A celebration of pride and glory

Dhaka University and cultural organisation Chhayanaut have celebrated this year's Victory Day jointly.

Thousands  gathered at the central sports field of DU for a cultural programme featuring music, dance and recitation yesterday.

People from all sections of the society, the youths and the old, parents and their children, came in scores to attend the event.

Red and green was the recurring theme of the afternoon, and the field was filled way before the event kicked off at 3:45pm.

DU Vice Chancellor Akhtaruzzaman inaugurated the programme, which was on a hiatus for the last two years due to Covid-19 and centenary celebrations of DU. Otherwise, Chhayanaut and DU have been regularly holding this event  together since 2015.

The event featured eight group song and dance performances, as well as solo singing performances by Suman Mozumdar and Nasima Shahin Fancy.

Besides, Jayanta Chattopadhyay recited two poems -- Shamsur Rahman's "Shadhinota Tumi" and Abu Hena Mostofa Kamal's "Chhobi".

The songs that were performed include "Aji Bangladesher Hridoy Hote", "Ekhon Ar Deri Noy", "Songo Soron Trithojatra", "Chol Chol", "Banglar Hindu, Banglar Bodhho'', "Bolo Bolre Bolo Sobe", "Heyeyo Re Heyeyo", "Lakho Lakho Sohider Roktomakha", and "Ek Sagorer Rokter Binimoye".

But the main attraction of the show came at 4:31pm, when the artists on stage and thousands of audiences in attendance stood up to sing the national anthem of Bangladesh -- exactly at the time when Pakistan army surrendered to the joint forces of Bangladesh and India 51 years ago.

Then, the audiences started chanting "Joy Bangla" in unison, which was the slogan of the Bangladeshi forces during 1971.

And just like this, the spirit of the Liberation War lives on from generation to generation.