In a move towards inclusivity, the Joy Bangla Concert 2024 has announced special arrangements to accommodate female attendees. Young Bangla, through its verified Facebook page, revealed that dedicated entrances and spaces will be reserved exclusively for women. “Join us for an unforgettable evening of music and camaraderie,” beckons the announcement, highlighting the concert’s commitment to a welcoming and inclusive atmosphere. Scheduled to take place at the MA Aziz Stadium in Chattogram, this year’s event marks a significant departure from tradition, being the first time the concert is held outside the capital city, Dhaka. This strategic shift not only broadens the geographical appeal of the event but also pays homage to the historical essence of Bangladesh’s struggle for independence, invoking the spirit of Bangabandhu’s iconic March 7 speech. Art Therapy through Printmaking’: Gallery Cosmos’s unique offering at Dhaka Flow’s wellness festival Since its inception in 2015 by the Centre for Research and Information (CRI), the Joy Bangla Concert has evolved into a cornerstone of cultural celebrations, particularly among the youth. After pausing due to the global pandemic, the concert made a roaring comeback in 2023, continuing to honour the legacy of the 1971 Liberation War. The event stands out for its unique blend of musical entertainment and historical reflection, creating a deeply resonant experience for attendees. The 2024 edition promises to be a grand musical fiesta, featuring performances from a mix of popular and emerging rock bands. The line-up, as announced by Young Bangla, includes fan favourites such as Artcell, Cryptic Fate, Avoid Rafa, Nemesis, Chirkutt, Meghdol, Lalon, the local sensation Tirondaz from Chattogram, and Carnival. These acts are set to electrify the stage, celebrating the rich musical heritage of Bangladesh and inspiring a new generation with the indomitable spirit of its people. Read more: Most-hyped Bollywood Movies Releasing on March 2024

A minute's silence was observed at the Joy Bangla Concert 2023 in Dhaka’s Army Stadium today to pay homage to the victims of yesterday’s blast in a Gulistan building. Young Bangla, a youth platform of the Center for Research and Information (CRI), is organizing the Joy Bangla Concert for the seventh time. At least 17 people were killed after an explosion ripped through a commercial building in the capital's Gulistan area yesterday. More than 100 people were injured in the blast. The concert began with condolences for the people killed and injured in the blast. Read more: Joy Bangla Concert 2023: Young music lovers counting hours The Centre for Research & Information (CRI) and its youth secretariat, Young Bangla, have been organizing the concert since 2015 to commemorate the historic March 7 speech of Father of the Nation Bangabandhu Sheikh Mujibur Rahman. The concert was not held in the past two years due to the Covid-19 pandemic. Although the concert is generally held on March 7, this year's event was moved to March 8 due to the holy Shab-e-Barat. After two years of hiatus, the concert returned, aiming to instill the spirit of the Liberation War in young minds. According to the organizers, Artcell, Avoid Rafa, Lalon, Chirkutt, Cryptic Fate, Karnival, Meghdol, Nemesis, and Arekta Rock Band are performing today at the Joy Bangla Concert 2023.  

From 1971’s unforgettable “We fight to save a flower, we take up arms to save a smile” to today's hope-inducing “A hundred hopes.... dreams on the path of freedom” — music has always united young hearts yearning for freedom. As March 7 (the day marking Bangabandhu’s historic speech for emancipation) arrives and the nation looks back at the tumultuous atmosphere of 1971, music loving youths are counting hours to be part of the country’s biggest concert blending wartime melodies with modern rock songs. Bearing the wartime freedom-inspiring slogan “Joy Bangla” in its title, the concert would soon get youngsters singing along with their favorite bands lining up for some electrifying hours. This year, the Joy Bangla Concert – aiming to instill the spirit of the Liberation War in young minds – will fire up young hearts on the Army Stadium ground with songs performed by Artcell, Avoid Rafa, Lalon, Chirkutt, Cryptic Fate, Karnival, Meghdol, Nemesis and Arekta Rock Band. The Centre for Research & Information (CRI) and its youth secretariat Young Bangla have been organizing the concert since 2015. The last edition in 2020 mesmerized youths as Bangabandhu appeared in a holographic visual before them. Read more: ‘Beware of scam! Registration for Joy Bangla Concert 2023 tickets free’: Organizers “We were not part of the millions waiting under the scorching sun for the iconic leader on March 7, 1971, to deliver a speech that would transform a nation’s future forever and bring about a change on the global political landscape. We couldn’t be in person applauding and cheering in unison as the call to fight for freedom was made. We regret not being born in that period when the nation resisted one of the worst genocides forced upon it. But we can surely dream of being a part of the concert where a holographic version of Bangabandhu’s speech makes us imagine the time. Wartime songs that were once transmitted through a secret radio station called Swadhin Bangla Betar Kendra, give us goosebumps like they did in 1971. That is why I am so excited about the Joy Bangla Concert,” said Sadia, a student of Dhaka University. In a country, marked with the confluence of the trend of globalization and being tuned to its unique, glorious past, the Joy Bangla Concert merges both by blending wartime melodies with popular, contemporary rock songs. However, the event faced a gap for two years due to the pandemic raging through the world. “As a youth always hearing stories of the Liberation War, recounted by my grandfather who was part of the armed struggle against the genocide unleashed by the Pakistan army, I love to see tributes to the historic March 7 speech of the Father of the Nation in such a creative way. Did Bangabandhu himself know that someday his words would be honoured by the entire planet? Our independence came with the blood shed by three million martyrs. We can’t pay off that debt, but we can remember and pay tributes like we are doing through this concert,” said engineer Shahedul Islam. Read more: Young music lovers rejoice as Joy Bangla Concert is back after a two-year gap Auritro Ariyan, a O-level graduate, said, “I take particular interest in how Bangalees adopted the western rock genre and fused it so well with our culture. The cross-cultural endeavor is taking our music to a new height, and we are well-aligned with that process. In the previous years, my parents did not allow me to attend the concert for being too young. But this time, I won’t miss it!” In recent years, the country has witnessed a bout of initiatives by CRI to bring history closer to youths, including Joy Bangla Concert, Mujib Graphic Novel (a graphic novel sketching the life of young Mujib), and Hasina: A Daughter’s Tale (a movie on the struggles of Bangabandhu’s daughters following his assassination).    

