Recently BITA theatre Core Team re-staged Megher Vela.

‘Megher Vela’ theatre depicts a heart-rending narration of coastal people who survives through continuous life-struggle at the backdrop of climate change. This theatre production is made on the basis of news and feature on sad stories of displaced people caused by climate change published in different newspapers. Life-sketch of coastal Bangladesh and Orissa of India are mostly similar. Noted Theatre Director of India Subodh Patnaik mainly prioritized his experience of Orissya and coastal region of Chattogram centering climate demonstrates changed lifestyles of people due to shrimp culture hampering eco-system. Climate change resilience got much importance in the theatre. Sisir Dutta worked in planning where Subodh patnaik played as Director of the theatre. BITA staff and grassroots artists performed. In this spell, Megher Vela was displayed at different coastal upazilas like Sitakunda, Banskhali, Anwara, Ukhiya, Teknaf of Chattogram and Cox’s Bazar districts. This year, in the next performance, ‘Megher Vela’ will be displayed in coastal areas of Khulna and Bagerhat.

18th Issue April-June 2019

BITA E-News Letter

Climate Change Resilience

based theatre ‘Megher Vela”

Youth group have known the Labour Law from training

Training for youth persons on Youth and Gender based budget

Caregivers training organized at Ramgati

Cyclone preparation Rehearsal arranged

Community Assembly in Rohingya Camp

Parental care session arranged in Rohingya Camp

Allowance disbursement in BITA-ROSC Ananda school

They now know, how to make “Puppet”

Program Quality Review Meeting arranged in CIAS project

Refresher Training organized on IPC in CIAS project

They are very happy to receive “Foundation Training”

“Jegay Uthar Golpa” shake the community

CTC members received the training cordially

Find out the Disable Persons and Disaster tolerance materials distribution

Banshkhali Upazila Counter Trafficking Committee (CTC)activation Meeting hold

Tobacco sales centers in public places are to be shut in Chittagong City

Some Organizations Visit BITA

This Issue

Action for Impact project of BITA organize a day long

training program for youth group on 22 May 2019 at BRAC Learning Center in Chittagong. 20 youth persons attended in the training. The subject of the training were Labour Law, Youth Policy and youth skill development policy. Youth persons came from BITA working area 9 and 29 no ward of Chittagong City Corporation. Bappa Chowdhury, project coordinator of BITA LRP-41 project, Sumaiya Ferdous, Deputy Manager monitoring and Farhadur Rahim, inspiration of Action Aid conducted the training. Participants of the training were very happy to take such a training, because they have lack of knowledge about Labour Law, Youth Policy and youth skill development policy. They understood the subject very clearly. They will arrange such type of training in their area to create consciousness of the youth.

BITA-Action for Impact project arranged a training on “Youth and Gender based budget” at the BRAC Learning Center

in Chittagong. 24 youth persons from BITA working area 9 and 29 no ward attended in the training. Bappa

Chowdhury, project coordinator and Kanta Mallik, Program Officer of BITA LRP-41 project discussed about the youth

based budget. The youth personnel also express their opinion about the youth based budget.

The content of the training were

what is budget, types of budget,

how the budget can be youth

based and what is the input

tracking. Participants make an

action plan for implement the

work in their own area. They were

trying to understand about the

budget.

Youth group have known the Labour Law from training

Training for youth persons on Youth and Gender based

budget

East Char Neyamat Community Disaster Management

Committee (CDMC) group in Ramgoti upazila in Laxmipur district arranged a training on take care of older and disable persons in the family. 26 volunteer attended in the training. The training organized by CDMC member. They proposed BITA willingly to give the technical support of the training. It is one of the achievement of BITA. We could to motivate the people (CDMC member) to take any step which is better for the community. They are the very interested to arrange the training in which family have older person. The content of the training was the strategy and its practical side to take care of older and person with disable in the family. All of the volunteer assumed the strategy to take care of sick older persons in the family. They learnt about the physical exercise for maintain good health. Participants of the training were very happy to learn the strategy to take care of older and person with disable. BITA is working for older persons for a long time in Laxmipur. By this time BITA worked for older persons on their happy life.

