TIB has been using the people’s theatre as a tool to spread its anti-corruption messages across 45 locations in the country. Cultural activists among the Youth Engagement and Support (YES) groups are picked up through a rigorous process to use drama as means for reaching out to the community with powerful messages to fight corruption in health, education, local government, land and climate finance areas. A total of 46 theatre groups exist now, with 45 such groups in CCC areas. 

Dhaka YES’s theatre team recently staged a street theatre show on 28 May 2015 at Capital’s Uttara area, with the support from Uttara University. Their production ‘Berajal’ (web of barriers) attracted a sizeable audience who cheered every dialogue as those mirrored their sufferings from land sector corruption. One spectator even stole the show by describing his own bad experience, prompting the audience to shout on top their voices that they will no longer tolerate such corrupt behaviors. 

The improvised drama centers on land grabbing and occupying water bodies by powerful quarters in Dhaka metropolis. It also highlighted cases of unauthorized payments in the cases of land registration and mutation where public sufferings have become a norm and a way of life.  

The connivance of the officials with the politically powerful and absence of rule of law, accountability and transparency in land sector was also depicted, much to the cheer of the crowd.

Dhaka YES theatre team, composed of cultural activists from its 14 groups, will perform similar road shows in several places of Dhaka City this year to raise public demand for ensuring transparency, integrity and accountability in land-related services.