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| Bangladesh |
| Theatre group banned at Rajashi U. under pressure |
| 2008-11-20 |
| Rajshahi University authorities yesterday banned a theatre group under pressure from Islami Chhatra Shibir for staging a drama that Shibir claimed to be blasphemous. RU Registrar Prof Muhammad Shafi issued a press release, banning Dhumketu Natya Sangsad and staging of its drama "Mandar" on the campus. However, an RU committee formed to review the play did not find anything blasphemous in it. Sources said although the authorities showed Dhumketu's being unregistered with the Teacher Student Culture Centre as the reason for the ban, it was banned for staging the play on November 3 in protest against removal of baul sculptures from the airport intersection in Dhaka. Shibir, the student wing of Jamaat-e-Islami, observed a strike on the campus demanding punishment to the Udichi activists who performed in the play and threatened to stop the ongoing admission tests if Udichi and Dhumketu were not banned. Sources alleged that the RU authorities took the decision to ban Dhumketu bypassing the recommendations of the 11-member review committee headed by social science faculty Dean Prof Sadekul Islam. Abu Sayem, general secretary of Udichi RU unit, criticised the university authorities saying the Jamaat-backed administration took the decision under threats from Shibir. He said they would take legal action against the authorities. When contacted, RU Vice-Chancellor Prof Mamnunul Keramat said, "We took the decision on the basis of a review of the overall situation." |
| Posted by:Fred |