A scene from Harjag staged at the Experimental Theatre Hall on Monday. — Ali Hossain Mintu

Selim Al Deen’s peers evaluated him as a unique dramatist in the contemporary Bangla literature and also urged the younger generation to stage more plays by the trendsetter playwright at a commemoration programme on Monday.
Theatre troupe Swapnodal organised the programme at Bangladesh Shilpakala Academy marking Al Deen’s fifth death anniversary.
The trope also staged a dance drama and a theatre production at the Experimental Theatre Hall of the academy.
Ataur Rahman, Nasiruddin Yousuff, Tarik Anam Khan, SM Mohsin, Rashid Harun and widow of Al Deen Begumzadi Meherunnesa took part in discussions at the seminar titled ‘Selim Al Deen: Nabin Nirdeshaker Dristitey’.
The history of Bangla theatre is incomplete without Selim Al Deen who is considered the most prominent playwright after Rabindranath Tagore, observed his peers at the discussion presided over by Ataur Rahman.
The theatre personalities further gave the opinion that Al Deen will be the part of the history for his unique style.
Interestingly, the representatives of the young directors and researchers like Jasim Uddin, Sudip Chakraborty, Irine Parvin Lopa and others discussed  on limitations they felt while experimenting on Al Deen’s plays, which sometimes appear ‘difficult to communicate’ to them.
Young directors Sudip Chowdhury and Jasim Uddin expressed their personal experiences that Al Deen plays are not understandable if someone studies them well.
Irin Parveen Lopa, deputy director of theatre and film department of the academy, urged Bangladesh Shilpakala Academy to take a project by assigning 10 young directors to experiment on Al Deen plays
The seminar was followed by performance of a musical choreography Natyamonche Praloy Been: Selim Al Deen at the lobby of The Experimental Theatre Hall.
Selim Al Deen’s play Hargaj, directed by Zahid Repon, was staged at the hall by Swapnadal.