Writers, teachers and theatre activists said on Saturday that martyred intellectual Munier Chowdhury dreamt of a liberal democratic state in his renowned play Kabar.
But the extreme nationalist reading makes it monolithic, they said.
Literary critics traditionally analyse a play as a text but a play should be read as to be performed at a seminar organised by Bangladesh Shilpakala Academy at its seminar hall, they also said.聽 聽
The keynote speech titled Munier Chowdhurir Kabar Nattyer Onnopath: Smritir Rajnieeti O Rajnaiitik Oggyan Moner Bibidho Ruparekha was presented by Dhaka University theatre and performance studies associate professor Shahman Moishan.
BSA director general Syed Jamil Ahmed presided over the seminar.
Director general of Bangla Academy Professor Mohammad Azam and director general of Press Institute of Bangladesh poet Faruk Wasif spoke on the topic while theatre activists thespian Ramendu Majumdar, Sara Zaker, Saidur Rahman Lipon, Asadul Islam, Sonia Hasan, among others, also address the seminar.聽聽
The collective denial depicted in the play Kabar was relevant in the student-led mass uprising, said Shahman Moishan.
Mohammad Azam said that powerful text could relate many situations and perspectives but nationalist discourse uses them in narrow meaning.
鈥榃e have to remove the conflict of ideas about the relations of Islam and culture by establishing a liberal state,鈥� said Faruk Wasif.
Ramendu Majumdar mentioned that the birth centenary of Munier Chowdhury was starting and BSA should republish his adaptation collection titled 鈥楤oideshi鈥� comprising five plays.