Late eminent playwright Selim Al Deen and Nasir Uddin Yusuf Bachchu. -Collage Photo

DHAKA, Sept 25, 2025 (BSS) – A legal notice has been served on four people including theatre and film director Nasir Uddin Yusuf Bachchu to return late eminent playwright Selim Al Deen’s medals, awards and manuscripts of dramas to Selim Al Deen Museum in Feni.

Supreme Court lawyer Barrister Shihab Uddin Khan sent the notice by post today on behalf of Salah Uddin Shuvro, nephew of Selim Al Deen and vice-president of Selim Al Deen Center, said a press release.
The three other recipients of the notice are Kamrul Hasan, Abdus Salam and Nasrin Sultana Bilkis who were known to Selim Al Deen.

A copy of notice has been sent to the Secretary of the Ministry of Cultural Affairs and the Director General of the Department of Archaeology for their information and taking necessary action in this regard.

The legal notice stated that these valuable items will be preserved at the Selim Al Deen Museum in Feni.

The notice alleged that the four individuals who received the notice have illegally kept various valuables, medals, awards, plays and other manuscripts, and other belongings acquired and used by the late Selim Al Deen, taking advantage of their close working relationship.

Playwright Selim Al Deen, a celebrated playwright, writer, researcher and theater director, was awarded the title of 'Natyacharya' for his outstanding contribution to theater. He established the Department of Drama and Dramatics at Jahangirnagar University.

He was given various awards from home and abroad including the Bangla Academy Literary Award, Ekushey Padak, Swadhinata Padak.
 
The notice stated that all these medals, awards, manuscripts, valuables and belongings of Selim Al Deen are national treasures and have cultural values.

But it is unfortunate that the notice recipients for long time have kept the memorabilia, belongings, manuscripts, medals and awards of Selim Al Deen in their possession, making those items vulnerable to destroy due to lack of proper preservation. 
Moreover, the admirers of Selim Al Deen, and researchers and fans are being deprived of having glimpse of the items as those items were not on display.

The notice said, there is a Selim Al Deen Center in Feni, the birthplace of the playwright, which is also housed museum on Selim Al Deen established in 2009. 

Countless admirers, fans, domestic and foreign researchers regularly visit this center and museum. But the visitors are shocked so see that the center or the museum have not any display of the medals, awards, manuscripts or belonging of Selim Al Deen.

The legal notice claimed that the notice giver repeatedly requested the respondents to return those items, but paid no attention to the request.
 
The notice further said, Nasir Uddin Yusuf Bachchu was an influential person and close to the previous government’s high ups. He used to insult and humiliate the notice issuer and denied to return those items.

The notice issuer, a nephew of Selim Al Deen, also demanded the return of all items of Selim Al Deen to him under the law of inheritance so that he can take necessary measures to preserve and display them.

The notice mentioned 15 days time to return all the medals, manuscripts, awards, valuables and belongings of the late Selim Al Deen. Otherwise, necessary legal action will be taken, it said.