United News of Bangladesh

Uniting voices against the ongoing brutal attacks in Gaza by Israel, several Bangladeshi artists will perform in a charity concert titled ‘To Gaza from Dhaka’ on Friday in the capital’s Hatirjheel Amphitheater. The concert is being organized by the platform Artists Against Genocide, known for its recent projects such as the 73 graffiti works by cartoonist Morshed Mishu and team in different parts of Dhaka. The concert will feature performances by a number of leading and popular Bangladeshi musicians. The line-up includes Maqsood O' dHAKA, Ark, AvoidRafa, Nemesis, Indalo, Meghdol, Shohojia, Karnival, Highway, Hatirpool Sessions, Firoze Jong, Moruvumi, Moonflower, Masha Islam, rapper Shafayat, Aseer Arman, Rezaul Karim Leemon, Black Zang, Muiz Mahfuz, Avishek Bhattacharjee and Ahmed Hasan Sunny. Eminent music director Prince Mahmud and lyricist Latiful Islam Shibli will be featured as special guests at the event alongside the musicians. Acclaimed musician and actor Ahmed Hasan Sunny, one of the organizers of this charity concert, told UNB that the event is a fundraiser for Gaza, aimed at demanding a ceasefire while offering much-needed assistance to Palestinian civilians dealing with continued struggles due to the current conflict.  Read: Taylor Swift fan dies at Rio concert as fans complain about high temperatures and lack of water “For years, the innocent civilians in Palestine have been suffering from oppression and now the ongoing genocide in Gaza must be protested from every corner of the world. This concert is a symbolic open letter to Gaza, through which, we — the Bangladeshi artists — hope to send a message of empathy to the civilians in Gaza, informing them that they are not alone in this battle,” Sunny told UNB. Mentioning that the artists are not taking any money for this charity concert, Sunny informed UNB that all proceeds from ticket sales and donations will go to Gaza through NGOs who are actively working in Gaza such as Palestine Children’s Relief Fund, or the Red Crescent. Due to currency and transaction difficulties, the exact NGO is not yet fixed but will be finalized as soon as possible. “As you can understand, the biggest roadblock is to send the proceeds to the people in dire need, as funds transfer is being blocked by the oppressors. We contacted the Palestinian ambassador in Dhaka who expressed gratitude for this event and shared the Palestinian flag with us, and we invited him to join us in this concert,” Sunny said. Read: Author Sarah Bernstein wins Canadian fiction prize for her novel 'Study of Obedience' The event already created buzz on social media platforms, and many celebrities including Mostafa Sarwar Farooki, Chanchal Chowdhury, and others including the performing musicians are sharing the event with engaging captions, lauding the initiative. “A big shout out to the friends behind the ‘To Gaza From Dhaka’ concert! Artists are essentially political animals!,” Farooki wrote in his Facebook post. Intending to offer a great musical experience to the audiences, Sunny said that the platform is taking the utmost preparation possible. “We are immensely grateful to our esteemed artists who are performing in this concert and also the celebrities and music lovers who are expressing solidarity, such as the comedy club Stand Up Dhaka which cancelled its upcoming event on November 24 for this event,” Sunny stated. The event features three levels of tickets with three separate price points: BDT 500, 1000, and 1500. Furthermore, anybody can donate as well as purchase available tickets from the website https://getsetrock.com/, which also displays a live count of the total acquired donation. Concertgoers can enter the venue from 2:30 pm onwards while the concert will start at 3:30 pm. Additional information is available on the Facebook pages of the event and the organizers. 