Caregivers training organized at Ramgati

Cyclone preparation Rehearsal arranged

IDR-2 project of BITA have arranged a rehearsal on preparation of cyclone mitigate in the Azad Market area of

Ramgati upazila in Laxmipur district. The chief guest of the rehearsal was Md. Nasir Uddin, Union Parisad member of Char Gazi Union. 55 of children, youth and older person directly participated for 45 minutes in the rehearsal. It was a replication of protection practice of cyclone. About 720 male and 340 female watching the rehearsal in the field, they also learnt how to save themselves during cyclone. The event of the rehearsal were the preparedness before cyclone, what will do after cyclone and when will go to the shelter home. Mass people gathered the general knowledge of preparedness during cyclone time. The another attempt of the rehearsal was how all the people jointly face the situation during cyclone. They understood that everybody should help another during the cyclone time. They understood the meanings of signal, what will do in which signal moment. They formed a cyclone preparedness committee contained 50 members. The committee will help everybody during the cyclone.

Community Assembly in

Rohingya Camp

Community Assembly held on 29th April 2019

in Rohingya camp with the stakeholder of Rohingya people whose are engaged in the human service activities in Unchiprang camp of Teknaf upazila. The program arranged by the Promoting Social Engagement Through Cultural Initiatives for Protective Environment (PSCIPE) project. The objectives of the program were, the necessity of strong social solidarity, child protection, protection from gender violence, encourage the community initiatives for integrated development and Gov’t, Non-Gov’t integrated help/coordination on service and protection. The slogan of the program was “sabai mile awaz tuli, shishu suraksha o samajik sanghati nishchit kari”. Camp Incharge, Assistant Camp Incharge, Majhi, Mentor, CBCPC, TFD group member, NGO representative attended in the program and participated in the discussion. Camp based program and achievement discussed in the program. About 300 camp people (youth girl 45, youth boys 130, female 25, male 100) attended in the program. Camp people proposed to continue the cultural based awareness program for child protection. A drama show named “ Bhul Theke Shiksha” and cultural program arranged in the program by the Rohingya cultural activist.

Parental care session arranged in the Rohingya Camp on child rights, responsibility of parents and skill

development by the PSCIPE project of BITA. 4 session operated in every group by participatory approach

those are child protection risk and service receive, general health and change of adolescent moment, child

independence and expression of opinion, social discipline and volunteerism, education of internal dynasty

and positive practice, moral learning etc. Total 118 session arranged in the 12 camp. About 2832 parents

(male 216, female 2616) attended in those 12 sessions. Participants recognized their responsibility to the

child protection. They understood the positive elements of their children take care and nursing as well as

application skill have created. Parents expressed their opinion that those elements are very necessary for

their children welfare and protection. They showed the eagerness to practice those elements in their family

and community.

Parental care session arranged in Rohingya Camp

40 schools of Reaching Out of School Children (ROSC) project running in the Chattogram City Corporation area from 2017 by the management of BITA. The project supported by Primary and Mass Education ministry of Bangladesh Gov’t. Under privilege children from the slum area are the learners of these school. They learn here as free of cost. They also get an allowance from the project. Sonali Bank is disbursing this allowance from the beginning.

In the month of June/2019, 14 branch of Sonali Bank

in Chittagong disbursed this allowance among the

learners of ROSC-II project for continue their

education. About 5230 learners received the

allowance. Learners, their guardians and CMC

president were present at the allowance

disbursement moment. Several brunches of Sonali

Bank officers disbursed the Allowance in the School

compound. Learners and their guardians are very

happy to get the allowance by this time. The

guardians express their opinion that it is an

inspiration for the learners to continue their

education.

