Six famous Arakanese singers and one keyboard player from Burma performed in Bangladesh for the first time in a three-night stage show in Cox's Bazaar in southern Bangladesh from February 25 to 27.
The singers are Mrat Khaing Kyaw, U Maung Thein, Myo Rakhine, Re Hlaing Pyr, and Waddy Soe Moe from Sittwe, the capital of Arakan State. Myo Min Lay an expert keyboard player also performed.
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Singer U Maung Thein said, "We have never been in Bangladesh before for such concerts. We are happy for a chance to perform for our Arakanese people, who are living in Bangladesh."
Thousands from the Arakanese community in Bangladesh, primarily youth, thronged the performance.
The performance was held at the Abyathuka Htit Kyin Daung Pagoda religious festival in Cox's Bazaar in Bangladesh. The festival is usually held on full moon day of the month of Tabound on the Arakanese calendar.
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A youth from Cox's Bazaar said, "We were happy to get a chance to participate in the concert. It was a great performance for the Arakanese community in Bangladesh and I had never seen such a concert before. It is the first time Arakanese singers came to Bangladesh to perform."
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The singers traveled to Bangladesh on seven-day visas that were issued by Bangladesh authorities and they came from Arakan in a ferry boat across the Naff River, entering the country at the Maungdaw - Teknaf border point.
Burma's border security force, Nasaka, also issued permission for the singers to perform at the festival in Bangladesh.
Re Hlaing Pyr, a female singer, told Narinjara in an interview, "It was a wonderful performance for me because there was a large number of Rakhine people joining in the concert. I did not realize before that such a large number of Rakhines were living in Bangladesh. I am happy I met many Rakhines in Bangladesh."
A 17-member traditional Arakanese dance team from Maungdaw on the western Burmese border also performed at the festival along with the Arakanese singers.
