Aranyak to stage ‘Rarang’ on May Day

Theatre troupe Aranyak will stage its production “Rarang” on May 1 at the Bangladesh Shilpakala Academy, marking International Workers’ Day with a performance focused on the struggles of the Santal community.

The play will be performed at the Experimental Theatre Hall of the National Theatre Hall complex in Dhaka. It is the troupe’s 45th production.

Written and directed by Mamunur Rashid, “Rarang” examines the marginalisation of Santals, portraying their daily hardships, resistance and fight for dignity.

The narrative follows a community pushed to the margins, where survival becomes a constant struggle. It depicts how deprivation, systemic neglect and exploitation lead to organised resistance among Santals seeking basic rights and recognition.

The play presents a layered conflict involving local authority figures, including law enforcement and village elites, alongside emerging voices of resistance within the community. It frames the uprising not as isolated unrest but as a broader struggle for existence and justice.

The cast includes Mamunur Rashid, Shamim Zaman, Arif Hossain Apel, Sajjad Saju, Sujat Shimul and Shamima Shawkat Lovely, among others.

As part of its May Day programme, Aranyak will also stage a street play titled “Murkho Loker Murkho Kotha”, written and directed by Mannan Hira, at the Central Shaheed Minar at 10 am.

The programme will include Baul music performances by Bhabanagar Sadhusanga. Fauzia Moslem, president of the Bangladesh Mahila Parishad, is expected to attend as a guest.