A night of musical bliss with Rahat Fateh Ali Khan

The night was crisp and biting, the kind that sneaks past even the thickest of clothing. I had layered myself in three cozy shields against the chill, yet a strange coldness lingered. 

Perhaps it wasn't the weather at all but the haunting beauty of Rahat Fateh Ali Khan's voice—the soulful maestro of Sufi music, whose every note seemed to carry the weight of centuries. Last night, under the open skies of Dhaka Army Stadium, the 'Echoes of Revolution' concert became a portal to a musical legacy as ancient as it was timeless.

It was around 10 PM and the moment everyone had been waiting for finally arrived. Rahat Fateh Ali Khan graced the stage, his presence as commanding as his voice. With him was his son, Shazmaan Khan, a promising heir to the family's musical dynasty. As the younger Khan sang, the echoes of his lineage were undeniable—a legacy being carried forward with grace and skill.

Rahat Fateh Ali Khan blended classics immortalised by the legendary Ustad Nusrat Fateh Ali Khan with his own Bollywood hits. The crowd held its breath as the first song of the night, 'Tu Na Jaane Aasmaan Ke Khuda', a hit from Anjaana Anjaani, floated through the air. Then came the poignant strains of 'Sanu Ek Pal Chain Na Aave,' followed by the deeply spiritual 'Nit Khair Manga.' Each song felt like a heartbeat, pulling the audience deeper into the rhythm of the night.

The next song took the audience to the heavens as they were embraced by the melody of 'Ore Pia.' It was followed by 'Zaroori Tha' and 'Mere Rashke Qamar.'

When he performed the famous song 'Afreen Afreen', thousands of voices followed him. It was such a blissful moment! And  Khan's set ended with 'Tume dil lagi'. 

The concert was a charity event aimed at raising funds for families of martyrs and injured during the July uprising through the July Smriti Foundation. The event created much buzz on social media when Rahat Fateh Ali Khan decided not to take any payment for the program. And the respect he paid to the fallen heroes touched the audience's hearts. 

The line-up for the concert had several prominent Bangladeshi artistes like Artcell, Chirkutt, and Aftermath, the now-famous Qawwali group Silsila, and rappers Shezan and Hannan. 

However, there weren't many audience members at the Army Stadium in Banani until the afternoon. Also, the scene changed as evening fell when the crowd started coming. Soon, the army guards were facing troubles to maintain the crowd. Long queues of visitors were seen outside the venue. 

At 4 pm, 'Silsila' began the performance. This Qawwali group had faced attacks for performing songs during the previous government, and their presence was warmly lauded by the audience. Then came the famous rapper duo Shezan and Hannan, who performed their songs 'Awaaz Utha', 'Kotha Ko', 'Risk', and 'Din Bodol'.

'Aftermath' performed for the first time at the Army Stadium. They played rock ballads like 'Odhikar', 'Utshorgo', 'Matir Rod', and 'Hoongkar'.

As the evening progressed, Chirkutt took to the stage. They began with an instrumental rendition of our national anthem, followed by the patriotic song 'Dhono Dhanye Pushpe Bhora'. The vocalist Sumi performed crowd favourites 'Ahare Jibon', 'Jadur Shohor', and 'Na Bujhi Duniya'.

Artcell's performance began at 8:30 pm with their timeless song 'Poth Chola'. It was followed by 'Maago Tomar Bhabna Keno' and 'Teer Hara Ei Dheuer Shagor' to pay respect to the martyrs. They also performed their iconic songs 'Oniket Prantor', 'Dhushor Shomoy', and 'Dukkho Bilash', much to the delight of the fans.

Despite the impressive performances, the concert was marred by noticeable mismanagement. Logistical challenges significantly impacted the experience, and the organisers appeared unprepared to handle the large crowd. 

Reports emerged of military personnel harassing Dhaka University students. Adding to the chaos, around 10 PM, groups of young men entered the venue without tickets, further straining the already crowded event.

The traffic situation outside the stadium was equally chaotic, with severe congestion caused by roadblocks that only grew worse as the night went on. Stranded attendees lined the streets, unaware of the temporary road closures leading to Banani, which added to their frustration.

While there was no toll on the expressway that evening, it presented a unique problem of its own. Numerous people parked their cars on the expressway to watch the concert from above, leading to a long, stationary queue that mirrored the gridlock below.