Four days workshop has

been organized in the BITA-ROSC Ananda School on 13, 15, 20, 21th May at Beltoli school. The subject of the workshop was how to make “Puppet” from the plastic wastage. The learners of the Ananda school are underprivileged children. For the social and family environment they cannot get any scope to delegate their creativity as they have creative mentality. So they do not think them important person of the society. They never think that they have an ability to give something to the society. They never think “We can”. BITA try to help the underprivileged children for delegate their creativity and to grow self confident within the them. Then the children should think that they have to do something for the society, for the family. This is also a workshop for the children to do something better, to learn something better. 15 learners of BITA Beltoli Ananda school whereas 10 girls and 5 boys participated in the workshop. Their age was 11 to 14 years. The whole workshop facilitated by Salahuddin Mahmud Bappi and Sarmin Sultana Rasha of BITA. In the workshop children learnt the making process of “Puppet” from the plastic wastage. They are very happy to learn it. Their guardian is also happy. BITA Executive Director Sisir Dutta was present in the last day and appreciated the learners and facilitators to do such a creative works.

They now

know, how

to make

“Puppet”

Allowance disbursement in BITA-ROSC Ananda school

Program Quality Review Meeting arranged in CIAS project

A Program Quality Review Meeting hold on 23 May 2019 at Upazila Auditorium, Ukhiya, Cox’s Bazar. SisirDutta,

Executive Director, BITA, ASM Jamal Uddin, Program Manager and other project officials of BITA-CIAS project attended in the meeting. The progress and challenges of the project discussed in the meeting. Two major subject have discussed in the meeting that There are always questions whether quality of IFC fall or not. There are some issues came up from SMOs. There are sector wise info hub services at camp with their own mobilization team which could be a major fall of Service Seekers at camp. It was also discussed how to we can minimize it. It is decided that In Advocacy Workshop and Community Consultation Meeting, we need to ensure CiC attendance and Site Coordinator from UNICEF. Apart from their attendance, we will ensure proper reporting format with electronic documentation. Above all, guideline will be made with all SMOs involving M & E O, CwC& CB Officer and PM.

Refresher Training organized on

IPC in CIAS project

Refresher training organized on IPC in CIAS project on 11 & 12 May 2019 at UNI Resort, Cox’s Bazar. The

training program was arranged and facilitated by BITA-C4D project team with help of UNICEF C4D team. Sarder Arif Uddin, Consultant, UNICEF and A S M Jamal Uddin, PM, BITA-CIAS project attended in the training. Project staffs of the CIAS project were the participant of the training. It has been seemed that participants will learn conducting interpersonal communication for delivering life saving messages at camp. In the beginning of the training opinions have been taken from the participants what they expect from the training. However, some expectation points have been noted such as behavior change communication, proper conduct of IPC, clear concept on CwC etc. There were role plays on camp situation with two images - one lackof proper hygiene promotion and sanitation of 2017 and 2019. Participants were aware of basic massage in role play and they were able to identify camp situation. There were 5 role plays which clearly reflects camp situation. Messages in role play include lack of hygiene promotion, shelter, health, GBV and changes over time through communication and community engagement through communication contribute to build a friendly environment in camp. The main subject of the training was Communication.

Staff development training is a regular step of BITA for increasing the capability of staff. Capacity building,

management, communication is the main and other related issues are the training subject of these training. BITA provide foundation training for new staff and refreshers training for all staff. According to this custom BITA organized 3 days long foundation training on 17 to 19th May 2019 at BITA Culture and Communication Trust (BCCT) Patya. New comers of the BITA staff who are working in several projects were the participant of the training. The main vision of the training was the skill development and capacity building of the staff. BITA executive director Mr. Sisir Dutta delivered the well-come speech and declared the opening of the training. The expectations of the participants were mainly to build up their skill in program development and implementation from the training. The training facilitated by Sisir Dutta, Haroon ur Rashid, Fazlul Karim Nizam, Pradip Acharjee, Bappa Chowdhury, Ashok Barua, Kanij Ferhana, A H M Hossain Monsur, Mrityunjoy Sengupta and Sukanta Das. Participants received the training cordially and enjoying the events happily, because it was a residential training. All the participants were very happy to receive such a training. There was a special event in this training. It was “Tree Plantation”. The participants planted different types of tree sapling in the outer side of the BCCT structure within the boundary . All the participants were very happy and they expect such type of training in future.

