Ushering in Noboborsho in a thousand voices

Rezwana Chowdhury Banya leads Shurer Dhara to a chorus.

Renowned music school Shurer Dhara, like previous years, bid adieu to the Bangla year 1420 and welcomed the New Year through elaborate programmes at the open premises of the Bangabandhu International Conference Centre in the capital, in association with Channel i. With the theme “Dosh-er Kotha Desher Gaan”, the programme began at sundown on April 13, which marked Chaitra Sangkranti -- the last day of the Bangla calendar -- with five songs of Pancha-kobi (Rabindranath, Nazrul, DL Roy, Rajanikant and Atulprasad) rendered in chorus, led by the chairman and principal of the school, Rezwana Chowdhury Bonya. The programme -- that went on till nearly midnight -- featured songs based on the Swadeshi movement, Language Movement, the mass-uprising on '69 and the Liberation War. Thespian Aly Zaker presented a part of Syed Shamsul Haq's iconic play “Nuroldiner Sharajibon”, while Professor Emeritus Anisuzzaman also spoke on the occasion. Students of various batches of Shurer Dhara, along with singers and dancers from all across the country then performed to an enthusiastic audience. The programme came to a close with “Byartho Pran'er Aborjona Puriye Fele”.
On the next day -- Pahela Boishakh, the beginning of the Bangla New Year -- a thousand artistes including students of Shurer Dhara and singers from across the country, ushered in a new dawn in unison, at the stroke of sunrise. A vibrant cultural programme followed, featuring performances by renowned artistes of the country including Subir Nandi, Rafiqul Alam, Sujit Mostafa, Fahmida Nabi and Nashid Kamal. A crafts fair also held at the premises drew the attention of attendees. A fashion show was also held, followed by a performance of Ayub Bachchu and his band.
A number of dignitaries -- including US Ambssador Dan Mozena, Tourism and Civil Aviation minister Rashed Khan Menon, Channel i Managing Director Faridur Reza Sagar and director and head of news Shykh Seraj, among others, attended the events. Both events were broadcast live by Channel i.