Abul Hayat honoured with Natyajan Award at International Theatre Festival
Veteran actor, director and playwright Abul Hayat received the Natyajan Shommanona (Theatre Personality Award) at the opening of the Fourth International Theatre Festival 2026 at the Jatiya Kabi Kazi Nazrul Islam University.
The seven-day festival began on July 12 and will continue until July 18. It has been organised by the university’s Department of Theatre and Performance Studies as part of the postgraduate examination for the 2023–24 academic session.
Accepting the honour, Abul Hayat said the recognition acknowledged his long career while also reminding him of his responsibility towards future work. “This award is not just an honour for me, it is an expression of everyone’s love,” he said.
Addressing students, he said, “Acting is not simply about standing on stage and speaking or showing one’s face. It is about portraying art and reality. Success will come in life, but honesty and dedication are even more important. Theatre teaches people to become better human beings. It teaches us to understand the joys and sorrows of others and to stand against injustice.”
According to the organisers, a different play will be staged every evening at 7 pm until July 18 at the Zia Haider Lab in the university’s old Arts Building. The productions include works by Bangladeshi and international playwrights, with the festival concluding with “Ponchomir Chand”, staged by Kankinara Shilpangan from West Bengal, India.
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