Amid an overwhelming rush among young music lovers to secure tickets for the much-awaited Joy Bangla Concert 2023, the organizers have issued a scam alert. Young Bangla, country’s largest youth platform that hosts the concert, issued an alert reminding everyone that registration for tickets is free, and urged all not to “purchase” tickets to Joy Bangla Concert 2023 if being offered. The organizers also apologized for the inconvenience caused by an overwhelming response after registration was opened for free tickets to the concert, and informed that due to limited capacity at Dhaka’s Army Stadium, they can accommodate up to a certain number of music lovers at the venue. This year, Joy Bangla Concert will be held on March 8, under the supervision of Centre for Research and Information (CRI). Young Bangla has been holding the rock concert since 2015 to instil the spirit of the Liberation War among youths. Concert-goers are requested to log into ticket.youngbangla.org to avail their e-tickets. For registration, the participants will require their passport-sized photos and images of their ID cards. NIDs, ID cards of their educational institutions, passports, and driving licenses will be accepted. Continuing the previous years’ trend, the concert this year is set to feature iconic and emerging bands of the country such as Artcell, Avoid Rafa, Lalon, Chirkutt, Cryptic Fate, Karnival, Meghdol, Nemesis and Arekta Rock Band. Starting in 2015, in successive years, the country’s biggest concert for youths added some special features such as presentation of the coloured version of the speech in 2016. The speech, transformed from black and white into colour, appeared onscreen before an audience of 30,000 youths at the concert.

Registration for Joy Bangla Concert has kicked off, with an overwhelming rush among young music lovers to avail the opportunity to enjoy one of the biggest live music events in the country. This year, Joy Bangla Concert will be held on March 8 at Dhaka’s Army Stadium, under the supervision of Centre for Research and Information (CRI). Young Bangla, one of the leading youth networks of Bangladesh, has been holding the rock concert since 2015 to instill the spirit of the Liberation War among youths. Concert-goers are requested to log into ticket.youngbangla.org to avail their e-tickets. For registration, the participants will require their passport-sized photos and images of their ID cards. NIDs, ID cards of their educational institutions, passports, and driving licenses will be accepted. Continuing the previous years' trend, the concert this year is set to feature iconic and emerging bands of the country such as Artcell, Avoid Rafa, Lalon, Chirkutt, Cryptic Fate, Karnival, Meghdol, Nemesis and Arekta Rock Band. The youths who jumped, screamed, and danced to rock music and the wartime patriotic melodies are eagerly waiting for the concert that is returning after a gap of two years due to the pandemic. “The last edition in 2020 is a memorable experience for me — that concert so vividly created a unique blend of history and music. The idea of rendering songs that were aired on the wartime radio station called Swadhin Bangla Betar Kendra 50 years ago — inspiring the freedom fighters to free the country — is really awe-inspiring,” said Rajin, a university student. Read more: Young music lovers rejoice as Joy Bangla Concert is back after a two-year gap “What better way to pay tribute to the historic March 7 speech by the Father of the Nation!… Expecting a bigger and better return this time”, added another university student Sujon. With a call to roar like the nation did on March 7, favorite bands presented several Swadhin Bangla Betar Kendra songs before an audience of this generation at previous editions. Starting in 2015, in successive years, the country’s biggest concert for youths added some special features such as presentation of the coloured version of the speech in 2016. The speech, transformed from black and white into colour, appeared onscreen before an audience of 30,000 youths at the concert. Registration for free ticket can be done at: ticket.youngbangla.org

The bands that rocked the Joy Bangla Concert stage in previous years reminisced their special moments about the past episodes and rendered songs online as the concert has been halted this year due to the Coronavirus pandemic.

Alternative Rock Band Shunno and Heavy Metal Band Cryptic Fate who performed in Joy Bangla Concert in previous years are paying tribute to the event online since the concert is put to a halt this year due to the Coronavirus pandemic.

 The popular Joy Bangla Concert will return in 2022 as the celebration is put on a halt this year due to the Coronavirus pandemic, said Bangabandhu’s grandson Radwan Mujib Siddiq.

The Latin phrase, 'annus horribilis' (horrible year), aptly sums up the story of 2020, the last year of this decade.

Popular Bangladeshi band Aurthohin’s frontman Saidus Salehin Khaled, popularly known as 'Bassbaba' Sumon, and his son Ahnaf Salehin Khaled have tested positive for COVID-19.