Organizers of Wednesday's Coldplay concert in Malaysia can stop the show if the British rock band misbehaves, a minister said as the government rejected Muslim conservatives' calls to cancel the show. Led by the country's opposition bloc, Muslim conservatives have protested the concert over Coldplay’s support for the LGBTQ+ community. Recently, they also pushed for the concert to be halted in solidarity with Palestinians killed in the Israel-Hamas war. Communication and Digital Minister Fahmi Fadzil said he doesn't foresee any problem with Coldplay's first concert in Malaysia later in the night. Security has been beefed up for the show that is expected to draw some 75,000 people at a stadium outside Kuala Lumpur. Read: Taylor Swift fan dies at Rio concert as fans complain about high temperatures and lack of water  “Yes, it's one of the things we have discussed with the organizer,” Fahmi said when asked if a 'kill switch" to cut off power supply will be used. “The prime minister has also said the band, you know, is very supportive of Palestine. So, we are upbeat about the concert today,” he added. Malaysia introduced the kill switch measure recently after a controversy sparked by British band The 1975 in Kuala Lumpur in July. The band's lead singer slammed the country’s anti-gay laws and kissed a male bandmate during their performance, sparking a backlash among Muslims and prompted the government to cut short a three-day music festival. Prime Minister Anwar Ibrahim has justified allowing the Coldplay concert, telling Parliament on Tuesday that “Coldplay is actually among the bands that support Palestine." He noted that the previous administration, before he took power in November 2022, had approved the concert. Anwar said pro-Palestinian groups also approached his office in support of the Coldplay concert. The opposition Islamic party PAS slammed Anwar's stance. While Coldplay supports the Palestinian cause, it also encourages hedonism, said its information chief Ahmad Fadhli Shaari. Read: Coke Studio Bangla's second live concert enthrals fans even amidst chaos  “This is not about whether they purely support the Palestinian cause or not but the issue of hedonism culture that they bring to our community,” he said Tuesday in Parliament. PAS, which has expanded its influence following strong Muslim support in the 2022 elections, often protests concerts by international artists that it said were incompatible with Muslim values. Officials from concert organizer Live Nation Malaysia couldn't be immediately reached for comment. It issued a statement to concert-goers a few days ago, reminding them to be “mindful of local cultures and sensitivities” and refrain from displaying props or items that may cause discomfort to others. Police have warned the public to refrain from any sort of provocation and inciting unrest at the concert, which is part of Coldplay's Music of the Spheres World Tour. Coldplay also met with resistance from Muslims when they performed in Indonesia earlier this month. Protesters held rallies right up to the day of its concert, slamming the band as an LGBTQ+ “propagandist” whose stance damages “faith and morals.” Coldplay is renowned for interlacing its values with its shows, such as the band’s push for environmental sustainability. Lead singer Chris Martin has been known to wear rainbow colors and wave gay pride flags during performances.

In a bid to bring joy to audiences, Bongo, the OTT platform, has recently released the Bengali dubbed version of the much-loved South Indian film 'Hello Guru Prema Kosame.' This heartwarming romantic comedy, originally released in Telugu in 2018, has garnered immense praise since its launch, said a media release on Tuesday. The film follows the story of Sanju, a young man from a village who, after successfully completing his engineering degree, moves to the city to pursue a job and make his middle-class parents proud. Finding accommodation at Vishwanath's house, he gradually falls in love with Anupama, Vishwanath's daughter, despite initial reservations. However, a twist in the tale reveals that Anupama is already engaged to another man, with their wedding just a month away. The narrative explores the complexities of love, friendship, and life's unexpected turns. Viewers are taken on an emotional rollercoaster as they witness Sanju's journey and his challenges in navigating his feelings for Anupama. The film, featuring popular South Indian actors such as Ram Pothineni, Anupama Parameswaran, Pranita Subhash, and Prakash Raj, has received a warm welcome from the Bengali audience. Bongo's senior marketing specialist, Hira Shil, expressed, "This new movie has been well received by our Bongo audience. This movie is doing very well compared to other movies. Even the little clips on Facebook are getting great responses!" Bongo, committed to providing wholesome entertainment to the people of Bangladesh, said it takes pride in presenting 'Hello Guru Prema Kosame' to its audience. The movie's success further exemplifies Bongo's dedication to bringing diverse and engaging content to its viewers. Audiences can now enjoy this captivating romantic-comedy on the Bongo platform, indulging in the delightful performances of the cast and the charming storyline that has captivated hearts across South India.

