A legal notice has been served to four individuals, including prominent theatre and film director Nasir Uddin Yusuf Bachchu, requesting the return of national and international medals, awards, manuscripts, and personal belongings of renowned playwright Selim Al Deen for preservation at a museum dedicated to his legacy in Feni.

The notice, sent on Thursday (Sept 25) on behalf of Salah Uddin Shuvro — nephew of Selim Al Deen and vice-president of the Selim Al Deen Centre in Feni — was issued by lawyer Barrister Shihab Uddin Khan.

The other recipients of the notice are Md Kamrul Hasan, Abdus Salam, and Nasrin Sultana Bilkis.

Citing the contents of the notice, Barrister Shihab Uddin Khan stated that Selim Al Deen was a playwright, researcher, and director of international calibre, honoured with the title “Natyacharya” for his exceptional contributions to Bangladeshi theatre. 

As the founder of the Department of Drama and Dramatics at Jahangirnagar University, he was a recipient of the Bangla Academy Literary Award, Ekushey Padak, and Independence Award, among other prestigious national and international recognitions.

The legal notice argues that Selim Al Deen’s medals, awards, manuscripts, and personal items are part of Bangladesh’s cultural heritage and, under Article 23 of the Constitution, fall under the state’s duty to preserve national culture, language, literature, and art.

However, it alleges that taking advantage of their close professional association with Selim Al Deen, the four individuals have kept the playwright’s memorabilia in their personal possession, where they risk gradual decay and remain inaccessible to the public, admirers, and researchers.

The Selim Al Deen Centre and Museum in Feni — established in 2009 at the playwright’s birthplace — serves as a hub for local and international scholars and fans. The absence of these important items from the museum has reportedly caused deep disappointment among visitors.

The notice demands that the four individuals return all items within 15 days. Failure to comply may result in a writ petition being filed at the High Court and other legal actions.

Copies of the legal notice have also been forwarded to the Secretary of the Ministry of Cultural Affairs and the Director General of the Department of Archaeology for their awareness and necessary action.

SMS/