For the past 15 years, freedom of speech was suppressed, and artists failed to play their rightful role, said cultural affairs adviser Mostofa Sarwar Farooki. Speaking at the opening ceremony of the National Street Theater Festival at Central Shaheed Minar on Sunday afternoon, he emphasized the importance of artistic resistance during times of repression.
Farooki noted that the July uprising restored freedom of expression and urged future leaders to protect this right. He called on artists to use street theater to expose the misrule of the past 15 years and ensure that these stories are not forgotten.
Dhaka University Vice-Chancellor Prof. Niaz Ahmad Khan highlighted the power of street drama as a medium of protest, stating that such cultural movements will serve as milestones in the aftermath of the mass uprising.
Bd-pratidin English/ Jisan
