United News of Bangladesh

Over 200 Bangladeshi musicians will come together to express solidarity with the oppressed people of Palestine during this year’s Pahela Baishakh procession, singing the iconic lines: "From the river to the sea, Palestine will be free." The announcement came at a press conference held on Wednesday at the Seminar Room of the National Theatre Hall in Bangladesh Shilpakala Academy (BSA) where Cultural Adviser Mostofa Sarwar Farooki shared some details of this year's Chaitra Sangkranti and Pahela Baishakh festivities, calling the initiative a “symbolic yet powerful gesture for peace.” “During this Pahela Baishakh we want to stand with the people of Palestine,” Farooki said. “Through music, we will express our wish for a peaceful world.” Prominent members of the country’s music scene and members of BAMBA (Bangladesh Musical Bands Association) including Foad Nasser Babu of Feedback, Kazi Faisal Ahmed and George Lincoln D’Costa of Artcell, Tonmoy Tansen of Vikings, Nigar Sultana Sumi of Lalon, Pinky Chiran of all female band F-Minor, Prottoy from the Rangamati-based band Invocation, and Dalchhut’s manager and lyricist Shahan Kabondho among others attended the press conference. Farooki said over 200 musicians, specifically guitarists, are expected to participate and BAMBA is actively engaging its member bands to join spontaneously. He called on the guitarists and rhythm musicians in and around Dhaka to bring their instruments and take part in the celebration and protest. He urged everyone attending the rally to carry a Palestinian flag, saying, “This year, the world is awaiting to see a new version of our Pahela Baishakh celebrations in this new and inclusive Bangladesh, and we believe the procession including our band musicians will be significant to this year’s celebration because no one else could have taken this stand for the oppressed Palestinians, the way they did.” Warfaze frontman Sheikh Monirul Alam Tipu, speaking on behalf of BAMBA and the broader rock and band musicians' community, highlighted the historic nature of their participation. “Traditionally, the Chaitra Sankranti and Pahela Baishakh events have not included our band musicians over the years. This year, for the first time, the Ministry of Cultural Affairs and Bangladesh Shilpakala Academy have invited us to be part of it - for which we are deeply grateful,” Tipu said. Mangal Shobhajatra may get a new name: Farooki He shared that BAMBA, in association with Bangladesh Shilpakala Academy (BSA) and Cultural Affairs Ministry will host a grand concert on April 13, marking the Chaitra Sankranti at Suhrawardy Udyan in the capital.  Tipu expressed concerns on the global unrest, especially the atrocities in Palestine, and emphasised the musicians' collective message of peace regarding their inclusion this year at the Pahela Baishakh procession. “We want a peaceful world. That’s why we’re taking part in the Baishakh's procession and will sing together in the hope of a better future," Tipu said.

Cultural Adviser Mostofa Sarwar Farooki revealed on Sunday that Mehdi Hasan Khan, the creator of the widely popular Bengali typing software Avro Keyboard who was initially reluctant to accept the Ekushey Padak individually, has finally agreed to receive the Ekushey Padak - however, as a team with Avro’s three other major collaborators. "We already knew Mehdi Hasan Khan wasn’t keen on accepting the award. He had been approached before, but declined," Farooki stated. "Despite being aware of this, we in the cabinet decided to announce the award for him, as it was our way of conveying who we choose to celebrate." According to Farooki, Mehdi initially remained firm in his stance when approached again this year but finally agreed to accept the award. However, he made it clear that he would not take sole credit for Avro's success and insisted on sharing the honor with his three collaborators - Rifat Nabi, Tanbin Islam Siyam, and Shabab Mustafa, who also played pivotal roles in developing the software. SAFF champions Bangladesh Women’s Football team selected for Ekushey Award 2025 "We are delighted to announce that the Ekushey Padak will be awarded to all four of these remarkable individuals as a team for their collective contribution to Avro," Farooki said, adding that the four friends, currently living in different parts of the world, will return to Bangladesh to receive the award together. "Can’t wait to welcome them all, and I am sure this recognition will inspire countless young people to move forward, no matter the challenges, and to succeed together. Bangladesh, onwards and upwards,” the Cultural Adviser wrote in his Facebook post. Earlier on Sunday from Avro Keyboard’s Facebook page, Mehdi Hasan Khan also confirmed the news and shared the story of Avro's inception in 2003, when he was an unknown name in the world of Bangla computing. Driven by a mission to solve technical issues related to the emerging Unicode standard, Mehdi established an online forum where users could seek solutions for their typing and software-related problems. "People started bringing their issues to the forum, and I worked on solutions or released updates to fix bugs," Mehdi wrote, while mentioning that others also eventually joined him, contributing to the project without any personal gain. "I didn’t know them, nor did they know me, but they believed in Avro’s mission," he added. The team, mostly students at the time, collaborated to create Bangla fonts and software, addressing the technical challenges of the era. Despite facing obstacles, Mehdi credited the team's selflessness and dedication for Avro's success, as he stated: "Selfish people couldn’t stop us, no matter how hard they tried." 14 eminent people, women football team named for Ekushey Padak Reflecting on the Ekushey Padak recognition, Mehdi emphasized that the achievement belongs to the entire team. "From start to finish, I couldn’t accept this honor without Rifat, Siyam, and Shabab, who have been integral to Avro’s journey," he wrote, expressing gratitude to the committee for understanding this collective effort. Mehdi also acknowledged the long-standing online campaigns advocating for Avro's recognition, saying, "The award is a symbol, but the real treasure has been the friendships and teamwork along the way." Ekushey shows strong bond of unity, gives peace: CA Dr Yunus Additionally, Mehdi lauded the government's move to honor the Bangladesh Women’s Football Team with the Ekushey Padak this year and called for a continuation of such recognition for collective efforts. As Avro Keyboard remains an enduring symbol of innovation in Bangla computing, Mehdi expressed hope that the team’s collaboration will serve as an example for future generations, in his statement on Facebook.