Feature

Being humane through Music

Saad Adnan Khan

ON 3 January of the new year, people with much anticipation and excitement swarmed inside Cuppa Coffee Club. The concert 'Just for a Cause', did not only present an impressive line up of some talented and famous bands and artists, but also showed people's sensitivity and will to help the ones in need.

The concert was organized to help the people of a slum at Moghbazar Wireless Gate that was destroyed by a fire which had started in the middle of the night on 23 November 2009. The fire burned down one thousand homes that left five thousand homeless. Several died and many survived to face the brutal winter that was ahead of them. The audiences were asked to bring a pair of clothes from their wardrobe that would give them entrance to the show. The donated clothes were finally distributed among the slum dwellers. The audience took it as their privilege to help the people and donated warm clothes and blankets. The Lost Children, known for organizing underground concerts gave the concert the shape it needed by working hard and managing to bring up a spectacular line up. They supported and worked with Jaago, the foundation that works to provide underprivileged children with primary education, to collect and donate the clothes.

The show brought some of the most popular bands and performers of the contemporary time. Bands including Shunno, Nemesis, Alternation, Radioactive, Bohemian, Karnival, Radiosis, Circus police. Singers including Arnob and Anushe appeared under the spot light.

Radiosis started off first followed by Circus police and Karnival. Circus police, being comparatively a new band, consisted of experienced members from the music world, seemed to connect to the audience much better than the two. Radiosis sang 'kemon', while Karnival 'Rupkatha' (both their own tracks) that delighted the audience.

The lyrics of their title song that spoke of transcending boundaries to fulfill dreams, pursued the very essence that the determination of youth could break all norms to do something they wholeheartedly want, and in this case it was to help some people of their own country who where in dire need of warmth and support.

Radioactive, the band that became the runners up at the D-Rockstar contest was the next band to perform. They spoke about how Jaago works to help the underprivileged children and tried to persuade the audience to buy small Bangladesh flags they brought with them. The money would have helped them to educate and feed these kids. They bolstered their presence by singing Brian Adams and Guns'n'Rose's.

Nemesis, the second last to get on stage, was welcomed with cheers and shouts. They thrilled the already music intoxicated audience by singing new tracks from their upcoming album. The band brought up John, vocalist of Black to sing 'use somebody' of Kings of Leon's, when the audience joined him in singing. Zohad, the vocalist asked for song requests and the band sang 'Joydhoni' and 'Obocheton'. Arnob appeared on the stage not only with a glass of ice tea that he was seeping from in oblivion, but also a surprise by appearing with members of Bangla: Anushe, Buno and Jibon. Anushe, with her deep sonorous voice enchanted the audience by singing 'Krishnopokkho', and later joined Arnob to sing 'Mon tore', who sang 'Hariye giyechi' and 'Amae dhore rekho' solo, from his latest hit 'Arnob and friends live'. All throughout the show, band members and artists reminded the cause of the concert, and the fact that the audiences were the real heroes whose support made the concert such success. They also delivered their heartfelt thanks to the organizers whose courage and sincerity, a true expression of bringing about communal solidarity. The concert was a joint effort of several young people, who wanted to make a difference. The number of clothes collected was more than expected. Even though it wasn't enough to clothe all the slum dwellers, it is necessary to acknowledge the dedication of the people to be there for the helpless.

Cherie Blair launched fellowship for AUW students

Star Campus Desk

CHERIE Blair, wife of former British Prime Minister Tony Blair, launched a fellowship programme at the Asian University for Women (AUW), Chittagong on January 9, 2010 where she called for investing in women education. The Cherie Blair Fellowship has been introduced to support women education and help women work side by side with men.

In the event Mrs. Blair called on all to ensure education of girls as well as women to let their voices be heard and opinions be expressed through harnessing talents. She said Chittagong was the right centre of the new venture of women education. Terming Chittagong a city of universities, she said it (Chittagong) would now have AUW, a university of aspiration, which would educate carefully selected young women to turn this part of Asia into one of the vibrant growth regions of the world. She further added that in Bangladesh, boys and girls have equal access to education up to higher secondary level but at the tertiary level, the access of girls is very limited. Mrs. Blair said that women's education gets much importance as the country is governed by women for most of the time under democracy. She also urged the students to take up the challenge ahead and build them for the future. Earlier on the day, the students greeted Mrs. Blair, a patron of AUW, leading international lawyer and human rights advocate with a cultural function. They performed with the sprit of sharing cultural essence and commitment for building up a better world standing against violence and discrimination against women. Later, Mrs. Blair conferred Cherie Blair Fellowship to 10 students of superior academic ability and outstanding leadership skills.

AUW Support Foundation Bangladesh Board of Directors Chairman Rokia Afzal Rahman, AUW Bangladesh Chief Executive Officer Kamal Hossain, Monowara Hakim Ali of Chittagong Women Entrepreneurs, directors and teachers of the university accompanied Mrs. Blair.