Ramendu Majumdar and Ferdousi Mazumder rally cultural activists to aid flood victims

In a poignant call to action, revered cultural figures Ramendu Majumdar and Ferdousi Mazumder have urged cultural activists to extend their support to the millions affected by the catastrophic floods sweeping across 11 districts of Bangladesh, including Feni and Cumilla. The floods have trapped over 1 million families and impacted approximately 5.2 million people, leaving a trail of devastation in their wake. So far, 18 lives have been lost, and two people remain unaccounted for.

On Sunday, the veteran couple, known for contributing to Bangladesh's cultural landscape, released a deeply resonating joint statement, passionately appealing to their fellow cultural workers to rise to the occasion, "We appeal to all cultural activists—our country is in the grasp of a severe disaster. The most catastrophic flood in recent memory has endangered millions of lives. 

"In the past, we, as cultural workers, actively participated in relief efforts during every natural disaster. Although our age prevents us from being on the front lines, we are still trying to help through various organisations."

Their message highlights not only the gravity of the situation but also the historical role that cultural workers have played in Bangladesh's resilience during times of crisis. They added, "Many of our fellow cultural workers are already involved in relief efforts on their own. However, if we can collectively gather funds in one place, it would greatly aid in post-flood rehabilitation efforts." 

"We sincerely call for a meeting where young cultural activists can lead the initiative to establish a fund. We, as seniors, will support them to the best of our abilities. The collected funds can be donated to the Chief Adviser Muhammad Yunus' Relief Fund or to an organisation actively working on the ground."

They emphasised the importance of unity and collective action, particularly in the face of such a widespread disaster by stating, "If possible, cultural activists can also directly engage in rehabilitation work. We hope our younger colleagues will take urgent steps in this direction. Together, we believe we can overcome this disaster."

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