A group of theatre artists Friday staged the street drama “Militant Attack” at Bashundhara City Shopping Complex on the 13th anniversary of the terror attack in Mumbai.
They condemned the Pakistani authorities, as the Indian side claims the 26/11 terror attack was “planned, executed and launched” from Pakistani territory.
Organised by Open Dialogue Bangladesh and performed by Samad Bhuiyan and his team, the street drama highlighted the “horrific acts of Pakistani militants” that took place on November 26.
The famous Bollywood city Mumbai was bloodied on that day and 164 people were killed, and more than 300 people were injured in that attack.
In the street drama, the artists exposed how 10 militants infiltrated Mumbai, crossing the Arabian Sea from Pakistan and attacked and fired indiscriminately at important places in the city, including 10 cafes, Taj Hotel, bus terminus, hotels and hospitals.
Umme Salma Shimu, Sadia Islam Anannya, Sumi Akhter, Lamia Akhter, Smriti Akhter, Nabil Mahmud Sabbir, Sajjad Masud Soumya, Ariful Islam, Shahriar Shuvo, Tahfimul Islam Apu and Yahya Bin Joy performed in the drama.
At the beginning of the street drama, music was performed to protest militant attacks in the subcontinent.
The drama was written and directed by Samad Bhuiyan.
He said the drama is not only for entertainment but also a tool of protest. “Today’s drama proved it again.”
On the 13th anniversary of the 26/11 Mumbai terror attacks, the government and people of India somberly remembered the victims and the valiant security personnel who laid down their lives to protect people.
The president, prime minister and external affairs minister of India in separate messages, expressed their firm solidarity with the families of the victims.
A solemn memorial event was organised by the State Government of Maharashtra at the Police Memorial in Mumbai.
A senior diplomat from the High Commission of Pakistan in India was summoned by India’s Ministry of External Affairs (MEA) Friday.
A note verbale reiterating India’s call for an expeditious trial in the Mumbai terror attacks case, and calling on the government of Pakistan to abide by its commitment to not allow territories under its control for terrorism against India, was handed over to him, according to the MEA.
Fourteen other countries lost their nationals in these attacks.
Even after 13 years of this heinous terror attack, the families of 166 victims from 15 countries across the globe still await closure, with Pakistan showing little sincerity in bringing the perpetrators to justice, said the MEA.
“The former prime minister of Pakistan had gone on record and admitted that the terrorists were sent from Pakistan’s soil. We once again call on the government of Pakistan to give up double standards and to expeditiously bring the perpetrators of the horrific attack to justice,” the MEA said.
“This is not just a matter of Pakistan’s accountability to the families of the innocent victims who fell to terrorists, but also an international obligation. The government of India will continue to make every effort to seek justice for the families of the victims and the martyrs.”
Source: United News of Bangladesh