Bangladeshi artists delivered a captivating performance at UNESCO headquarters in Paris as part of a grand celebration marking the 25th anniversary of International Mother Language Day. The event, held last week, highlighted the country's cultural heritage, with Bangladeshi performances standing out as one of the evening's main attractions.

A group of Bangladeshi performers traveled to Paris to participate in the event. Professor Muhammad Yunus, Chief Advisor of the caretaker government, was invited as the chief guest for the inaugural ceremony, delivering his speech virtually. On February 21, at the main event, cultural advisor Mostofa Sarwar Farooki was present and shared his reflections on the Bangladeshi artists' performances on the prestigious UNESCO stage.

Taking to Facebook, Farooki posted several pictures of the Bangladeshi performances, expressing gratitude and appreciation. "I'm grateful to all the performers who took part in the event. 'Shono Mohajon', Sezan-Palakar's '52 featuring 24', Parsha-Tuntun Baul's rendition of Lalon's 'Jaat gelo', and Pinky-Parsha's rendition of 'Amar Bhaiyer Rokte Rangano' in four languages of Bangladesh amazed everyone. Thank you for portraying Bangladesh in a different light," Farooki wrote.

Farooki also extended special thanks to director Tanim Noor and musician Zahid Nirob for their contributions.

The event on February 21 began with a video interview of prominent researcher, writer, theorist, and communist leader Badruddin Umar. Commenting on this, Farooki said, "Badruddin Umar's cultural politics and his historical analysis have fueled many democratic movements, and the '24' series is no exception. Yesterday's cultural event at UNESCO began with a shot from Umar Bhai's interview. It was a very brief clip, but it held significant meaning for us. The mainstream intellectual infantilism, sidelining figures like Umar Bhai, has led us into a long period of fascism. Anyway, they say memories fade. Let's ensure that doesn't happen by preserving some photos from last night's event."

In conclusion, Farooki thanked all those involved in making the event a success. "Thanks to the Bangladesh Embassy in Paris for bringing this vision to life. Thanks to the Ministry of Cultural Affairs and my colleagues. While I won't speak much today, someday I will. One colleague of mine went above and beyond for the success of this event, something I doubt many government officials would do. While we have to work with inefficient officers, we can also accomplish things thanks to dedicated ones like him."

In 1999, UNESCO declared February 21 as International Mother Language Day. Since 2000, the day has been celebrated across UN member states. This year marks the silver jubilee of this important recognition.

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