56th Independence Day of Bangladesh : Celebrated with songs and dances at the initiative of the Swadhinata Mancha in London

Muhammed Shahed Rahman : An emotional cultural event was celebrated in London with songs and dances by the Swadhinata Mancha, commemorating the 56th Independence Day of Bangladesh, the nation’s greatest sons, the brave freedom fighters and martyrs of the 1971 battlefield.

The freedom fighters living in Britain were invited to the stage and welcomed with flowers, and everyone present stood silently to pay tribute to their indomitable courage, sacrifice and history of struggle on the battlefield. At that moment, the memories of the turbulent days of the Liberation War, which include the immortal glorious story of Bengali independence, returned to the expatriate community in London.

On Thursday (March 26), a packed audience at the Independence Stage in an East London hall—
Even from abroad, the “Independence Day with Songs” celebration was held to commemorate the history of the motherland, the spirit of the Liberation War, and the sacrifice of the brave martyrs.

At the beginning of the program, a documentary made by filmmaker Maqbul Chowdhury on the 1971 Liberation War in Britain was screened. At the program, little Ayan delivered Bangabandhu’s March 7th speech. Poems were recited by Munira Parveen, Smriti Azad and Salauddin Shaheen.

Then the musical performance began. The artists performed immortal songs of the Swadhin Bangla Betar Kendra, war songs of the Liberation War, and various patriotic songs.
Music was performed by renowned singers Gauri Chowdhury, Baul Shahid, Labani Barua, Shahnaz Sumi, Mohana, Ruby Sarkar, Mishti Talukder, Tarek Hasan, Banya Talukder, Amit De, Sigdha Roy, Abla, Shreyasi, Mridul, Joy, Shubhangi, Sadman Khan, etc.

The event, organized with the sincere efforts of two organizers of Swadhinata Mancha, was lively presented by Urmi Mazhar, another organizer.

Another organizer, senior journalist and editor of the shottobani.com, Syed Anas Pasha, delivered a welcome speech at the beginning of the program.

In his speech, he said, “Today we have not gathered here just to celebrate a day, we have come to remember our identity, to re-express our history. Because this freedom did not come suddenly; it was achieved with the blood of countless martyrs, the sacrifice of mothers and sisters, and the steadfast and courageous leadership of a great leader Bangabandhu. But sadly, even today, some evil forces, some confused consciousness want to erase our glorious history. They want to attack the spirit of our liberation war, destroy the foundation of our memory. But we firmly believe that the history that is written in blood can never be erased; the truth that is built on self-sacrifice can never be defeated.”

The event turned into a unique gathering with a packed audience. People from all walks of life, including politicians, journalists, literary figures, cultural figures, and well-known figures from the Bangladeshi diaspora community, were present. With everyone’s participation, a heart-warming atmosphere was created in the diaspora, where songs of independence and emotions of remembrance combined to create an unforgettable moment.

Through songs, remembrances and tributes, this London event should once again remind us that Bangladesh is not just a geographical boundary; it is a history of sacrifice, struggle and indomitable self-respect. And with that history in mind, Bangladeshis abroad are carrying the spirit of independence from generation to generation.