নো ম্যান’স ল্যান্ড

04 Jan, 26
07:00 PM - 09:00 PM
Academy of Fine Arts: Kolkata

This is a play about the absurdities of bureaucracy, red tapism and how in conforming to such methods, atrocities are committed, and humanity is compromised in an unforgivable way.
The play tells the story of a destitute, injured woman lying helplessly on a rock in the no man’s land between the borders of India and Bangladesh and for whom no one comes to the rescue.
The Border Guards of Bangladesh (BGB) and the Border Security Forces (BSF) of India think she is the spy or a terrorist of the other country. The politicians and the government of each country is fearful that in rescuing her they might land into trouble and bring home a spy. The village folks of the 2 countries ponder amongst themselves and remain perplexed as to the outcome of this situation. The media of the respective countries, get wind of this and cash in on showcasing the woman via live coverage, helplessly lying in the no man’s land. People from far and near arrive to watch her plight. Vendors set up their tea and snack stalls to offer food and drinks to the visitors. A lucrative opportunity for small businesses begins to emerge. Two international and one national NGO also arrive and set up their offices in the area. UNHCR sends its representative since it is a case of rescuing a homeless woman. Even the Amnesty International representatives declare that this is a case of extreme human rights violation. With all the mounting international pressure, the BGB personnel and a few local politicians decide to rescue her and hand her over to the International Committee of the Red Cross. When this news reaches the local businesses, they, with the help of the local chairman, beg and plead with the area’s MP to stop this search effort since their businesses will suffer and so many livelihoods will be affected if she is rescued and given away to the Red Cross. The MP finally agrees to halt the rescue efforts in return for profits from the business that will be shared with him and his political party.
In the month of June, the rainy season is at its peak. A storm arrives and there is heavy flooding in the region, especially in the no man’s land. The rock on which the woman has prostrated herself slowly begins to submerge in water. The locals feel compelled to save her to keep alive their businesses. They run with ladders and bamboo sticks to erect a makeshift structure on which she can seat herself. But due to the heavy rains and severe flooding, they are unable to do so. The last visual of the woman that anybody can remember is that of her hands above water desperately gesturing for some help!

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