also attended by Sammilita Sangskritik Jote President Golam Kuddus, General Secretary Ahkam Ullah, Graam Theatre General Secretary Toufiq Hasan Moyna, Professor in the Department of Drama and Dramatics, Jahangirnagar University Rashid Haroon and actor Afzal Hossain.
