The Global Alliance Against Agents and Violence on Humanity (GA3VH) organized the first Bangladesh Day Parade in Montreal.
The event, which started at 2:30 pm on Sunday, was attended by many people from the community. The event was hosted by Rabeya Hossain.
In the first part of the parade, children from the community walked representing Bangladesh holding green and red flags. In the second part, a “Come and Know Bangladesh” quiz competition was organized for the children and teenagers, in which about 30 contestants participated. The quiz was conducted very efficiently and in an orderly manner by Dr. Shishir Bhattacharya. The jury consisted of Zebul Hasan, Nawsaba Karim, Manu Halder and Bangla School teacher Fatema Akhter. Each of the participants was awarded a book as a prize for their encouraging performance.
The awards were distributed by Global Alliance Executives, Chandra and Tarek Chowdhury, Vice President Shahabuddin and Joint General Secretary Shamsul Karim Jahangir.
In the inaugural speech of the program, Global Alliance Chairperson Ishrat Alam said, “Global Alliance will continue to work with the children, women and minority communities in the mainstream. The website of the alliance will be launched very soon, which will mention the executive panel and future programs.” She expressed special gratitude to IGA Supermarket for providing water, juice, granola bars, donuts and apples for the children.
The wonderful cultural program included Bengali songs, folk songs, modern songs, poetry and dance. Artists Safina Karim, Nazneen Misha, Pranab Mithu, B Zaman Sujan and Kabitaya Ranga participated. In addition, the performance of the children of the Nrityakoni Academy fascinated everyone.
The banner of the event read the following immortal words of the national poet of Bangladesh, Kazi Nazrul Islam.
শ্বেত শতদল-বাসিনী নয় আজ
রক্তাম্বরধারিণী মা,
ধ্বংসের বুকে হাসুক মা তোর
সৃষ্টির নব পূর্ণিমা।
It also included a quote by a Bengali poet Mohini Chowdhury:
মুক্তির মন্দির সোপানতলে
কত প্রাণ হল বলিদান,
লেখা আছে অশ্রুজলে ।।
Among the community leaders who distributed the prizes at the event were community leader Sajjad Hossain Sweet, Sharif Ullah, Lutfur Rahman, journalist Tanvir Yusuf Roni, Monowara Begum, Mufti Faruk, Anup Chowdhury Mithu, Elora Akhter, Shah Alam Mollah and many others.
Sponsors included—Primarica (Monowara Begum), Bikrampur President Bazlur Rahman, Salatin Restaurant (Sajjad Hossain Sweet), Salma Akhter, Lutfur Rahman, Elora Akhter, Shakila Sharmin, Sharif Ullah, Nazneen Nisha.
Saju Moazzem made videography and photography of the event.
In her closing speech, Chairperson Ishrat Alam said, “Love Bangla, love the Bengali language. It is our duty to inform children about Bangladesh.” The songs, melodies, history and spirit of the Liberation War of Bengal must be imbibed by the next generation — they will be the ones to carry the torch.”
Despite the rain and sunshine, the enthusiasm of the participants did not dampen the brightness of the event. The children in the parade carried symbolic decorations of lotus flowers, kalka and pitchers, the design and creativity of which was gifted by Rina.
