Arshinagar Dhaka marks 12 years with theatre legend

It was the first Friday of Bhadra, and the summer heat pressed down heavily on the city. Yet, leaving behind the scorching sun and the rush of urban life, people gathered in droves at the Experimental Theatre Hall of the Bangladesh Shilpakala Academy in Dhaka's Segun Bagicha.

By half past six on the evening of 5 September, the air-conditioned hall was already alive with excitement. The occasion was special: the celebration of 12 years of the theatre troupe Arshinagar Dhaka. But truth be told, most eyes were searching for one man.

That man was none other than Abul Hayat—Bangladesh's legendary actor, who had first set foot in the cultural arena through stage plays. Whenever life and time allowed, he returned to his roots, to the very stage where his journey began. Now, standing in the twilight of his years, he chose this night to lay bare his long and personal relationship with theatre.

The celebration unfolded in three acts. The second act belonged entirely to Hayat. He walked onto the stage, his presence enough to fill the hall with reverence. 

He spoke quietly yet firmly, "The stage has always been my meditation and my wisdom. It was so in the past, and it still is today. My last work in theatre was in 2012. I do not know if I will ever act on stage again. But even if I cannot, I shall continue to watch, to support, and to work for its growth in whatever way I can."

He paused, his voice softening.

"The love I am receiving tonight from you all—every drop of it belongs to this stage. This is why I feel such an unbreakable bond with it. Through many struggles we carried theatre forward. My hope is that the younger generation will enrich it even more," he continued.

His words were long, flowing like a river of memory, carrying with it the hardships and triumphs of his career. At many points the audience broke into applause, urging him on. 

For Hayat, this was no ordinary performance—it was a rare and moving chance to share the lessons of a lifetime with the very people who had witnessed his growth.

Before his appearance, at six thirty sharp, members of Arshinagar had presented Arshir Sur, a medley of songs from their earlier productions. Folk-inspired melodies filled the hall, sung by Sohel, Mrinmoyee, Rupa, Atik, Antor, Sinthi, Bappa, Sanket, Nisha, Lipi, Partho, Putul, Joli, Pragya, Noli, Probhat and others.

The third and final act began at half past seven, when the troupe staged Rabindranath Tagore's Dakghor (The Post Office), directed by Polly Parveen. The cast included Md Tamim Hossain, Azmeri Jafran Roly, Md Sohel, Pragya Preeti, Mainuddin Babu, Nasim Parvez Probhat, Jitaditya Barua and many more. The stage, lights and sound were overseen by Anik Kumar Saha, while Arifur Islam Neel directed the music.

The evening bore the title "In Meditation, In Creation, In Arshinagar—Together for an Era." Saha, executive member of the troupe and convener of the event, later reflected saying, "We face many challenges in theatre. But the presence of the audience gives us the strength to overcome them. Tonight too, their response has inspired us deeply. We are re-energised, and we hope to bring more timely productions to the stage in the years ahead."

Arshinagar Dhaka was born from a circle of young enthusiasts rooted in academic theatre, their dream being to reimagine the timeless forms of Bangla drama for the modern age. Over time, like-minded artistes joined hands, shaping the troupe into a vibrant and well-organised company.

By 2025, the journey had reached its first major milestone—twelve years completed, a full cycle lived. Along the way, the troupe had staged four original plays, including adaptations of Shahidul Zahir's 'She Raate Purnima Chilo', Abhijit Sen's 'Rohu Chondaler Har', and Hermann Hesse's 'Siddhartha'—works that won acclaim both at home and abroad.