Swapnadal to celebrate Women’s Day with awards and staging of ‘Helen Keller’

Theatre troupe Swapnadal will celebrate International Women’s Day with a special programme in the capital on March 7, combining an award ceremony with a staging of the monodrama "Helen Keller".

The event will begin at 7:00 pm at the Studio Theatre Hall of the Bangladesh Shilpakala Academy. The first segment will see theatre personality Shamima Shawkat Lovely receive the International Women’s Day Honour 2026 from Swapnadal. Renowned theatre figures including Lucky Enam, Kamal Bayezid, and Tropa Majumdar, will present the award.
 

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Swapnadal is observing this year’s Women’s Day under the slogan: “Blessed be womanhood with the power to shape its own destiny.” Since 2012, the troupe has marked International Women’s Day to recognise the contributions of women in theatre and society. 

Past honourees include Ferdousi Majumdar, Shimul Yousuff, Lucky Enam, Nuna Afroz, Irin Parvin Lopa, Sadhona Ahmed, Tropa Majumdar, Rokeya Rafique Baby, Momena Chowdhury, Asma Akhter Liza, Jayita Mahalanobish, and Hridi Huq. Swapnadal has also recognised the female members of the troupe and the mothers of regular theatre artists.

Following the award ceremony, the evening will continue with the monodrama "Helen Keller", starting at 7:30pm. The play features a solo performance by Juana Sobnom, is written by Apurba Kumar Kundu, and directed by Zahid Repon.

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The production chronicles Keller’s extraordinary life as a deafblind individual who overcame immense barriers through determination and the guidance of her teacher Anne Sullivan. It also explores her interactions with notable figures such as Charlie Chaplin, Mark Twain, John F Kennedy, and Albert Einstein, while highlighting the influence of Rabindranath Tagore on her philosophical outlook.

The play foregrounds themes of women’s empowerment, humanism, and Keller’s stance against war, violence, racism, and nuclear weapons. Stage and lighting design is by Fazle Rabbi Sukarna, and production management is handled by Shakhawat Shyamal.
This event will mark the 62nd staging of "Helen Keller" by Swapnadal, reflecting the troupe’s ongoing commitment to socially conscious theatre in Bangladesh.