Swapnadal stages 'Tringsha Shatabdi' on Independence Day

Popular theatre group Swapnadal is staging a special presentation of their acclaimed play “Tringsha Shatabdi” on Friday, March 27, at 7 pm at the Experimental Theatre of Bangladesh Shilpakala Academy to mark Independence Day and World Theatre Day. The evening will also include a ceremony honouring a leading Bangladeshi theatre artist.

The production serves as both a commemorative performance and a protest against ongoing conflicts involving the United States, Israel, and Iran, which Swapnadal describes as unjust. Based on the work of Indian playwright Badal Sircar and directed by Zahid Repon, the play blends historical reflection with contemporary critique, drawing parallels between past atrocities and current global conflicts.

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At the event’s conclusion, Swapnadal will honour Kamruzzaman Balark, a theatre practitioner from Melbourne’s Renaissance Drama Society, who recently received Australia’s Medal of the Order of Australia (OAM). The award recognises Balark’s contributions to the performing arts. The citation will be presented by Kamrul Hasan Lipu, painter and chairman of Tokyo’s Kahal Gallery.

“Tringsha Shatabdi” — meaning “The Thirtieth Century” — centres on the atomic bombings of Hiroshima and Nagasaki during World War II. Swapnadal’s staging uses this narrative to explore the broader human cost of war, juxtaposing historical events with Bangladesh’s Liberation War and other conflicts, including those in Bosnia, Israel–Palestine, Afghanistan, Iraq, Yemen, Myanmar, and recent episodes of mass violence in Bangladesh. The company says the production aims to provoke reflection on ethical responsibilities in times of conflict.

The production draws on modern Bangla theatrical forms rooted in a millennium of stage tradition, bridging classical techniques with contemporary storytelling and reflecting Swapnadal’s long-standing commitment to socially engaged theatre.

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The creative team includes Juena Shabnam, Fazle Rabbi Sukorn, Shishir Sikder, Samad Bhuiyan, Shakawat Shyamol, Zebun Nesa, Sumaiya Shishir, Sonali Rahman, Arko Apu, Anindya Antorikkho, and Zahid Repon. Friday’s staging will mark the 128th public performance of “Tringsha Shatabdi” by Swapnadal.

Internationally, “Tringsha Shatabdi” has been performed at Festival/Tokyo 2018, one of Japan’s premier theatre festivals, where Swapnadal was among the first Bangladeshi companies invited to perform at the Tokyo Metropolitan Theatre. The production has also featured at India’s Bharat Rang Mahotsav, Asia’s largest theatre festival organised by the National School of Drama in New Delhi.

In recognition of its artistic impact and advocacy for peace, Swapnadal received the Japan Foreign Minister’s Commendation in 2019, acknowledging its contributions to cultural exchange and international understanding.