Loko Sangeet Shondha in aid of an ailing student Shawon
A young meritorious student of the capital, Ariful Islam Shawon, nurtures a dream. But unlike that of others, his one is of a bit unique kind. When his friends plan of a solvent worldly future, Shawon can only beg to the Almighty of giving him a new lease of life, one free from the deadly illness he is suffering from, at the moment, leukemia. Shawon was unable to attend a charity folk songs' program that was held at the auditorium of Bangladesh Shilpakala Academy on the evening of June 8 in aid of his cancer treatment.
Sheba Students' Humanitarian effort in Bangladesh), a charitable organization set up in 1998 by a group of Dhaka University students, hosted the event in the city in a bid to help raise funds for Shawon's treatment through sales' of entry tickets at four different rates of taka 1000, 500, 150 and 75. According to reliable sources, a total of around 700 tickets were sold at the charity music event held at the Shishu Academy auditorium.
Shawon, who has to visit his doctors very often at Thakurpukur Cancer Research Institute in Kolkata, was represented at the event by his mother.
Reputed artists like Farida Parveen, Kiron Chandra Roy, Rathindranath Roy, Indra Mohon Rajbangshi, Dipti Rajbangshi and others performed at the event. All of the participating artists performed free of remuneration.
It was mid-January early this year, when Shaon, a second year student of the physics department of Dhaka University, was first detected with blood cancer. He was immediately sent to Kolkata where medical specialists confirmed the test reports of Dhaka.
Doctors advised of bone-marrow transplantation within next six months which would possibly save the young man's life. As told by local and Indian cancer specialists, an estimated expenditure of taka 45 to 50 lacs would be required for the complicated surgery and a Singapore hospital was the best place for such treatment. Being a child of a middle-class family, Shawon is unable to acquire such a huge amount all by himself. Taka 7 to 8 lacs have so far been collected for Shawon's treatment from various sources of charity.
It may be mentioned that recently Shawon's friends and students of physics department of Dhaka University arranged a film show session that lasted for four days and the entire amount received from sales' proceedings of ticket was donated to the Shaon's treatment fund.
Sheba hopes of arranging more such charity events in aid of Shawon, which would include a band concert with performances from LRB and Vikings. Sheba has launched a website and e-mail account in connection with collection of money for the DU student's treatment. Bank accounts have also been opened in name of Ariful Islam Shaon in different branches of Agrani, Pubali and Uttara bank. The website is www.helpsshawon.itgo.com and the e-mail account is shawon@sdnbd.org.
Before the start of the show, a number of speech were delivered by Shawon's mother, his friend, Professor Chowdhury Mahmud Hasan, an advisor of Sheba, Dr. Amena Begum, coordinator of the charity events in aid of Shaon, and KhandakerMirajur Rahman, President of Sheba.
Sheba, apart from helpingShawon, has so far contributed in a large number social projects that has included distribution of warm clothes among members of homeless urban population, blood collection from university students and free donation among needy patients in various hospitals, campaign against abuse of medicine, environmental awareness, dengue fever eradication and treatment, etc.
Management of Dettol, RC Cola, Exim Bank and Lever Brothers BD. Ltd. were some of the main sponsors and co-sponsors of the charity event at Shishu Academy auditorium. - Cultural Correspondent. Courtesy: The Daily Star |
