Speakers at a workshop in Dhaka on Wednesday said that jatra artistes should improve the quality of their production and performance to earn audience appreciation.
They made the remarks at the workshop organised by the Bangladesh Shilpakala Academy at its National Theatre Hall.
Cultural affairs minister Nitai Roy Chowdhury attended as chief guest while state minister for the ministry Ali Newaz Mahmood Khyom and prime minister’s adviser on information, broadcasting, culture and policy and strategy Zahed Ur Rahman attended as special guests at the workshop, which was chaired by secretary of the ministry Kaniz Moula.
Nitai Roy announced that the ministry would now grant the primary permission for jatra and cultural events, which would reduce the unexpected harassment the artistes faced.
Jatra researcher and pala writer MA Mazid presented the keynote titled Jatrashilper Sangkat, Sambhabana O Uttaraner Path while Jahangirnagar University drama and dramatics department associate professors Reza Arif and Anan Zaman and Dhaka University theatre and performance studies department assistant professor Tanvir Nahid Khan participated as panellists at the workshop.
MA Mazid stated that the bureaucratic crises and complications in securing permissions to organise jatra events had hindered new investments in the industry.
As a result, older troupes resort to obscenity to generate revenue for event organisers—who act as a third party between the artistes and the audience, he added.
‘Without patronage and incentives, Jatra troupes will slowly be wiped out and failed to improve, which will impact on the cultural practices of common people,’ he stressed, adding that the government must preserve them to help the tradition grow and survive.
Nitai Roy mentioned that the ministry would formulate a policy to ensure healthy and tasteful entertainment.
With times, modernity must be brought to speech, body language, stage management and musical instruments, including the orchestra, in the jatra production, Ali Newaz Mahmood Khyom noted.
Zahed Ur Rahman stated that jatra artistes should modernise and experiment with their productions, but cautioned against letting the art form get too close to stage drama.
‘The government will cooperate, but artistes must make their own efforts to improve quality and gain popularity so that they can become financially profitable through their craft, just like any other profession,’ he said.
He also added that jatra artistes needed to realise that they must create high-quality and popular productions for mass audiences without resorting to obscenity.
Journalist Jobair Babu spoke as guest of honour while BSA director general Rezauddin Ahmed delivered welcome speech at the event.
More than 200 jatra artistes and troupe owners from across the country attended the workshop.
