Abu Dhabi: A singer who participated in her country's freedom struggle four decades ago recollects how music was a weapon against rifles.
"I cannot fight with a rifle, so I fought with my music for the liberation of Bangladesh in 1971", Shaheen Samad told Gulf News on the sidelines of Bangladeshi Soiree, a traditional dance and music programme, held last week at the National Theatre in Abu Dhabi, exclusively for Bangladeshi workers.
The Bangladeshi Embassy in cooperation with the UAE Ministry of Culture, Youth and Community Development organised the two-day programme performed by a visiting delegation of Bangladeshi artists.
The troupe from Bangladesh Shilpakala Academy — the National Academy of Fine and Performing Arts — had performed for officials, diplomats and other dignitaries on the first day of the event.
Bangladesh was liberated after a nine-month long bloody war, during which the entire population was on the streets, braving the bullets of the army, Samad, then a university student, said. "The fighters were starving without food and water but the music always re-energised them", she added.
Musical motivation
"Whenever we felt people were tired, the singers including me sang patriotic songs and that encouraged them to stay with the struggle.
"We organised the ‘Musical Soiree' for the first time for Bangladeshi workers who do not get an opportunity to witness such shows ..," Mohammad Nazm Al Quanine, the Bangladeshi Ambassador said.
"We are grateful to the UAE authorities for providing the auditorium free of charge," he added.
The event was part of a year-long programme to familiarise UAE with Bangladeshi culture, arts, sports and to promote tourism.
"Several companies employing Bangladeshi workers arranged the transportation for them to attend the programme on our request," Quanine.
The workers said the programme evoked a sense of nostalgia.
"The music, dance and video presentation ... made me so happy", Mohammad Arshad, 25, a pipe-fitter said.
Abu Bakr Seddiqi, 25, a welder who travelled on a company bus from Al Ruwais in Al Garbia to attend the programme said it was the first time in his four years in Abu Dhabi that he had attended a Bangladeshi programme.
The ambassador said Bangladesh is known for its thousands of workers in every sector in the UAE but many are not aware of its rich culture, arts, heritage, tourism potential and investment opportunities.
