USA Bureau

An exceptional program was held in Herndon, Virginia, USA, to commemorate important chapters in the history of Bangladesh, from the language movement of 1952 to the mass uprising of 2024.

The two-hour programme was held on Sunday afternoon at the auditorium of the Frying Pan Farm Visitor Park, where historical events were highlighted through cultural performances, film exhibitions and reminiscences.

The organizers of the program, which began with the performance of the national anthem, said that the program is to remind the role of the common people in the movement for freedom, democracy and justice.

One of the attractions of the programme was the panel discussion titled ‘52 to 24’, where eminent speakers discussed the continuity of important political and mass movements in Bangladesh. Sultana Nasira Khan, Hiron Chowdhury, Runa Haque and Maruf Rahman attended i the discussion. Anwar Iqbal moderated the discussion.

The speakers discussed the background and impact of the 1952 Language Movement, the 1971 Liberation War, the anti-dictatorship movement, and especially the 2024 mass uprising. Referring to the 2024 movement as a milestone in the restoration of democracy in Bangladesh, they said, “This uprising is not just a protest, it proves that the fight against oppression never stops.” At the time, a brief history of Bangladesh from 1952 to 2024 was presented through a documentary.

The cultural performance included a group dance by the Drupad Cultural Organization, where dancers performed to popular patriotic songs composed to commemorate important moments of various movements and struggles in Bangladesh. The dance was directed and choreographed by Aparna Mitra. Their dances captured the images of the struggle of Bengalis, which moved the audience emotionally.

In addition, several recitations were performed on independence and mass uprising, where the reciters conveyed the spirit of liberation and the history of the struggle in their own voices. The performance of songs by musical artists related to the freedom struggle moved the audience with emotion.

Another notable part of the event was the film exhibition, which depicted the sacrifices of students in the mass uprising of July 2024. The film canvases showed scenes of students protesting on the streets, the faces of brave young people who were victims of oppression, and memorable moments of their sacrifice.

In addition, a documentary was also screened on how expatriate Bangladeshis living in the DC-Maryland-Virginia (DMV) area were involved in this movement.

The participation of the younger generation was remarkable. Young expatriate Bangladeshis who were directly involved in the mass uprising shared their experiences and memories, which moved the audience present. Finally, two documentaries were screened on the brutal massacre of students martyred in the July Uprising and the remembrance of the martyrs' families. One of these was a documentary made by the Ministry of Culture, which sheds light on the context of the 2024 movement and the role of the people. Another was “Jatrabari Massacre”, which described the horrific massacre that took place in Jatrabari during the uprising.

In their closing remarks, the speakers said, “The sacrifice of those who gave their lives for democracy and justice can never be forgotten.” They also said, “It is everyone’s responsibility to take forward a new Bangladesh free from fascism, and we must make a united effort towards that goal.”

The program was hosted by Major (Retd.) Shafayat Ahmed.

Farzana Clara was responsible for the overall planning and management of the event. In addition, Linia Nazmi Nandini, Anwar Hossain Suman and Anup Raihan played an important role as organizers in making the entire event a success. Their dedicated efforts made the event a memorable one.