Theatre group Swapnadal is set to commemorate International Women’s Day on March 7 in the capital with a unique event that includes an award presentation and a performance of the monodrama “Helen Keller”.
Scheduled to kick off at 7:00 pm at the Studio Theatre Hall of the Bangladesh Shilpakala Academy, the evening will commence with the presentation of the International Women’s Day Honour 2026 to Shamima Shawkat Lovely by Swapnadal. Esteemed personalities in the theatre realm such as Lucky Enam, Kamal Bayezid, and Tropa Majumdar will be on hand to confer the award.
Under the theme “Blessed be womanhood with the power to shape its own destiny,” Swapnadal is marking this year’s Women’s Day, a tradition the group has upheld since 2012 to acknowledge the invaluable contributions of women in both theatre and society.
Past recipients of this honor include Ferdousi Majumdar, Shimul Yousuff, Lucky Enam, Nuna Afroz, Irin Parvin Lopa, Sadhona Ahmed, Tropa Majumdar, Rokeya Rafique Baby, Momena Chowdhury, Asma Akhter Liza, Jayita Mahalanobish, and Hridi Huq, as well as the female members of the troupe and the mothers of regular theatre artists.
Following the award ceremony, the night will transition into the monodrama “Helen Keller” at 7:30 pm. The performance, led by Juana Sobnom, is penned by Apurba Kumar Kundu and directed by Zahid Repon.
The play delves into Keller’s remarkable journey as a deafblind individual who triumphed over formidable obstacles with the support of her mentor Anne Sullivan. It also delves into her encounters with iconic personalities like Charlie Chaplin, Mark Twain, John F Kennedy, and Albert Einstein, while underscoring the impact of Rabindranath Tagore on her philosophical beliefs.
Highlighting themes of women’s empowerment, humanism, and Keller’s advocacy against war, violence, racism, and nuclear weapons, the stage and lighting arrangements are overseen by Fazle Rabbi Sukarna, with production management helmed by Shakhawat Shyamal.
This occasion will mark the 62nd rendition of “Helen Keller” by Swapnadal, underscoring the group’s unwavering dedication to socially conscious theatre in Bangladesh.