They are very happy to receive “Foundation Training”

BITA presents 6 theatre show

named ‘Jegay Uthar Golpa’ in front of community people at different place of Chanhara and Kaylishore union of Patiya upazila under Chattogram district on May/2019. The show based on issue of TIP, Safe Migration, Child Marriage and also CVE. Approximately 1880 viewers observed these shows, among them 860 were female and 1020 were male. Community people including parents, youth people and local elected body as well as male and female member, teachers, farmers, CTC members, marriage register, potential migrants, journalist and local political persons and peer leaders observed these theatre shows. After the each show Babla Das, Field Officer, Patiya of BC-TIP program tried to received the openion on theatre show while they understood the massage or not. Then the CTC member Mr. Md. Rafiqul Islam (4 no. ward, Chanhara union, Patiya), Ms. Shahin Akter (4, 5 and 6 no. ward, Chanhara union, Patiya) and Mr. Md. Ishaque (2 no. ward, Kaylishore union, Patiya) expressed their opinion and discussed with on human trafficking, safe migration, 10 steps of safe migration and child marriage issue. They assured the audience to prevent human trafficking, promote safe migration and extremely prevent to child marriage in their territory. After the each show instant evaluation of theatre show performance is taken from the audience

BITA organized Two Union level training with CTC members on capacity

development as their roles and responsibility at Kaylishore union of Patiya upazila under Chattogram district and Fathekharkul union of Ramu upazila under Cox’s Bazar district on May/2019. Total 30 CTC members attended In the training. From the training the participants knew the Definition of human trafficking and root cause of human trafficking, Steps of human trafficking, Discussion about the National Plan of Action and Prevention, Protection, Prosecution Collaboration under the NPA, Ten steps of safe migration, Role and

responsibility of union CTC etc. Whereas 06 were female and 24 were male participants including Chairman, UP secretary, UP members, women UP ward members, marriage register, religious leader, community police, sub-assistant agriculture officer, health officer, teacher, chairman representative, family planning officer and local peer leaders of BC-TIP program . Mr. Sorouz Kanti Sen, Chairman of Kaylishore union of Patiya upazila and Shamsuddin Kamal Prince, Chairman of Joarianala union of Ramu upazila inaugurated the training program. Ashok Barua, project coordinator of BC-TIP program, BITA is conducted the training and Noman Sharif, field officer, Ramu upazila and Babla Das, Field officer, Patiya upazila were also present and support in training program.

“Jegay Uthar Golpa” shake the community

CTC members received the training cordially

BITA is working with the person of disable from a long time by the IDR project in

Ramgoti, Laxmipur. Belonging from that program BITA took a survey to find out the disable persons in the Char Algi, Bara Kheri and Char Gazi union. BITA found about 269 disable persons from those union. CDMC members completed the door to door survey by voluntary service.

In Char Gazi union we found 93 disable persons. After the survey we took the need assessment of the disable persons in those union, we wanted to know which is very essential for their living. We By this time we have distributed the helping materials to 176 Older and Disable persons which is very helpful aid for their life. We distributed 20 Wheel Chair, 9 hand crutch, 21 toilet commode, 112 stick, 14 rack sin. The Older and Disable persons and their family are very happy to get the materials. We also provided training to 226 volunteer on take care of Older and Disable persons. We selected the volunteer from those families where have Older and Disable persons.

