Nadia Sarwat
A four-day celebration by Liberation War Museum (LWM) on our Victory day started on December 13 at the museum premises with a demand to include the Universal Declaration of Human Rights in the curriculum of schools, colleges and Madrassas.
Mafidul Haque, trustee and member secretary of LWM welcomed the audience and presented the proposal. “Through our extended experience in teaching the youngsters the history of our Liberation War, we have realised that it is necessary for them to learn about the Universal Declaration of Human Rights, and about peace and amity. We call upon the concerned authority to take necessary steps to include these aspects in the formal education,” he said.
Quazi Ali Reza, Information Officer of United Nation’s Information Centre, Dhaka then read out the message of the UN Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon on the occasion of International Human Rights Day (which was on December 10). Reza also informed the audience about the background, which led the United Nations to make the declaration in 1948. This year marks the 60th anniversary of the document, which has proven to be a key instrument in restoring peace in several war-torn countries.
Professor Dalem Chandra Barman, Department of Peace and Conflict Studies, Dhaka University presented the keynote paper titled “Declaration of Human Rights and Genocide Convention.”
The second part of the event featured a cultural programme. Students of Begum Rahima Ideal Girls’ School performed songs and dance. A group dance with the song “O Ganga tumi boichho keno” and a chorus rendition of the patriotic song “Sundar subarno tarunyo labonyo” were greeted with rounds of applause.
Next on stage was Ruma Sarkar singing baul songs. She started with the song “Shomoy geley shadhon hobey na.” Jalal Boyati from Comilla performed several baul songs at the event. “Yahya, Bhutto, Tikkar kalla chai/ Shonar Bangla agun diye korlo chhai,” a song composed by the Boyati expressing the fiery resolve of the freedom fighters to free the land and avenge the murdered countrymen was a highlight. The event also included ‘punthi paath’ (recital) — going over the history of Liberation War — by Hakim Boyati and Halim Boyati from Netrakona.
Yesterday, family members of the martyred freedom fighters reminisced about their experiences and the loved ones whom they lost during the Liberation War. Muktijoddha Characha Kendra, an organisation from Rajshahi, performed at the event. Performance by the artistes of Chhayanat concluded the second day’s programme.
The four-day event also includes programmes at the ‘Jalladkhana Badhyobhumi Smritipith’ (killing field) in Mirpur. The event will end tomorrow with a ‘jatarapala’ titled “Ganga Thekey Buriganga” by Loko Natya Gosthi at the Liberation War Museum premises.
Courtesy: thedailystar.net
