Aleya Twist is a modern-day female adaptation of the famous novel Oliver Twist by Charles Dickens. Oliver Twist is hailed as the first English novel that examined society’s mistreatment of its orphans and underprivileged children. The British Council, in collaboration with Komola Collective, has embarked upon the project to explore this celebrated English novel, set in the context of present-day Bangladesh. The characters of this retelling emerge in a setting nearly two hundred years after and many thousands of miles away from the original story.
However, the difference in time and place have not eased the harsh reality that the original Oliver had to face. Not much has changed in our own attitudes toward the treatment of the poor and young since the publication of Oliver Twist. Child trafficking, sexual abuse and the rape of children and child labor are still widespread in our society.