Mugdho Mancha

Mugdho Mancha
মুগ্ধ মঞ্চ
Mugdho Mancha in 2024
Former names	Rabindra Sarani Botomool (pre-2016) Language Warrior Poet Mahbub Ul Alam Choudhury Mancha (2016–2019) Bangabandhu Mukto Mancha (2019–2024)
Alternative names	Mugdho Square
General information
Status	Open
Type	Event venue
Location	Sangam Square, Rabindra Sarani, Sector 7, Uttara Model Town
Town or city	Dhaka
Country	Bangladesh
Coordinates	23.8672649°N 90.3933674°E / 23.8672649; 90.3933674
Inaugurated	19 March 2022 (2022-03-19)
Owner	Dhaka North City Corporation
Technical details
Structural system	Outdoor stage

Mugdho Mancha is an outdoor cultural stage and event venue located in Uttara, Dhaka, Bangladesh. It was built at Botomool which is situated at the western end of Rabindra Sarani in Sector 7, was named as Language Warrior Poet Mahbub Ul Alam Chowdhury Mancha in memory of Bengali Language Movement activist Mahbub Ul Alam Choudhury while organizing street drama in 2016. The Dhaka North City Corporation later assured to construct a stage structure at the site following the demands of Gitanjali Lalitkala Academy founder director Mahbub Amin Mithu. In 2022, the structure was inaugurated as the Bangabandhu Mukto Mancha in memory of Bangabandhu Sheikh Mujibur Rahman, the first president of Bangladesh. Later in 2024, it was renamed to the present name in memory of Mir Mahfuzur Rahman Mugdho, a student who died in July massacre.

History

In 2016, Gitanjali Lalitkala Academy organized a street theatre festival at the Botomool in Rabindra Sarani, Uttara, Dhaka, which was the first street theatre initiative organized in the area. At the time, the place where the street plays was staged was named in memory of Mahbub Ul Alam Choudhury, an activist of the Bengali language movement. Due to the lack of infrastructure in Uttara, cultural organizations had been demanding the construction of an outdoor venue structure to host events. In 2019, a book fair, discussion meeting and cultural festival were held at the same venue from March 17 to March 26. During the program, in the presence of the then Jatiya Sangsad member of the area, Sahara Khatun, Mahbub Amin Mithu, the founder director of Gitanjali Lalitkala Academy, proposed the construction of a stage infrastructure at the place, and he was assured of its implementation with support. The then president of Kabi Nazrul Institute and Nazrul researcher Rafiqul Islam was present at the event who advised to name the proposed stage structure after the first president of Bangladesh, Bangabandhu Sheikh Mujibur Rahman. Then in May 13 of the same year, Atiqul Islam, the then Mayor of Dhaka North City Corporation, while visiting the proposed site for the structure, located at the western end of Rabindra Sarani, assured to build it as soon as possible. In 2020, it was reported that the construction of Uttara's first cultural outdoor structure under the supervision of Dhaka North City Corporation had started. In 2021, at the opening ceremony of an art exhibition organized at the Friends Club playground in Uttara, Atiqul Islam informed that the construction work of the proposed venue was in progress. On 19 March 2022, the outdoor stage, built for the purpose of hang out and organizing cultural events, was inaugurated. It was renamed to its current name in 2024 in memory of student Mir Mahfuzur Rahman Mugdho who was died in Azampur, Uttara during July massacre.

Activities and obervances

In 2015, a cultural program was organized on 17th and 18th December in Botomool on the occasion of Bangladesh's Victory Day. In 2018, on the occasion of the spring festival, a street theatre festival was organized on the stage under the initiative of Theater Angaan. In 23 March of the same year, an open short film festival was held at the Botomool under the initiative of the Dhaka Film Movement where 12 selected films were screened. Then in 8 November, theater personality Mamunur Rashid inaugurated the first Uttara Cultural Festival at the outdoor venue. On the occasion of the International Mother Language Day in 2020, the stars of the entertainment world took part in the art decoration painting organized by artist Liton Kar on the stage. In the same year, in the context of the COVID-19 pandemic, Gitanjali Lalitkala Academy conducted a relief distribution program at the stage. Dhaka North City Corporation then provided a hand washing basin, soap and water at the stage as part of a hand washing program to raise public awareness about the COVID-19 pandemic, although the initiative failed. In 2021, Uttara Cultural Society organized a cultural program on the occasion of the golden jubilee of Bangladesh's Victory Day in which Jatiya Party chairman and then leader of opposition in parliament GM Quader was present as the chief guest. On the occasion of Bangladesh Genocide Remembrance Day and Bangladesh's Independence Day in 2022, Uttara Artists Association organized a cultural festival at the Mukto Mancha. After that, a cultural program was organized in the same year on the occasion of the Bengali New Year by the initiative of New Year Celebration Council in association with several organizations. On the occasion of the birthday of Sheikh Mujibur Rahman in 2023, Gitanjali Lalitkala Academy organized a day-long cultural program at Mukto Mancha. In the following year, his birthday was celebrated at the same venue in the presence of Khosru Chowdhury, then member of Jatiya Sangsad. In August 3 of that year, a candlelight vigil was held at Mukto Mancha to commemorate those killed during the quota reform movement. In 30 August and 1 September, Padmapuran, The Golden Wings of Watercocks, Ora 7 Jon and Santaao were screened on the venue to raise funds for the victims of the August 2024 floods. In the same year, due to the objection of the local people to organize Durga Puja at Sector 11 playground in Uttara, this venue was finalized instead of that location.

Further reading

• Rahman, Pavel (7 November 2022). "যত বড় হচ্ছে ঢাকা, তত ছোট হচ্ছে নাটক পাড়া-সিনেমা পাড়া" [The bigger Dhaka is, the smaller the Theatre-Cinema neighbourhood is]. Bdnews24.com (in Bengali).