Ensuring her wish to participate in the forthcoming National Election, Dhallywood’s popular actress Mahiya Mahi has collected the nomination form to contest for the Chapainawabganj-2 constituency from Awami League. Actress Mahiya Mahi has been arrested on specific allegations: Home Minister Mahi, who was born and brought up in the area under the constituency, confirmed the development on her official Facebook account. “Alhamdulillah. By the grace of Allah, today (Saturday) I collected the party nomination papers of Bangladesh Awami League for Chapainawabganj-2 seat,” Mahi wrote on Saturday night. The actress uploaded a photo of herself holding the nomination form with her husband Rakib Sarkar, mother Dilara Yasmin, and father Abu Bakar Khokon on her official Facebook page, also stating that she would submit the nomination form on November 20 at 3 pm. Speaking to journalists earlier, Mahi talked about her desire to enter the parliament with a mission to work for the people of the aforementioned constituency. DSA case: Actress Mahiya Mahi gets bail “I am a native of this district and constituency by birth, and people have wanted me to get a nomination ever since I stepped up into politics. I will seek the nomination for the people of Chapainawabganj-2 constituency," Mahi, the Joint General Secretary of the Bangabandhu Sangskritik Jote (Bangabandhu Cultural Alliance), said as a guest speaker at the Nawabganj Government Women's College's student assembly on Wednesday. Speaking to the journalists, she added, “There are significant scopes for meaningful projects in the parliamentary constituency of Chapainawabganj-2. I have some significant, women-specific plans as well - and I shall continue to fight for the advancement of our district and the women's society, whether I get the nomination or not.” “Being a public representative allows one to have an impact, and in my opinion, everything is possible if one is determined enough. I recognize that, from this vantage point, I could make significant contributions to the welfare of the local populace if I get nominated,” Mahi told the journalists at the event. Earlier this year, Mahi bought the nomination form of the ruling party to participate in the by-election from the Chapainawabganj-2 constituency. However, she failed to get the nomination. Actress Mahiya Mahi arrested from Dhaka Airport after landing from Saudi Arabia Numerous popular celebrities, including Ferdous, Shakeel Khan, Jyotika Jyoti, Tareen Jahan, and Rokeya Prachi, have also expressed interest in taking part in the forthcoming National Election on January 7 next year.

A 23-year-old Taylor Swift fan died at the singer's Eras Tour concert in Rio de Janeiro Friday night, according to a statement from the show's organizers in Brazil. Both Swifties and politicians reacted to the news with outrage. While a cause of death for Ana Clara Benevides Machado has not been announced, fans complained they were not allowed to take water into Nilton Santos Olympic Stadium despite soaring temperatures. A group launched an online petition Saturday morning calling for a “Benevides Law” to “make water in events mandatory.” The petition garnered more than 150,000 signatures in just a few hours. Federal authorities announced that free water would be made available at all future concerts. In a handwritten note shared on her social media, Swift said she had a “shattered heart." “There’s very little information I have other than the fact that she was so incredibly beautiful and far too young,” the singer wrote of the young woman. The show's organizer, Time4Fun, said on Instagram that paramedics attended to Benevides after she reported feeling unwell. She was taken to a first-aid center and then to a hospital, where she died an hour later, the statement from the Brazilian live entertainment company said. Concert-goers said they were not allowed to bring water bottles into the stadium even though Rio and most of Brazil have had record-breaking temperatures this week amid a dangerous and lasting heat wave. The daytime high in Rio on Friday was 39.1 degrees Celsius (102.4 degrees Fahrenheit), but it felt much hotter. Elizabeth Morin, 26, who recently moved to Rio from Los Angeles, described “sauna-like” conditions inside the stadium. “It was extremely hot. My hair got so wet from sweat as soon as I came in,” she said. “There was a point at which I had to check my breathing to make sure I wasn’t going to pass out.” Morin said she drank plenty of water but saw “a good amount of people looking distressed” and others “yelling for water.” She said she was able to get water from the sidelines of the area she was standing in, but that water was a lot harder to access from other parts of the stadium, “especially if you were concerned about losing your specific position.” During the show, Swift paused her performance and asked from the stage for water to be brought to a group of people who had successfully caught the singer's attention, according to Morin. “They were holding up their phones saying ‘We need water,’” she recalled. Justice Minister Flávio Dino said on X that the ministry would implement “emergency rules" in response to the situation. He later announced that "water bottles for personal use, in suitable material, will be allowed" at concerts and other events and that show producers must provide free and easily accessible drinking water. Before the show, Benevides posted a video of herself on Instgram wearing a Taylor Swift T-shirt and waiting in line to enter the stadium while seeking shade under an umbrella. Like her, thousands of fans waited hours in the sun before being allowed inside. She told her followers while fanning her face that she’d arrived at 11 a.m. — the show began around 7:30 p.m. — and was “still in the mess.” Benevides' friend, Daniele Menin, who attended the concert with her, told online news site G1 that her friend passed out at the beginning of the concert, as Swift performed her second song, “Cruel Summer.” “We always said that when (Taylor Swift) came to Brazil we would find a way to go. The ticket was very expensive, but we still found a way”, Menin told G1. Rio de Janeiro Mayor Eduardo Paes said on X the “loss of a young woman’s life ... is unacceptable.” While authorities are investigating the circumstances of the death, Paes wrote, the municipality will demand Saturday that the show’s production company provide new water distribution points, more brigades and ambulances, and advance entrance to the show by one hour. Swift has two more shows scheduled in Rio, one on Saturday and one on Sunday. “I'm not going to be able to speak about this from stage because I feel overwhelmed by grief when I even try to talk about it,” she wrote. “I want to say now I feel this loss deeply and my broken heart goes out to her family and friends.”  

