NEW YORK, Aug. 2 — Hundreds of members of the Bangladeshi community gathered at Rockaway Beach on New York’s Atlantic coast on July 31 to celebrate the third edition of the “Moonlight Festival,” a cultural event inspired by the late Bangladeshi novelist Humayun Ahmed’s vision of celebrating the beauty of nature under the full moon.
Organized by progressive community and cultural activists who say they uphold the spirit of Bangladesh’s Liberation War, the festival transformed the beachfront into a vibrant cultural venue featuring music, poetry, recitation, dance and informal gatherings.
As the full moon rose over the Atlantic Ocean, participants enjoyed an evening of cultural performances and social interaction, creating what organizers described as a celebration of Bangladeshi heritage in the heart of New York.
The event was spearheaded by cultural personality Gopal Sanyal and organizer Swikriti Barua, with support from a team of volunteers.
The festival was formally inaugurated by Ekushey Padak recipient, freedom fighter, author and scientist Dr. Nurun Nabi, who lit the ceremonial lamp. Speakers, including journalist Muhammad Fazlul Rahman, Nurul Amin Babu, Zakaria Chowdhury, Swikriti Barua, Jahangir Dastagir, Ramdas Gharami, Aslam Ahmed Khan and journalist Pinaki Talukdar, emphasized the importance of preserving Bangladeshi culture among expatriate communities.
Popular film actress Moushumi and actor Saju Khadem attended the event, while musical performances were presented by Dinat Jahan Munni, Shah Mahbub, Reshmi Mirza, Bindu Kona, Baul Belal Karim, Karim Hawlader, Alvan Chowdhury, Sagnik Majumdar, Zerin Maisha and several other artists from the Bangladeshi diaspora.
Dance performances were staged by the Bangladesh Institute of Performing Arts (BIPA), Nrityanjali and Mrithan Dance Academy. The program also featured poetry recitations, Baul music and other cultural presentations throughout the evening.
The event was hosted by Sharmina Siraj Sonia, Tahrina Parveen Priti and Swadhin Majumdar, while media coordination was managed by cultural activist Aslam Ahmad Khan.
Concluding the festival, Gopal Sanyal announced plans to organize an even larger cultural carnival for the Bangladeshi diaspora next year.
