'Get Up Stand Up': Musicians express solidarity with students

Expressing solidarity with the protesting students representing the ongoing Anti-Discrimination Student Movement, musicians gathered in the capital today (3 August).

First gathered at Rabindra Shorobor in Dhanmondi, the artists, under the banner of 'Get Up Stand Up', then marched towards the Central Shaheed Minar, joining thousands of protesters.

Speaking to media, the artists expressed their stance against oppression and placed demands to stop the acts of violence, punish the murderers, and sought justice for rapper Hannan who was recently arrested for his track 'Awaaz Utha'.

Musicians including the Bangladesh Musical Bands Association (BAMBA) representatives and many popular bands, solo artists, music directors, lyricists, instrumentalists, technicians, organisers and others joined the gathering and procession, expressing solidarity.

Among the artists were Prince Mahmud, Latiful Islam Shibly, Probar Ripon, Hamin Ahmed, Maqsoodul Haque, Shakib Chowdhury, Partha Barua, Sujit Mostafa, Sheikh Monirul Haque Tipu, Shayan Chowdhury Arnob, Asif Akbar, Ziaur Rahman Zia, Syed Hasanur Rahman, Pantha Kanai, George Lincoln D'Costa, Raef Al Hasan Rafa, Elita Karim, Zohad Reza Chowdhury, Joy Shahriar, Ahmed Hasan Sunny, Zunayed Evan, Someshwar Oli, Jamshed Chowdhury, A K Rahul, Khayam Sanu Sandhi, Sheikh Ishtiaque, Shauquat Ali Emon and more.

Popular bands including Miles, Souls, Warfaze, Shironamhin, Renaissance, Artcell, Cryptic Fate, Nemesis, Chirkutt, Meghdol, Ashes, Shonar Bangla Circus, AvoidRafa, Kaaktaal, Chirkutt, and many more joined the protesters, all united under the rainy sky.

"From day one, many of us, including myself, have supported the demands of the students and raised our voices on social platforms. The demands of the students are totally justified and we demand justice for our students," eminent music director Prince Mahmud said at the gathering.

Miles' frontman and BAMBA President Hamin Ahmed said, "We don't want a single bullet to be aimed at our students. We request the authorities to take prompt and appropriate measures to fulfil the demands of our students."

Cryptic Fate vocalist Shakib Chowdhury said, "Many have asked why we could not raise our voices before; the answer is we were afraid. Now our students have taught us how to raise our voices against injustice, and today we gathered here to express our solidarity with them."

Shonar Bangla Circus frontman Probar Ripon said, "We want immediate release of rapper Hannan, who had been arrested unlawfully. As musicians, we are vocal and loud from the beginning with the demands of the protesting students, and we want justice against the murders as well."

The gathering of 'Get Up Stand Up' was joined by hundreds of fans and admirers of the musicians at the Rabindra Shorobor. After speaking to the media, the artists marched forward and took the rally to the Shaheed Minar, and shared photos and videos from the mass gathering on their social handles.