Chittagong City Corporation has constructed the four-storied institute at a cost of Tk 2 crore on its land near the Central Shaheed Minar, the centre of the city's cultural activities.

Mayor ABM Mohiuddin Chowdhury is likely to inaugurate the TIC, the most modern theatre institute, the country.

Local cultural activists believe that the institute will help train drama artistes. They are also enthusiastic as their long-felt dream is going to be materialised with the full-fledged theatre institute.

Famous artistes from India and Bangladesh are expected to be present at the inaugural function of the theatre complex.

Work of the complex has been completed and the final touch is being given.

Eminent artist Monsur-ul-Karim is setting up a monument titled 'two faces' at the gate of the institute. On the other hand, Indian light expert -- Tapash Sen is engaged in light design and Dr. Nizam Uddin of Bangladesh University of Engineering and Technology (Buet) has been working as project advisor.

The newly-built Theatre Institute has 250-seat hall room, modern sound and lighting system, an auditorium, seminar hall, exhibition plot and trial room.

It has also two class rooms, IT theatre club, library, research cell, service centre, preservation cell, audio-video cell, cafeteria and administrative building, sources said.

Besides, the centrally air-conditioned institute will have training, research and publication section to promote the overall theatre activities in the Chittagong region as well as in the country. Fundamental training on acting, set design, light design, costume, music compose, copy writing workshop arrangement will be provided for the artistes under the training section. The cell will also conduct long and short course on drama.

The research section will be assigned for staging experimental drama, theatre learning and research and copy and instrument preservation while the publication section will publish journals and bulletin, poster, souvenir and conduct different theatre-oriented research.

On the other hand, the TIC will have the audio and video recording system and own standby generator.

Director of TIC, artist Ahmed Iqbal Haider, said that technical equipment have already been installed. Most modern sound system and lights have been imported from India and the United Kingdom, he said, adding that the 250-seat hall room could be prepared for staging any sort of drama within only one and half hours.

"For the first time, we are going to use floor microphone on the 21ft by 38ft moveable stage at the hall room. Apart from this, we will offer different long and short courses to different theatre groups to develop professionalism in drama," he said.

On security system, Iqbal Haider said, "A close circuit camera will be installed on the entry point to check the audiences to avoid any untoward incident. The audiences will also be checked with metal detector and mobile phone will not be allowed for the sake of security at TIC," he added.