Page 226 - Art and Crafts of Bangladesh

GRAPHIC DESIGN 223

theatre commenced with a Russian named Gerasim Stepanovich Lebedev in 1795. At
55
the beginning of the 19th century, the Bengalis who knew English became interested in
English theatre and started to view them. However, the 50s of the 19th century has been
marked as the starting of the Bengali theatre in Kolkata. Moreover, the first theatre
stage for the inhabitants of Kolkata was established later in 1872 (National Theatre). 56
More professional theatre groups were gradually formed afterwards. Therefore, to
publicize the theatres, the practice of distributing leaflets started in the last half of the
18th century or sometime in the 19th century in this subcontinent. It can be mentioned
in this reference that the printing press was established by this time in the second half
of the 18th century (1777/78). The numbers of printing presses increased gradually. It
is known that the engravers of Bat-tala worked to make the big wooden letters or
carved blocks for the handbills and posters. In that case, it is very likely that the
57
leaflets and the handbills were printed from these presses.
Muntasir Mamun thinks that probably the theatre in Dhaka started in around 1860. 58
There are debates regarding the establishment of the first theatre hall in Dhaka though.
However, we can say that by the 6os of the 19th century the first theatre hall was
established. Moreover, we can also guess that during this time, for the sake of
59
publicity of dramas, the use of the leaflet in Dhaka might have started. We know that
more than one printing press was established by 1860.
Amazing information is found from Hakim Habibur Rahman. He mentions that at the
end of the 19th century (1894/95), on 1st January in Shahbag, at a festival arranged by
the Nawabs, there was a group of Sang from the Mahuttuli area and ‘...they had a
printed copy in English of a testimonial that they distributed. Strangely, I still have a
copy of that though it happened at least 51 years ago.’ [Trans.] Therefore, the
60
practice of distributing leaflets in Dhaka started in the 19th century. This statement of
Hakim Habibur Rahman is strong evidence in support of this view, and it is known
that for not only dramas, handbills or leaflets were distributed also for other occasions.
It can be mentioned in this regard that the inhabitants of Dhaka were introduced to the
film at the end of the19th century (1898). In addition, the first permanent cinema hall
61
was made in the 20s of the 20th century and named Picture House (Shabistan). By
62
the 30s and 40s, more cinema halls were made in and outside Dhaka. For marketing
purposes and for publicity, the cinema halls took some steps and distributing leaflets
and handbills was one of them. Until the partition and even after that, in the 50s and
60s, these handbills and leaflets were not very attractive. Usually the summary of the
film, names of the heroes and heroines, other actors and actresses, directors and
producers were supplied in those leaflets.
After independence, the leaflets of Bangladesh were quite ordinary. They were made
on 1/8th (8´´× 5.5´´) of a sheet of newsprint paper and the purpose was given
importance rather than making it artistically presentable. Naturally, these leaflets
were based on writings.
Leaflets are used for advertisement of different products, publicity of drama or film,
conference or meeting, electoral campaign or political opinion. However, most of all