Joy Bangla Concert: connecting history to present

Joy Bangla Concert will not be held this year too like the previous year in view of Coronavirus situation but it has left an indelible imprint on the GenNext who missed on it for two years due to the Covid pandemic for two years. The concert, blending wartime melodies with the modern rock genre, pays a tribute to the historic March 7 speech by the Father of the Nation.

Reflecting on the history- telling of the event, Dhaka University student Sajit Rahman said : "It gives me Goosebumps to recall one of the greatest speeches ever made was delivered at a spot so close to my dormitory. 

That single speech, now recognized by mankind as a memory of the world, set the tone for our freedom, the long-cherished freedom symbolized by our red and green flag. Joy Bangla Concert, named after the historic slogan 'Joy Bangla' that Bangabandhu ended his speech with, carried forward that legacy. That is why I look forward to this concert every year."

The concert, organized by Young Bangla, the youth secretariat of think tank CRI (Centre for Research & Information), brings back the inspirational songs rendered through the secret radio station Swadhin Bangla Betar Kendra in 1971. During the Liberation war, the songs inspired the entire nation to resist the genocide launched by Pakistan on the unarmed civilians of Bangladesh.

 In addition to featuring wartime songs, the concert also creates the perfect ambience for youths jumping to the beats of their favorite rockstars electrifying the audience, integrating history with the present.

"I was part of the crowd that was stitched together the musical rhythm created by the icons of our time. I loved the way the history of our independence was conveyed in between the songs. When Pakistan launched one of the worst genocides of history on Bangladesh, we didn't just fight with weapons but created timeless patriotic melodies as well. That trend demonstrates the intellectual and creative depth of our nation. Those historic songs come back alive through this concert," said Sudipta Saha, a BBA student of East-West University.

In 2020, the Joy Bangla Concert facilitated a 3D hologram where Bangabandhu appeared the same way he had appeared while delivering the March 7 speech. The audience had a hard time believing their eyes. 

Recalling that experience, Dhaka Medical College student Arefin Ahmed said, "The hologram brought alive the same man challenging the repressive regime of Pakistan. Anyone watching it would mistake the hologram for a real one."

North-South student Bijoy Mahmud feels nostalgic when he recalls the days when he used to occupy a spot with his friends on the concert ground .

"This is the biggest occasion when you see all the stars sharing the same stage. They run their fiery fingers on their instruments. As we watch old clips of Mark Knopfler or Eric Clapton on YouTube, we get a nearly similar vibe in this concert."

The Joy Bangla Concert 2020, held at Army Stadium on March 7, featured university-based underground bands - Introit, Arekta Rock Band, Adverb, Sin, and Conclusion who performed in the first segment of the show. 

This was followed by band F Minor, an all-female ethnic community band that is the first of its kind in Bangladesh. Solo artist Minar Rahman also performed for the first time, followed by Avoid Rafa, Shunno, Vikings, Lalon, Arbovirus, Cryptic Fate, Nemesis, Fuad & Friends, and Chirkutt.