All the tales of beauty and valour
(Top) The view of the cheering crowd with the theme song of The Daily Star Odommo Chattagram.
(From middle-left) With the appearance of LRB on stage, the crowd screamed in ecstasy. Renaissance makes audience sway with popular numbers. Arnob performs his hit songs.
(Bottom) An aesthetic razzle-dazzle, including fireworks display and laser show, caused great excitement among the enthusiastic audience. Photo: Anurup Kanti Das
In a bid to bring back the glorious past of Chittagong, a 12 day-long The Daily Star Odommo Chattagram (Indomitable Chittagong) Festival was inaugurated on March 30 in the port city. Living legend Revolutionary Binod Bihari Chowdhury, a 103 year old illustrious son of Chittagong who with his comrade Master Da Surjasen set off the anti-colonial movement in this part of the land, inaugurated the festival.
Editor and Publisher of The Daily Star Mahfuz Anam along with distinguished personalities of Chittagong pledged on the glitzy stage of MA Aziz Stadium to develop Chittagong with a view to ensuring the development of the country.
Soon after the inauguration, an aesthetic razzle-dazzle, including fireworks display, release of sky lanterns ( phanush) and laser show caused great excitement among the tens of thousands of enthusiastic audience. The cheering crowd suddenly were awestruck and was seemingly rapt with pride as the theme song of The Daily Star Odommo Chattagram festival was played. The theme song with a number of artistic images showcases all the beauty, indomitability and the 1400 year glorious history of Chittagong.
The rock and roll evening came next. Popular band Renaissance kicked of the concert with the song “Hey Bangladesh”. Renaissance front-man Naquib Khan rendered a song in local Chittagong dialect. The members of the band made the audience sway with their popular numbers “Hridoy Kada Matir Kono Murti Noy ”, “O Nadi Rey Tui Jaas Kotha Rey” and “Bhalo Lagey Jyostna Raat-e”. The band also performed several other songs, including “Bangladesh” originally popularized by George Harrison, who first performed the song at The Concert for Bangladesh at Madison Square Garden, New York in support of Bangladesh's Liberation War in 1971.
Popular soloist Arnob was next to take the stage. He began with a romantic melody “Tomar Jonno Nilchey Tarar”. The audience got moved when the artiste started a folk fusion “Amar Mon Torey Parlam Na Bujhaitey”. An improvised Tagore number followed. Later Arnob made the audience sing the popular number “Shey Je Boshey Achhey”. He also performed two other folk numbers “Amar Har Kala Korli Rey” and “Nao Chhariya Dey” at the opening concert.
With the appearance of LRB front-man Ayub Bachchu on stage, the crowd screamed in ecstasy. Bachchu was in his element that night. He entertained the audience in his native Chittagong dialect. He first performed “Sukher-i Prithibi” at the concert. With the number “Abhilashi Tumi”, Bachchu had the crowd rock and roll with the performance following an exclusive jamming session.
The crowd was over the moon by the mesmerizing performance of the song “Shei Tumi Keno Eto Ochena Holey” by Ayub Bachchu. The artiste wrapped up his part with the number “Amra Korbo Joy” that was serenaded by the audience as well.
Prior to the grand opening ceremony, three exhibitions (on photography, painting and history showcasing), zooming in on the tales of beauty and valour of Chittagong, were inaugurated at three venues of the port city.
The event was emceed by popular model Nobel.
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