Golden jubilee of ‘Concert for Bangladesh’

‘Concert for Bangladesh’, a major charity concert, organised by Indian musician Ravi Shankar and his friend, former Beatle George Harrison in an attempt to raise fund and global support for Bangladesh during the Liberation War, marks the golden jubilee on August 1, 1971.

The former Beatle lead guitarist Harrison staged the all-star concert to benefit the United Nations Children’s fund for relief to refugee children of Bangladesh, raising $243,418.50 in funds from the concert.

Additional funds raised from sales of the live album and concert film were also added to the fund.

Bob Dylan, Ali Akbar Khan, Ringo Starr, Billy Preston, Leon Russell and Eric Clapton, among others, were also featured in the concert.

George Harrison, who was one of the biggest rock stars in 1971, told an interview that he took the initiative “because I was asked by a friend if I’d help, that’s all.” That friend was legendary Indian musician Ravi Shankar.

‘The Concert for Bangladesh’ is said to be the first large-scale pop music event to benefit a major human rights cause.

“Overnight, everybody knew the name of Bangladesh all over the world,” Ravi Shankar said.