Foridul Alam Forid, Entertainment Reporter || A nine-day Dhaka Theatre Festival has begun at Bangladesh Shilpakala Academy as part of celebrations marking 416 years of Dhaka. Organised by Dhaka South City Corporation (DSCC), the festival will feature nine plays, with one staged each day.The festival opened on Sunday evening at the National Theatre Hall with ‘Kinu Kahare’r Theatre’, a production by Prachyanat. Written by Manoj Mitra, the play was directed by Kazi Toufiqul Islam Emon. On the second day, Monday, ‘Kanjus’, a comedy produced by Loke Natyadal (Banani), will be staged at the same venue.Dhaka Padatik will present Trial of Surya Sen on Tuesday, the third day of the festival. On Wednesday, the fourth day, Bashori Repertory will stage Aleya, written by National Poet Kazi Nazrul Islam. Aranyak Natyadal will present ‘Company’ on Thursday, the fifth day.On Friday, the sixth day, Theatre Art Unit will stage Amina Sundari at the Experimental Theatre Hall. The seventh day will feature Konthonalite Surjo by Tirondaj Natyadal, followed by Drishtipat Natyadal’s ‘Shey Ek Shopner Raat’ on the eighth day.The festival will conclude with Sea-Morog, a production by Bangladesh Theatre, at the National Theatre Hall on the final day. Each day, the main theatre performances will begin at 7:00pm. Before the evening shows, a range of cultural programmes will be held on the open-air stage outside the auditorium from 4:00pm. The pre-show programmes will include dance, music, recitations and other cultural performances.