Author Sarah Bernstein won the Scotiabank Giller Prize on Monday for her novel “Study for Obedience.” The Montreal-born, Scotland-based author accepted the $100,000 award remotely from Scotland, where she had a baby just 10 days ago. Read: Chandler Bing, the AI chatbot: A tribute to Matthew Perry’s ‘Friends’ character Her novel is about a young woman moving to the remote north where after her arrival, a series of inexplicable events occur. The 100,000 Canadian dollar ($72,000 U.S.) Giller prize honors the best in Canadian fiction. Past winners have included Margaret Atwood, Mordecai Richler and Alice Munro. Just as Bernstein’s name was called at the gala, a protester interrupted the live telecast with anti-Israel war slogans, forcing organizers to repeat the announcement. Read: First-ever Arka Fashion Week concludes in style  The celebrations were also interrupted early in the broadcast when several anti-Israel protesters jumped onstage. The Giller was created in 1994 by late businessman Jack Rabinovitch in memory of his late wife, literary journalist Doris Giller.

Actor Zayed Khan is going to perform a dance routine with two songs at the National Film Award 2022 ceremony. Coke Studio Bangla's second live concert enthrals fans even amidst chaos In this regard, the actor told the media that, 'Khasru Bhai (Kamrul Alam Khan Khasru) and Rozina Apa (Rowshon Ara Rozina) are getting lifetime honours. I am lucky that I am going to perform a dance with two songs in their honour. More importantly, the prime minister will also attend the event. That will double my happiness." “Leelabati Nag: The Rebel” premiered at Liberation War Museum Zayed has recently done the shooting of the movie ''Chayabaz''.  Now, he is busy with several other movies. He was recently seen in Bangabandhu Sheikh Mujibur Rahman's biopic 'Mujib: The Making of a Nation' where played the role of Tikka Khan. The movie was directed by famous Indian director Shyam Benegal. Netflix Originals Dec 2023 Lineup: List of Movies, Series, and Other Shows Besides, several movies of Zayed including 'Sonar Char' and 'Bahaduri' are waiting for release.

The second seasonal live concert of Coke Studio Bangla, the Bangladeshi franchise of the globally popular musical program Coke Studio, enthralled thousands of fans at Bangladesh Army Stadium in the capital on Friday night. The event showcased a total of 125 artists including singers, musicians and dance performers, according to the organisers. Began with the performance of Hatirpool Sessions in the afternoon, the main concert started with the electrifying track "Nasek Nasek" by Animes Roy and Pantha Kanai, the very first track of Coke Studio Bangla Season One - the event went on rocking the audiences from 6:30 pm till 12 am. During this time, the ensemble line-up of Coke Studio Bangla's artists from both seasons including Shayan Chowdhury Arnob, Animes Roy, Pantho Kanai, Meghdol, Momotaz Begum, Mizan Rahman, Ritu Raj, Sanzida Mahmood Nandita, Elita Karim, Shuvo (D rockstar), Anuradha Mandal, Shawon Gaanwala, Moktadir Dewan Shanto with 'Beatmosphere', Jalali Set, Ripon Kumar Sarkar (Boga), Sunidhi Nayak, Soumyadeep Sikdar (Murshidabadi), Kaniz Khandaker Mitu, Md Makhon Mia, Warda Ashraf, Shanila Islam, Jannatul Firdous Akbar, Armeen Musa and Ghashphoring Choir, Riad Hasan, Pollob Vai, Sohana (Daughter of coastal), Mukul Mojumder Ishaan, Islam Uddin Palakar, Emon Chowdhury, Arfan Mredha Shiblu, Aleya Begum, Fuad Al Muqtadir, Tasfia Fatima Tashfee, Suchona Shelly, Bappa Mazumder, Hamida Banu, Pritom Hasan and others showcased their stunning performances one after another. Read: “Leelabati Nag: The Rebel” premiered at Liberation War Museum

