Mamunur Rashid: Witness to theatre, liberation war and Bangladesh’s cultural movement

A defining feature of long conversations with Mamunur Rashid is that, while recounting his own life story, he simultaneously brings to light the history of theatre in Bangladesh, the evolution of television, the Liberation War, and cultural movements. Personal memories seamlessly intertwine with social and political history in his narratives.

We sat down with him as part of the regular interview series titled "Crown Cement Oviggatar Alo" (The Light of Experience).

He was born on 29 February 1948 in Paikra of Kalihati, Tangail. In his words, that was his maternal uncle’s home. His father, Harunur Rashid Khan, was a postmaster. Due to his job, the family had to relocate from one place to another. His early education began in Phulpur, Mymensingh. Later, he studied in Bolla and Elenga. He passed his SSC examinations from Bolla Coronation High School in 1963.

In reminiscing about his childhood, he highlights one aspect in particular. His mother, Rokeya Khanam, was named after Begum Rokeya. In his view, naming a daughter 'Rokeya' in a Muslim family during the 1930s demonstrates how far-reaching Begum Rokeya's influence truly was. Even today, he revisits Begum Rokeya's Sultana's Dream and remains astonished by its modernity.

His passion for Bengali literature is equally evident. He regards Bibhutibhushan Bandyopadhyay, Manik Bandyopadhyay, and Tarasankar Bandyopadhyay as the three main pillars of the Bengali novel. He remarked that had their works been translated internationally in due time, their global recognition could have been far greater.

His attraction to drama began through watching Jatra (traditional folk theatre) performances. In particular, the play Sohrab-Rustam left a profound impact on him. Although initially captivated by the prowess of the actors, he later realised that the core strength of a play lies in the hands of the playwright. This realisation guided him towards writing plays.

While studying at Dhaka Polytechnic in 1965, he wrote his first play, Mohanagarete Ekdin (A Day in the Metropolis). The play was staged at the polytechnic and garnered a significant response. Following this, he continued to write plays consistently. However, he had to wait to secure opportunities to write for television. He attempted to contact Abdullah Al-Mamun, Zaman Ali Khan, and Amjad Hossain. Ultimately, encouraged by producer Abdullah Yusuf Imam, his first television drama, Shesh Onko (The Final Act), was produced.

Subsequently, he began writing regularly for television. A vital chapter of his career was the televised adaptation of Shahidullah Kaiser's Sangshaptak. He used to meet regularly with Shahidullah Kaiser to discuss the adaptation. For the sake of the drama, certain parts were appended beyond the original novel.

Mamunur Rashid recalls that after watching the production, Shahidullah Kaiser was highly satisfied and expressed his desire to incorporate those additions into future editions of the book.

When the Liberation War commenced, Mamunur Rashid was in Dhaka. He witnessed first-hand the night of 25 March, the destruction of the following day, and the grim situation in Jinjira and its surrounding areas. Later, he returned to Tangail and contacted Kader Siddique. He also recalls incidents of delivering locally recovered weapons into the hands of freedom fighters.

He later travelled to India. Reaching Kolkata via Agartala, he joined the Swadhin Bangla Betar Kendra. There, his play Abar Ashibo Phire (I Will Return Again), originally written for television, was broadcast as a radio drama titled Mrittyuheen Pran (The Deathless Life). He went on to write more plays for the Swadhin Bangla Betar Kendra.

Another of his cherished memories revolves around poets Nirmalendu Goon and Abul Hasan. After befriending Nirmalendu Goon, he brought him to Dhaka. Later, the three of them lived together in a rented house on Elephant Road. It was during this period that Nirmalendu Goon penned Hooliya (The Warrant) and Abul Hasan was writing his early poems. In Mamunur Rashid's words, he had the privilege of closely observing their literary pursuits and mutual camaraderie.

Following independence, Aranyak was established with the objective of organising theatre practices. During his stay in Kolkata, after watching plays by Utpal Dutt, Shombhu Mitra, and Ajitesh Bandyopadhyay, they resolved to establish a regular group theatre.

Upon returning to the country, that plan came to fruition. Aranyak's maiden production was Munier Chowdhury's Kabar (The Grave). In his view, this initiative played a critical role in pioneering the group theatre movement in independent Bangladesh.

Among his own plays, he explicitly mentions Ekhane Nongor (Anchor Here), Shwetkahini (The White Tale), Ekti Setur Golpo (The Story of a Bridge), Bacha (Survival), Ora Kadam Ali (They are Kadam Ali), Ora Achhe Bolei (Because They Exist), and Iblish (Satan). In his opinion, Ora Kadam Ali and the subsequent two plays sparked significant discourse in the late 1970s.

Towards the end of the conversation, the discussion shifted to contemporary Bangladesh. He noted that initiatives to expand education, culture, and sports are positive. However, ensuring transparency in teacher recruitment is imperative. Drawing from his own student days, he recalled the dedicated teachers of rural schools who fulfilled their duties despite limited facilities.

His observations on religion and politics are equally candid. In his view, the political exploitation of religion has weakened Bangladesh's secular spirit. It is vital to uphold the spirit of an ideology of an inclusive state that was born out of the Language Movement and the Liberation War.

Evoking Abdullah Abu Sayeed, he remarked, "We want enlightened human beings"—a concept that remains entirely relevant today. According to him, reading books, cultural engagement, and the cultivation of free-thinking are the most vital investments for the future of Bangladesh.

Viewing Mamunur Rashid's life merely as that of a playwright fails to capture the full picture. Embedded within his experiences is a continuous chronicle spanning several decades, charting the evolution of Bangladesh's theatre movement, the Liberation War, the growth of television drama, and the broader cultural sphere.