Ziaur Rahman’s life-based drama ‘Z’ is coming

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Ziaur Rahman’s biopic ‘Z’ is a French initiative.

France has taken the initiative to launch an online Bengali theater diploma program for the newly formed art organization ‘Theater de la Maison Française’ for Bangladesh. This program has been launched in Brittany with the aim of expanding Bengali theater practice internationally through this program titled ‘French House Theater Diploma-Bangladesh Chapter’. This information was given in a press release of the theater.

France-based poet and dramatist Chayan Khairul Habib has been selected as the writer-in-residence, director and coordinator of the diploma course. In 1990, Habib translated and directed Bangladesh’s first African drama at the Commonwealth Literature Seminar held at the British Council in Dhaka. At that time his opera-like ‘Zulekha Trilogy’ was staged at Dhaka’s Shilpakala Academy and was acclaimed.

This three-month online program titled ‘French House Theater Diploma – Bangladesh Chapter’ includes training in playwriting, playwriting, directing, acting, stage and lighting design. At the end of the course, participants will participate in three productions in Bangladesh.

Trainees participating in all three productions will participate in a mythological play based on the story of Shakuntala in the first production. The second production will be based on the Liberation War of 1971, where an important chapter will be presented about the rebellion of the then Major Ziaur Rahman in the cantonment and his declaration of independence from Kalurghat Betar Kendra in Chittagong. The name of this drama will be ‘Z’. Read more. Read more. No Trinamool star candidate has a smile of victory, BJP’s stars shine.

According to the agency, it will show the fictional match of Zia with late musician and freedom fighter Azam Khan and Shaheed filmmaker Zaheer Raihan. Before production, the play will be submitted to the Bangladesh National Copyright Office and the Ministry of Culture will be notified. A play based on Shakuntala and ‘Z’ – both plays have already been written.

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The third production will be an improvised play on Begum Rokeya, a collective effort of the participating trainees. Apart from this, the course includes short plays of Shahid dramatist Munir Chowdhury. Also included as part of the world drama are the plays of Nigeria’s Ole Soyinka, USA’s Tennessee Williams, Eve Ensler and France’s Yasmine Razor.

Meanwhile, the press release of the organizers said that the ‘Nandan Bishwamela’ platform, which organized a multi-dimensional art event at Dhaka University in 2024, has been added as a local partner in this initiative. The coordinator of the program. Shahnaz Parveen will serve as liaison for the ‘Z’ project. Junaid Yusuf of Dhaka’s Range Art Center will be involved as a design consultant for the production.

The diploma course is likely to start next August and the rehearsals will begin directly from November. The initial workshop production of the play ‘Z’ is planned to be staged on January 19, 2027, Ziaur Rahman’s birthday, at Chittagong Circuit House ground.

The French segment is coordinated by Patricia Gidas. The hope of the organizers – through this initiative, Bengali drama will gain international dimension and will open the doors of new possibilities for young artistes.