Event

Day 1: 27 April 2025

Time: 10:00 AM - 12:30 PM

Inaugural Session

Venue: Natmandal Auditorium

Inaugural Performance

Featuring a Special 15-Minute Excerpt Performance from the Theatre ProductionPakhider Bidhansobha (Recreated from Fariduddin Attar’s Mantiq Ut Tair) Written by Dr Shahman Moishan Directed by Professor Dr. Ahmedul Kabir Performed by MA Second Semester 2023 Students Produced by Department of Theatre and Performance Studies, University of Dhaka

 

Inauguration and Chief Guest	Professor Niaz Ahmed Khan, PhD Hon’ble Vice Chancellor, University of Dhaka
Keynote Speech	Professor Dr Syed Jamil Ahmed Founding Chairman Department of Theatre and Performance Studies University of Dhaka
Discussants	Professor Quazi Mostain Billah Former Dean, Faculty of Arts and Humanities University of Chittagong   Professor Dr Israfil Shaheen Department of Theatre and Performance Studies University of Dhaka
Special Guest Remarks	Professor DrSayema Haque Bidisha Pro-Vice Chancellor (Administration), University of Dhaka   Professor M. Jahangir Alam Chowdhury, PhD Treasurer, University of Dhaka   Professor Dr Mohammad Siddiqur Rahman Khan Dean, Faculty of Arts, University of Dhaka
Welcome Speech	Dr Shahman Moishan Convenor of the Conference Committee & Associate Professor Department of Theatre and Performance Studies University of Dhaka
Opening Remarks	Shajada Syed IrfanulHouqe Managing Trustee Darul Irfan Research Institute Chottogram, Bangladesh
Vote of Thanks	Kazi Tamanna Haque Sigma Chairperson, Department of Theatre and Performance Studies, University of Dhaka

 

Break: 12:30 PM – 2:00 PM

Session 2 (Meet the Artist): Creating Mysticism into Performance: A Conversation on PakhiderBidhansobha

Session Lead: Professor DrAhmedul Kabir, Department of Theatre and Performance Studies, University of Dhaka

Time: 2:00 M - 2:45 PM

Venue: Natmandal Auditorium

 

 

Break: 2:45 PM – 3:00 PM

 

Session 3: Sufism and Contemporary Social Thought

Session Chair: Professor Dr Mohammad Jahangir Alam

Time: 3:00 PM – 4:45 PM

Venue: Natmandal Auditorium

1. MejbaulAlam Bhuiyan –Exploring Vertical and Horizontal Integration of Spirituality in Maizbhandari Tariqa Through Wilber’s Integral Theory Framework

2. Jahid Siraz Chowdhury – The Self at the Crossroads of Social Chaos

3. Abdur Razzak – Re-imagining the Relationship Between God, Humans, and Nature Through the Lens of Eco-Sufism

 

Session 4: Ethics, Representation and Sufi Worldviews

Session Chair: Dr Sydur Rahman Lipon

Time: 3:00 PM – 4:45 PM

Venue: Shahid Mofazzal Haider Chowdhury Faculty of Arts Conference Room, 5th floor, Arts Building

4. Md. Parvej Chowdhury – Love of Allah: Al-Ghazzali

5. Sirajuddin Shaikh – Sufi Philosophy as a Model for Spiritual Inclusivity and Social Harmony

6. Dr Zahid Azim –Sufi Philosophy of Majlishi Song: Commitment to Building a Humanistic Society through Song Lyrics and Melody

 

 

Session 5: Interfaith Narratives and Cultural Syncretism

Session Chair: Dr Md. Abdullah Al Mahmud......??????????

Venue: Room #  6007, 5th floor, Arts Building

Time: 3:00 PM – 4:45 PM

7. Sirajul Arefin Chowdhury – Lalon and Gazi in Bangladeshi Sufi Narratives

8. Sarwar Kamal – Mystical Traditions of Sufism in Bangladeshi Media

 

Break: 4:45 PM – 5:00 PM

 

Session 6: Esotericism, Signification and Maizbhandari Tariqa

Session Chair: Professor Mohammad ShekhSadi

Venue: Shahid Mofazzal Haider Chowdhury Faculty of Arts Conference Room, 5th floor, Arts Building

Time: 5:00 PM – 6:15 PM

9. Imtiaz Pavel Neel –

10. MD. RabiulHossen, SubornoBarua&AklimaAkther - Exploring Unity and Harmony in Esotericism: A Study of the Principles of the Maizbhandari Sufi Order

 

Break: 6:15 PM – 7:15 PM

 

Session 7 (Performative Talk): In this world of binary values, "Shadhona" stand against defeat or win

Time: 7:15 PM - 7:45 PM

Venue: Natmandal Auditorium

Session Lead: Dr Sudip Chakraborty, Associat Professor, Department of Theatre and Performance Studies, University of Dhaka

 

