Guestes inaugurate the festival on Thursday.

An eight-day theatre festival kicked off in Chittagong through a colourful inauguration programme and staging of the play Urnajal by Nandimukh at the district Shilpakala Academy on Thursday.
Uttradhikar, a theatre troupe based in Chittagong, organised the theatre festival on the occasion of its stepping into tenth year.
Daily Azadi editor MA Malek inaugurated the festival by releasing balloons in the air. With convener of Uttaradhikar Theatre Festival Celebration Council 2012 Jahedul Alam in the chair, the inauguration programme was attended among others by assistant Indian High Commssioner Somnath Ghosh, secretary general of Bangladesh group Theatre Federation Jhuna Chowdhury and Uttaradhikar Theatre Festival Celebration Council 2012 member secretary Mazharul Alam Titumir.
 Jhuna Chowdhury, in his speech, focused on the glorious past of the theatre activists. ‘The theatre activists have played an active role in all political struggles of Bangladesh. They raise their voice against all repressive measures by the autocratic rulers,’ he said.
He called upon the government to come forward to extend all necessary support for spreading the theatre in every nook and corner of the country.
’The cultural activists never bow down their head before any evil force. To build an exploitation-free society, there is no alternative to cultural activities,’ said Somnath Ghosh addressing the audience at the function.    
Mazharul Alam Titumir discussed about the absence of infrastructural facilities in the field of theatre in port city of Chittagong. But he ended his speech with an optimistic note, ‘However, we are not feeling down and vowing to go ahead.’
Besides, a cultural programme including music, dance and recitation added colour to the inaugural session.  The students of Shilpakala Academy presented a chorus song while School of Oriental dance performed a dance recital.
A total of eight theatre troupes—two Dhaka based and six local—are participating at the festival. The staging of dramas would continue everyday at 7:00pm at the same venue till April 12.