DHAKA, Aug 17, 2023 (BSS) - The 74th birth anniversary of eminent playwright 
'Natyacharya' Selim Al Deen is tomorrow.

Selim Al Deen, fondly referred to as 'Natyacharya', was born on August 18, 
1949 in Feni. He joined Jahangirnagar University in 1974 at the Bangla 
department and later became the founder chairperson of the Drama and 
Dramatics Department of the university.

Various organizations and his family have taken up various programmes to mark 
the birth anniversary of Selim Al Deen. 

Dhaka Theater will confer special medal introduced in the memory of 
'Natyacharya'.

Actor Pijush Bandyopadhyay has been nominated for the 2021 medal and director 
Syed Jamil Ahmed will be given the medal for 2023.

The 40th anniversary celebration of 'Bangladesh Gram Theater' and the 
birthday observance of 'Natyacharya' will be organized in the main hall of 
Shilpakala Academy's Jatiyo Nattoshala tomorrow.

Theatre troupe Swapnadal will commemorate Selim Al Deen for two days on next 
Friday and Saturday at Shilpakala Academy's Studio Theater Hall. 

Other programmes include holding memorial procession, placing wreath on 
Selim's grave, organizing discussions and arranging drama exhibitions.

'Natyacharya' Selim Al Deen died of cardiac arrest on January 14, 2008.

In the post-Tagore era, his contribution to Bengali drama is considered to be 
unique.

Saleem Al-Deen was attracted to reading literary works at a very young age. 
When he turned on to admit into Dhaka University in 1966, he decided to 
become a writer. It was his teacher playwright Munier Chowdhury who 
encouraged him to focus his attention on drama.

He wrote his first radio drama "Biporit Tomosay" in 1968 while he was a 
university student. His first play for the theatre was "Shorpo Bishoyok 
Golpo" which was staged in 1972.

Selim Al-Deen carried out extensive research for his doctoral dissertation in 
which he proved that the history of Bengali drama is older than that of 
European drama.

From 1977 to 1979, Selim Al-Deen studied Bengali Jatra which prompted him to 
write his first unique drama Kittonkhola.

The success of "Kittonkhola" led to creation of his subsequent works, namely, 
"Bashon," "Atotai," "Saifulmulk Badiuzzaman," "Keramat Mangal," "Hat Hodai," 
"Chaka" and more.