Day 2: 28 April 2025

Session 8: Mystical Selfhood and Sufi Theatre

Session Chair: Dr Israfil Shaheen

Time: 10:00 AM – 11:45 AM

Venue: Natmandal Auditorium

11. Ashraful Islam Sayan – The Collective Simorgh: Self-Discovery and Annihilation in the theatre of Pakhider Bidhansabha

12. Rageeb Nayeem – Pakhider Bidhansobha: Transformative Aesthetics in Post-uprising Bangladesh

13. Rudra Sawjal– In Search of the Beloved: Sufi Philosophy and Contemporary Theatre Practices in Bangladesh

 

Break: 11:45 AM – 12:00 PM

 

Session 9: Visual Arts, Performance and Sufi Aesthetics

Session Chair: Dr Titas Zia

Time: 12:00 PM – 1:15 PM

Venue: Natmandal Auditorium

14. Santanu Halder - Embodiment of Sufism in Method Acting and the Possibility of Creating a New Theatrical Language

15. Dr Shahman Moishan - Unpacking the Interwoven Epistemic Notion of Niranjan: Revisiting Syed Jamil Ahmed’s Work on Islam, Theatre, and Bangladesh

 

Break: 1:15 PM – 2:30 PM

 

Session 10: Visual Arts, Performance and Sufi Aesthetics

Session Chair: Dr Shahman Moishan

Venue: Natmandal Auditorium

Time: 2:30 PM – 4:15 PM

16. Fatema Zohra Haque – Sufism in the Contemporary Context: Relevance, Resistance, and Spiritual Transformation

17. Preema Nazia Andaleeb – What I Am That I Am Not, What I Am Not That is Performance

18. Sharmillie Rahman – Ronni Ahmmed’s Body of Work and Religious Inspiration

 

Session 11: Regional Currents of Sufi Practices

Session Chair: Kazi Md. Siful Aspea

Venue: Shahid Mofazzal Haider Chowdhury Faculty of Arts Conference Room, 5th floor, Arts Building

Time: 2:30 PM – 4:15 PM

19. Advocate Abdullah Md. Iqbal – Bangali Mindset-Culture and Maizbhandaria Tariqa

20. Md. SahajahanSk - Sufism in the 21st Century: Context and Its Relevance

 

 

Session 12: Sufism, Cultural Appropriation and Syncretic Traditions

Session Chair: Professor Dr Shah Kawthar Mustafa Abululayee

Venue: Room #  6007, 5th floor, Arts Building

Time: 2:30 PM – 4:15 PM

21. AklimaAkter - The 2025 Urs Sharif of HazratKabla through the Lens of Usul-e-   Saba: A Study on Sufi Spirituality and Social Service

22. Md. Faruk Hossain – Sufism in the Hill Areas of Nepal Himalaya

23. Mubarara Siddique – Seeking the Ontology of Sufism in Bengali Folk Music

 

Break: 4:15 PM – 4:30 PM

 

Session 13: Music and Embodied Sufi Traditions

Session Chair: DrSayeem Rana

Venue: Shahid Mofazzal Haider Chowdhury Faculty of Arts Conference Room, 5th floor, Arts Building

Time: 4:30 PM – 6:15 PM

24. Sk. Makbul Islam (D. Litt.) - Indigenization and Theatricization of Sufism

With Reference of Maizbhandar

25. Muhammed Sinan NC – The Influence of Rumi’s Poetry on Sufi Music

26. Rabbiul Hasan Shanto – মওলানা আব্দুল হাদী কাঞ্চনপুরী : গান ও গায়েন

 

Session 14: Sufi Theatre and Poetic Transmission

Session Chair: Professor Dr Ahmedul Kabir

Venue: Room #  6007, 5th floor, Arts Building

Time: 4:30 PM – 6:15 PM

27. Muhammad Ali Asgor - Empowerment through Spiritual Guidance: The Initiatives of Syed Emdadul Hoque Maizbhandari for the Maizbhandari Sufi Community

28. Mohammad ShekhSadi – Sufi Theatre and Maizbhandari Philosophy

29. DrSayeem Rana – The Bengali Muslim Society in Bhandari Philosophy and Qawwali Music

 

Break: 6:15 PM – 7:00 PM

 

Closing Session: Faith in Motion: Dance and Devotion in Sufi Practice

Venue: Natmandal Auditorium

Time: 7:00 PM – 7:45 PM

 

Closing Performance

Featuring a Special 15-Minute Excerpt Performance from the Dance Production Dilnawaz (Recreated from an Urdu Sufi Fable Written by Rahat Ara Begum) Choreographed by Sabbir Ahmed Khan Composed by Ratul Shangkar Ghosh Directed by Lubna Marium Produced by Shadhona

 

 

Closing Banquet 

Venue: Centre for Advanced Research in Sciences (CARS)

Time: 8:00 PM to 10:00 PM