Renowned playwright Selim Al Deen’s 67th birth anniversary is being celebrated on Thursday simultaneously at Shilpakala Academy and Jahangirnagar University.Marking the day in a befitting manner, theatre troupe Swapnadal launches a three-day Natyacharya Selim Al Deen Janma Utsab 2016 at Bangladesh Shilpakala Academy.The day’s event will begin this morning with a procession at Jahangirnagar University, where theatre activists from across the country will join teachers and students of the university.Selim Al Deen, born on August 18, 1949, pioneered the neo-theatre movement in Bangladesh, developing a new form of drama based on the narrative style of the traditional performing art forms.He also successfully implemented his theory in all of his 18 plays such as Shakuntala, Kittonkhola, Keramat Mongol, Hat Hadai, Chaka, Joiboti Koinnar Mon, Horgoj, Bonopangshul, Nimojjon and Dhaboman.Two films, titled Chaka and Kittankhola, were made based on his plays. He was also very popular teleplay writer.In 1974, he joined the Bangla department of JU as a lecturer. Later, in 1986, he helped found the university’s drama and dramatics department of which he was the first chairperson.In 1995, he completed his PhD at JU on Medieval Bangla Drama. He also compiled Bangla Natyakosh - the only anthology of Bangla drama-related terms.His plays are studied at Dhaka University, Jahangirnagar University and in two Indian universities - Jadavpur University and Rabindra Bharati University.He received several awards including Ekushey Padak in 2007, Bangla Academy Award for literature in 1984, Best Tele-playwright Award in 1994 and National Film Award for Best Dialogue in 1994.