Whenever humanity faced disaster and distress music played a significant role. History was made with benefit concerts like Concert for Bangladesh, Live Aid, Farm Aid and even the 24-hour Covid Concert.

Bangladesh Musical Bands’ Association (BAMBA) is said to have started the practice of raising funds through concerts for the flood-affected in Bangladesh, decades back.

This time the students of Dhaka University (DU) stood up to support the flood-affected people of Sylhet and Sunamganj. The social-cultural clubs of DU’s Teacher-Student Centre (TSC) arranged a two-day benefit concert on June 27 and June 28 at the TSC premises.

A fund of Tk 9.28 lakh in total was raised for the flood-devastated people through the concert, organisers said on Thursday.

Read: Flood: 3 more deaths pushes up toll to 95

Shibli Hasan Joy, one of the oraganisers, said that almost 3,000 people bought tickets and attended the concert. “We were able to raise a fund of Tk 8.38 lakh from the tickets and collected Tk 90 thousand from the audience during a pre-concert open mic session.”

Twenty-two bands and musicians including Ark, Warfaze, Viking, AvoidRafa, Mehrin, Joy Shahriar, Parvez Sajjad, Ashes, Shohojia, Sonar Bangla Circus, Pentagon, Shuvo Jatra, Rajotto, Krishnapaksha, Sarbonam, Averse, Apekkhik, Crack Platoon, Fused, Colshaw, Nabin Khan and Tabib & Rana kept the audience on their feet.

Though AvoidRafa was not announced for this gig line-up, the band took the stage on the last day of the concert supporting the cause. The excitement of the surprised audience knew no bound.

Music lovers and people from different walks of life joined the concert supporting the cause.

Argha Dev, a solo musician and former DU student, came to the concert with his friends to both enjoy the music and support the cause. He said that the performance of Warfaze was topnotch, the song ‘Rupkoth’ gave him goosebumps.

“For the first time, I got to experience Hasan with Ark in this concert so it was a memorable one for me,” he said.

On Tuesday, in a press briefing, the organizers said that the fund raised during the concert from tickets and donations would all aid the flood-affected people.

Till Friday, floods claimed 95 lives, according to the Directorate General of Health Services (DGHS). A total of 70 upazilas in Sylhet, Rangpur, Mymensingh and Chattogram divisions have been flood-hit. Millions of people were marooned. Many have lost their homes, assets, belongings and even families.