Suhrawardy Udyan or Manik Mia Avenue—where are you heading to listen to music today? On this public holiday, two major open-access concerts are set to take place in Dhaka. These grand musical events have been organized to mark the second anniversary of the July Mass Uprising and to celebrate the spirit of freedom and democracy.
Monsoon Cultural Alliance has organized a concert titled Borsha Biplob er Gan (Songs of the Monsoon Revolution) at Manik Mia Avenue, adjacent to the South Plaza of the National Parliament.
Top national bands including Artcell, Shironamhin, Ark, Avoid Rafa, Kureghor, and Nahid & Musicians will perform at this event. Solo artists Asif Akbar, rapper Sezan, Parsha Mahjabeen, and Kazi Ahnaf Tahmid are set to rock the stage.
In a video message, the band Shironamhin stated, “We are coming to Manik Mia Avenue on August 5 to commemorate the ’24 Mass Uprising. Join us as well. Together, we will sing songs of our collective courage and love.” Singer Asif Akbar invited fans via social media, writing, “Step forward, head toward the South Plaza of the Parliament… to rock out to the songs of Asif Akbar.”
According to the organizers, this open-air event aims to celebrate the spirit of liberation, unity, and protest born out of the July movement through music and rhythm.
Meanwhile, the Concert for Democracy is set to take place at the historic Suhrawardy Udyan in the capital. The concert is being organized under the initiative of the Ministry of Cultural Affairs, supervised by the Bangladesh Shilpakala Academy, and supported by the Bangladesh Musical Bands Association (BAMBA).
Renowned bands Miles, Warfaze, Different Touch, Lalon, Highway, AACES, and Ray Ray will perform on stage. Gates will open to the public at 1:00 PM, and the concert will run from 3:00 PM to 9:00 PM.
BAMBA President Hamin Ahmed shared, “Music played a vital role in the July movement. Keeping the significance of August 5 in mind, we organized this event so we can honor the day through music.” Director General of Bangladesh Shilpakala Academy, Rezauddin Stalin, mentioned that this initiative aims to keep the memory of the July Uprising alive for the younger generation, adding that robust security measures have been arranged to ensure a smooth event.
Earlier on Tuesday afternoon, a concert featuring rap, music, and poetry titled Sound of July was held at Rabindra Sarobar in Dhanmondi to honor the memories of the July Mass Uprising. The event was organized by the July Revolutionary Alliance in collaboration with Bdjobs.
Beginning at 5:30 PM with the national anthem, the event featured the screening of a documentary titled July Anirban. This was followed by performances from the band Metallic Error, a stage play titled 36 July by the BUFT Cultural Club, and rap performances by several young artists, including Kazi Ahnaf Tahmid, Hannan, and Sezan.