West Bengal’s popular singer Nachiketa Chakraborty is all set to mesmerise his countless listeners in Bangladesh after a long hiatus, marking the 30th anniversary of his iconic music career. The eminent artist, widely revered for his fan-favourite tracks such as "She Prothom Prem Amar Nilanjana," "Sonali Prantore," "Jokhon Somoy Thomke Daray" and more, will perform at a music event on November 10, Friday, at the Krishibid Institution Bangladesh (KIB) auditorium in the capital. With the release of his debut album "Ei Besh Bhalo Aachhi" in 1993, the renowned Bengali singer, songwriter, and composer embarked on a triumphant musical career, winning over avid admirers in West Bengal and Bangladesh. Read: Top 10 Highest Earning South Indian Films of All Time This event titled “Nachiketa Live in Dhaka with Joy Shahriar,” will mark the 30th anniversary of his musical journey, organised by Aajob Karkhana and Aajob Records. The revered singer also confirmed this event on his official social media handles. “In 1993, Nachiketa's debut solo album “Ei Besh Bhalo Aachhi” was released, and his 30-year musical journey was commemorated with a musical event in Kolkata. Back in June this year I went to Kolkata to work with him, and I proposed the event to him as we grew up listening to him and he has a large fan following in Bangladesh,” Aajob Karkhana and Aajob Records founder and CEO Joy Shahriar told UNB. Read: Showcasing glorious days of Jatra, Aruna Biswas’s debut film 'Ashomvob' releases today “He then agreed to perform and we are now just a few days away to witness him performing for our audiences live in Dhaka. I will open the event and perform which will be a great honour for me as an artist and this will be a remarkable achievement for my career,” Joy Shahriar, also known to music lovers in Bangladesh for many of his popular songs including “Shotti Bolchhi,” expressed his excitement. Tickets for the show are already on sale online at the Get Set Rock website. A total of five tiers of tickets have been released for this event: Silver (2000 BDT), Gold (3000 BDT), Platinum (5000 BDT), Student Silver (1000 BDT) and Student Gold (2000 BDT) “Given the venue's limited capacity, we had to adjust the pricing accordingly. Nevertheless, we also wanted to provide our younger listeners with an amazing experience, so we put up two exclusive student packages which they can get at the venue by presenting their ID cards from their educational institution,” Joy Shahriar told UNB. The event will welcome the audience from 5 pm onwards, and the event will start from 6:30 pm while the audiences can enter the venue till 8:30 pm. Partners for the event are Toffee, GoZayaan, Universal Medical College Hospital, aamarPay, Nescafe, Kazi Food and Aajob Prokash.  

Homayra Himu, one of the renowned faces in the country’s television industry, died at her residence on Thursday. She was brought into the Uttara Bangladesh Medical College in the capital on Thursday afternoon and upon inspection, the on-duty doctor of the hospital pronounced her dead, according to Actors Equity Guild President and actor Ahsan Habib Nasim. Although yet to be confirmed, all available information suggests that the actress took her own life. Details regarding her postmortem and other rituals are yet to be informed. According to Nasim, the actress was brought to the hospital by her younger sister and another man who is suspected to be her lover. He went missing when the doctors called the police for an investigation regarding the death. Born on 23 November, 1985 in Lakshmipur district, Himu completed her HSC from Ispahani College and later obtained her honours and masters degrees from Eden Women's College in the capital. She started her acting career in theatre, and her television acting career started with the 2006 drama "Chayabithi." Subsequently, she showcased her acting skills in several well-known drama serials, including "Housefull," "Gulshan Avenue," "Bari Bari Sari Sari," "Sonaghat," "Batighar," "Shonena Sey Shonena," "Chairman Bari" and more. Himu made her silver screen debut with acclaimed filmmaker Morshedul Islam-directed 'Amar Bondhu Rashed' in 2011 and got critically acclaimed for her performance. Celebrities and her close acquaintances in the media have been sharing their grief and love for the acclaimed actress on their social media handles after being informed about her untimely and unfortunate demise.