A total of 101 theatre artistes and practitioners have called for the restoration of government subsidies for staging plays at Bangladesh Mahila Samity’s Dr Nilima Ibrahim Auditorium, citing mounting financial pressure on theatre troupes.
In a joint statement issued today, October 25, the signatories urged the Ministry of Cultural Affairs to approve the requested Tk 14.3 lakh allocation and increase overall financial support for theatre, ensuring regular funding.
Signatories include Syed Jamil Ahmed, Sara Zaker, Mamunur Rashid, Ramendu Majumdar, Ferdousi Majumdar, Masum Reza, Tropa Majumdar, Fazlur Rahman Babu, Azad Abul Kalam and Samina Luthfa.
The statement was issued on their behalf by playwright Apu Mehedi, executive editor of the theatre magazine Khyapa.
According to the statement, theatre troupes have had to pay Tk 11,500 per shift at the auditorium since January, up from Tk 5,000, following the withdrawal of the ministry’s subsidy. The increased expense has discouraged troupes from performing at the venue, with ticket sales often insufficient to cover production costs.
“We believe government subsidies must be restored promptly to keep theatre practice alive on the Mahila Samity stage,” the statement said.
The signatories said special allocations for this purpose began in June 2017. The last allocation, Tk 11 lakh, was made in the 2024-25 fiscal year, while no funds were allocated for 2025-26.
For the 2026-27 fiscal year, Mahila Samity has sought Tk 14.3 lakh, calculated at Tk 6,500 per performance for 20 shows a month over 11 months.
The statement highlighted the venue’s historical significance, saying it was where Bangladesh’s ticketed theatre culture began in 1973. It also recalled that the road housing the venue was formally named “Natak Sarani” by then mayor Sadeque Hossain Khoka on August 26, 2005.
“Government support for theatre in Bangladesh is already very limited. It is disappointing that even this modest support has been withdrawn,” the statement said.
The signatories called on the ministry to act swiftly, arguing that sustaining the subsidy was part of the government’s responsibility towards the country’s theatrical heritage.
The Daily Star previously reported on the financial strain caused by the subsidy’s withdrawal. An August 12 letter from Mahila Samity General Secretary Tamanna Rahman to Cultural Affairs Minister Nitai Roy Chowdhury sought funding to maintain regular performances at the auditorium.
Speaking to The Daily Star for that report, State Minister for Cultural Affairs Ali Newaz Mahmud Khaiyam said the ministry would look into the matter and address the funding request.
