In Gazipur’s Kapasia upazila, a long-standing tradition of staging plays has come to an abrupt end after local worshippers objected to a scheduled performance. The drama “Apon Dulal” was set to be staged on Thursday morning (April 3) at the Raniganj Udayan Sangha field in Durgapur Union. However, the organizers were forced to cancel the event following pressure from local religious figures.
Raniganj Udayan Sangha, the organizing group, had been rehearsing for the past month to bring the play to life. For 52 years, this venue has hosted plays, musical dramas, and folk performances organized by local cultural activists. This year’s event was set to mark their 52nd production.
Local dramatist Khandaker Shahadat Hossain, who was involved in organizing the show, shared that on Wednesday night (April 2), while they were at the local market, several individuals including the Imam of Raniganj Bazar Mosque, Md. Azizul Haque, and the mosque committee president, Md. Sirajul Islam, approached them and urged them to cancel the play. They insisted that not just this year’s performance, but all future plays at the venue be permanently halted.
Following the confrontation, the stage and setup that had been built for the show were dismantled by decorators by 9 a.m. the next morning.
Shahadat Hossain said, “Apon Dulal is a musical drama, entirely free of female characters. It’s a refined production with no women performers involved. Even so, they didn’t let us perform. All our effort, time, and dedication went to waste.”
In response, Imam Md. Azizul Haque told reporters, “Out of concern that the play might have a negative influence on society, local devout Muslims requested the organizers not to go ahead with it. The organizers eventually agreed for the greater good of the community. No single person made the decision—this was a collective request from respected locals.”
Mosque president Md. Sirajul Islam added, “Events like these can have a bad impact on society. That’s why we, along with other respected community members, decided to stop the play. We’ve informed the organizers that no plays or such cultural events will be allowed in Raniganj—or anywhere in Durgapur Union—from now on.”
Officer-in-Charge of Kapasia Police Station, Md. Abdul Barik, confirmed that neither the organizers nor those who opposed the play had filed any formal complaints with the police.
This incident has left a cloud of uncertainty hanging over the future of cultural activities in Kapasia. With a tradition spanning over five decades now disrupted, many are wondering if this marks the end of a rich legacy of local theatre in the region.
Publication Date: 4 April, 2025
Sources: banglatribune, dhakatribune, prothomalo
এই আর্টিকেলটি বাংলায় পড়তে চাইলে এখানে ক্লিক করুন
