Dhaka: A legal notice has been served to four individuals, including renowned theatre and film director Nasir Uddin Yusuf Bachchu, demanding the return of late playwright Selim Al Deen’s medals, awards, and drama manuscripts to the Selim Al Deen Museum in Feni. Supreme Court lawyer Barrister Shihab Uddin Khan issued the notice on behalf of Salah Uddin Shuvro, Al Deen’s nephew and vice-president of the Selim Al Deen Center.
According to Bangladesh Sangbad Sangstha, the three other individuals to whom the notice was issued are Kamrul Hasan, Abdus Salam, and Nasrin Sultana Bilkis, all of whom had close associations with Selim Al Deen. A copy of the notice has also been sent to the Secretary of the Ministry of Cultural Affairs and the Director General of the Department of Archaeology to inform them and prompt necessary action.
The legal notice alleges that these individuals have unlawfully retained various valuable items, including medals, awards, plays, manuscripts, and other belongings of Selim Al Deen, exploiting their close working relationships with him. The notice emphasizes the importance of preserving these items at the Selim Al Deen Museum in Feni.
Selim Al Deen, a luminary in the field of drama, was honored with the title ‘Natyacharya’ for his significant contributions to theater. He established the Department of Drama and Dramatics at Jahangirnagar University and received numerous prestigious awards, such as the Bangla Academy Literary Award, Ekushey Padak, and Swadhinata Padak.
The legal notice argues that these items are of national and cultural significance. It is regrettable that the recipients of the notice have kept these items for a prolonged period, risking their deterioration due to inadequate preservation. Furthermore, the absence of these items from public display has deprived admirers, researchers, and fans of Al Deen of valuable insights into his legacy.
The notice highlights the existence of the Selim Al Deen Center in Feni, the playwright’s birthplace, which includes a museum established in 2009. Despite regular visits from admirers, fans, and researchers, both domestic and international, the center and museum currently lack any display of Al Deen’s medals, awards, manuscripts, or belongings, much to the visitors’ disappointment.
The notice claims that repeated requests for the return of these items have been ignored by the recipients. It further accuses Nasir Uddin Yusuf Bachchu of using his influence and connections with the previous government to insult and dismiss the notice issuer’s demands.
Shuvro, as Al Deen’s nephew, seeks the return of all items under the law of inheritance to facilitate their preservation and public display. The notice sets a 15-day deadline for the return of the items, failing which legal action will be pursued.