Artistes of Sadhona perform at the programme, left, Eve Ensler delivers a speech. — Ali Hossain Mintu

Voice against torture on women was raised through music, dance and monologues at a programme held at the National Theatre Hall of Bangladesh Shilpakala Academy on Thursday.
The programme was organised by global campaign against violence on woman One Billion Rising (OBR) Bangladesh section to mark February 14, 2013 as V-day, which is the 15th founding anniversary of the global anti-violence movement.       
Tony award winning American playwright, performer, feminist, activist Eve Ensler delivered speech and also read out selected parts from her writings at the programme. In her inspiring speech, he called upon not only girls but men also to raise their hands to say ‘No’ to violence on women. She later on read out her writing ‘Raising’ and ‘I am an emotional creature’ inspiring every woman in the world to come forward and be the woman they were always meant to be. Writer of renowned play The Vagina Monologues, Ensler also talked about her personal experience being tortured by men and how she managed to revive herself from the trauma.
Earlier, an array of segments made the evening memorable.  Seven stories from seven oppressed women of Bangladesh were presented at the programme.  An indigenous girl who was raped by a policeman, three girls who faced eve teasing, a victim of domestic violence, an acid victim, a birangana, a sexually discontented woman and a girl sexually harassed by her cousin were touchingly narrated by artistes of OBR.
Artistes of Sadhona presented a dance production featuring a poem and songs of poet Kazi Nazrul Islam titled Bidrohi Nazrul. Directed by Lubna Marium and choreographed jointly by Sabbir Ahmed Khan and Amit Chowhury, the production presented beautiful group dance synchronised with poem Bidrohi and songs Jaago nari jaago, and others.
Another nice dance production was performed by cultural organisation Nagorik. Directed by Sarah Zaker and choreographed by Sharmila Bandopadhyay, the dance production also included performance of Ensler’s selected parts of pieces ‘I am an emotional creature’ and ‘The secret life of girls around the world.’      
OBR artistes presented people’s song Amar protibader bhasa in chorus while Nazia rendered melancholic song Bisader-e chinho tahar at the show.