Find out the Disable Persons and Disaster tolerance materials distribution

BITA is implementing its BCTIP project from a long time. Every

upazila have a Counter Trafficking Committee (CTC) to reduce the trafficking. BITA and Banshkhali upazila administration jointly organized upazila CTC activation meeting at Banshkhali Dak Bangla (Govt. rest house) auditorium on 21st may 2019. The issue of CTC meeting was protecting human trafficking and safe migration as well as CTC roles and responsibility. Total of 29 participants were present in the meeting. Among them 03 were female and 26 were male participants. The main objective of the upazila Counter Trafficking Committee (CTC) activation meeting is ‘To activate and improve capacity of the CTCs on their functional role and service delivery mechanism that contributes to achievement of the National Plan of Action (NPA). The meeting presides by Upazilla Nirbahi Officer (UNO) and upazila CTC president Ms. Momena Akfter and the chief guest was honorable Member of Parliament Mr. Mustafizur Rahman. The meeting coordinate by Ms. Shakera Sharif, officer of women affairs and member secretary of upazila CTC. Upazila women vice chairman, Youth Development officer, Social Welfare Officer, Family Planning Officer, Rural Development Officer, Upazila Agriculture Officer, MOWCA, Upazila Education Officer, Officer-in-charge of Banshkhali Thana, Ansar-VDP representative, journalist, Marriage Register, Imam, Religious leader, All Union perished chairman and female word members and some respective persons who are selected by the UNO were attended into the meeting. The respective are discussed about different key points of human trafficking and safe migration issue. Upazila Nirbahi Officer discussed about the effectiveness of upazila CTC and advice to all present union chairman and female member to be activate of the union CTC.

Banshkhali Upazila Counter Trafficking

Committee (CTC)activation

Meeting hold

Foster and promote political commitment from government officials for overall tobacco control measures in Chittagong

with a focus on implementing the national ban on point of sale tobacco advertising and promotion including product display

BITA organized an inauguration program of anti-tobacco cultural campaign on 15th April 2019 at Bangabandhu Hall of Chattogram Press Club by the CTFK project. The Chief Guest of the program was honorable Mayor of Chattogram City Corporation Mr. A J M Nasir Uddin. The special guest of the program were Dr Azizur Rahman Siddique, Civil Surgeon, Chittagong, CCC Chief Education Officer Suman Barua, Dr. Shariful Alam, lead consultant, CTFK, Bangladesh, Sisir Dutta, executive director of Bangladesh Institute of Theatre Arts (BITA) and S M Nazer Hossain, vice president of the CAB (Consumers' Association of Bangladesh). In this occasion BITA project team leader presents the status of baseline survey findings where are 84.5% of the observations indicate that advertising and promotion of Tobacco is visible in Chattogram City. Around 76% of total observations indicate that advertising and promotional activities of tobacco are operated either by poster or sine board sticker or banner following 63.08% by Mockup packs of tobacco, 55.74% by box (show case), 44.73% by logo on structure, 3.31% by either discount or coupon, 3.08% by either flyer or leaflet or pamphlet. As status of Tobacco Products Display at Points of Sale 85.10% observations indicates that tobacco products are displayed in point of sales. Around 83% of total POSs (point of Sales) replied that tobaccos are visible on organized shelf following 49.35% in tray, table, or other surface, 8.93% in power wall, 6.11% in hanging display. As program strategy mass awareness campaign is one of significant intervention where as Kobi Gaan could be a unique media. City Mayor inaugurated the campaign occasionally and said "Smoking in public places will be stopped within the next year. Additionally, all types of tobacco sales centers within 100 yards of public places, including educational intuitions and hospitals—will be shut. "Officers will be assigned to monitor the issue. Additionally, I will personally monitor the issue". This project is supported by Campaign for Tobacco Free Kids (CTFK)

Tobacco sales centers in public places are to be shut in Chittagong City

IRI Team visited the BCCT International Republican Institute (IRI) Bangladesh Resident

Program Director Mr. Geoffrey Macdonald, Ph.D. & their team

Visit BITA Culture & Communication Trust (BCCT) on 06th May 2019.

The main target of the team was to know the activities of BCCT. They

also observe BITA Presentation & discuss with BITA team about

different work. They visited all the space of BCCT. They became

satisfied to see the cultural instrument collection of BITA.

Some Organizations Visit BITA

.

