Artistes of Nagorik Natyangan Ensemble stage Bibisab at the National Theatre Hall on Wednesday. — Ali Hossain Mintu

The six-day theatre festival organised by Nagorik Natyangan Ensemble ended with staging of Bibisab on Wednesday at the National Theatre hall of Bangladesh Shilpakala Academy.
The troupe organised the festival celebrating its 18th founding anniversary. This year’s festival was dedicated to the memory of the late iconic Tagore singer Kalim Sharafi.
Worldwide president of International Theatre Institute Ramendu Majumder, theatre personalities Mamunur Rashid and Nasiruddin Yousuff, general secretary of Bangladesh Group Theatre Federation Jhuna Chowdhury and chief of Nagorik Natyangan Ensemble Jamaluddin Hossain were present at the concluding ceremony.
Theatre leaders at the programme addressed potentials and problems of the contemporary theatre in Bangladesh. They also urged the government to reduce tax for inviting foreign troupes.
Jamaluddin Hossain informed the audience that in the 18 years of theatre practice, Nagorik Natyangan Ensemble has produced 15 plays and four street theaters. 
The discussion was followed by staging of 101th show of Nagorik Natyangan Ensemble’s production Bibisab. Written and directed respectively by Abdullah Al-Mamun and Jamaluddin Hossain, the play was first staged at the Mahilla Samity Stage in1994.
The social drama features the rehabilitation of the Pakisatni collaborators of the war of independence in 1971 at great places in the post liberation era in Bangladesh and struggle of the freedom fighters and their family members as well through the character of a mid-aged woman, who lost her husband and son in the war.
The festival featuring six theatre productions by
Local troupes Nagorik Natyangan Ensemble Theatre and Nagorik Natya Sampradaya and invited an Indian troupe Bahurupi staged six plays in the festival.
A photography exhibition featuring memorable moments of Kalim Sharafi was also on display at the National Theatre Hall.