British Council team watch the TiE

TiE is an innovative initiative of BITA. Which is very

popular now in mass people and school learners. British Council is also want to observe the TiE show. So a team of British Council, Dhaka watched the TiE show and visited BITA Culture & Communication Trust (BCCT) at 20 th April 2019 Patiya, Chattogram.The team members were Nahin Idris, Head of Arts & Ifra Iqbal, Project Manager, Arts, British Council Bangladesh.

They observed the Shyam-Shefali Mancha, cultural heritage collection of BITA, Child Center and Library of BCCT. They also observed all space of BCCT. They specially watched TiE show. The subject of the TiE show is Child Marriage. The actors and actress were the cultural team members of BITA. They appreciated the TiE show cordially. They suggested BITA to go ahead.

Asian University of

Women Visits BCCT

Dr Selvam Thorez Director Alliance Française Chittagong, Deputy Director Dr. Gurupada Chakraborty and Ethan J. Goldbach English and Mathematics Instructor, AUW and student of Asian University of Women visit BCCT & total 36 students of 12 different countries were engaged in this occasion and also musical performance with presence of local community people.

Date of Publication 18

th July 2019

BITA (Bangladesh Institute of Theatre Arts) 753, Mehedibag, Chittagong, Bangladesh

Tell: +88-031-610262 ; +88-01711-171070;01971-171070

E-mail: bitactg@gmail.com

Writing :

Haroon Ur Rashid, Manager, Program Assessment and Monitoring,Pradip Acharjee,

Coordinator, Program Development,Ashok Barua, Project Coordinator,Bappa

Chowdhury, Project Manager,Kanij Farhana,Project Coordinator,A H M Hossain Monsur

Masum , Project Coordinator,Jamal Uddin, Project Manager, CIAS Project , Md.

Ibrahim, Project Coordinator,Urmi Barua, Media Manager, Ela Chowdhury,Program

Officer

Design:

Mrityunjoy Sengupta, Senior Admin Officer & Focal Person HRM, BITA

Contact Person:

Sisir Dutta, Executive Director,

Bangladesh Institute of Theatre Arts (BITA)

E-mail: sisir_bita@yahoo.com

Cell No: +88- 01711-845996

Mousumi Chowdhury, Board Member, Executive Committee

Bangladesh Institute of Theatre Arts (BITA) E-mail:

mousumichy2014@gmail.com Cell No: +88 -01711-150322

The publication tries to reflect the initiative of BITA with community. The contents of

this publication are sole responsibility of BITA

www.bitactg.org

88th Executive Committee Meeting BITA’s 88th Executive Committee Meeting held on 11 May 2019 at BITA Central Coordination Office. EC President Cinthiya De Rozario presided over the meeting. Abdus Salam Adu-Vice President , Kamal Sengupta-General Secretary, Salah Uddin Ahmed (Naki)- Treasurer, Subrata Barua-Member, Bishawjit Sen- Member, Mohammad Roshangir- Member , Mousumi Chowdhury- Member, Sisir Dutta-Member & Executive Director were present in the meeting. Meeting endorsed AGM draft Resolution, Organizational Audit & review quarterly financial report. Also endorse development work at BCCT. The Members informed about the BITA’s ongoing program activities.

BITA attended at the 50th Anniversary of GRIPS Theatre

GRIPS Theatre of Berlin is one of the most important institutes in the world. The institute has introduced special kind of theatre for children around the world. Theatre directors from different parts of the whole earth assembled in the conference from 11 June 2019 to 14 June 2019 at GRIPS Theatre Hall. Specially seminar, workshop and regular theatre presentation held with coordination and participation from representatives of different regions. Executive Director of BITA Sisir Dutta delivered important speech at the seminar titled ‘Children’s Rights in Theatre – In Between Content and Aesthetics: An International Perspective.’ Furthermore, he participated in the seminar titled “Cultural Works in Political Fields.” Representatives from India, Britain, Brazil, Palestine, Greece, and different countries of Europe attended the international conference of GRIPS Theatre. Besides that he made courtesy meeting with Dr. Wolfgang Schneider UNESCO- Chair of Cultural policy for the Arts in Development in Berlin.