In remembrance of the late young environmentalist Soumita Das Chowdhury Medha, a special commemorative event was held on Saturday at the Shahid Munir-Azad seminar hall in the Moni Singh-Farhad Smrity Trust building, Purana Paltan in the capital.

Organized by the Moni Singh-Farhad Smrity Trust, the event featured commemorative speeches, a special music session titled "Gachher Jonno Gaan" (Songs for Trees) and a tree plantation program in the building premise.

Born in Narayanganj, Bangladesh - Medha was a Kolkata University English graduate and a MA Student in the Department of Film Studies at Jadavpur University in Kolkata, West Bengal in India.

The rising star, who was a humanitarian since her early childhood and was known for her kindness and care towards people, street children and nature - passed away in a tragic accident, on February 12 last year.

Due to Cyclone Amphan in 2020, the climate in West Bengal was severely damaged and jeopardized, which led Medha and her friends to initiate the project "Songs for Trees" through which they used to collect funds for tree plantation by singing 'Modhukori' songs.

While performing in such an event on February 12, 2020 - a coconut tree which was already weak from its roots due to the cyclone - fell on Medha and she was spotted dead right after that tragic incident.

Moni Singh-Farhad Smrity Trust President Shekhar Dutta presided over the commemoration ceremony on Saturday, while the Trust board member Habibuddin Ahmed read the condolence proposal.

A number of dignitaries spoke on the occasion including the Trust Secretary Mukul Chowdhury, Bangladesh Medhajapon Center Joint Convenor Principal Karim Reza, Professor Neyamul Haque, Bangladesh Roof Garden Movement President Golam Haider; renowned filmmaker and architect Mashiuddin Shaker, former Editor of Dainik Samakal Mozammel Hossain Manju, Medha's father Malay Das Chandan and Dr Abdul Malek Bhuiyan, to name a few.

The program was conducted by Trust Board Treasurer MA Samad. Speakers in the seminar paid special attention to building a social movement for environmental protection by showing respect for the memory of Medha.

After that, the artists of Medha Mancha from Kolkata - Shibanjan Bhattacharya, Dola Roy and Chayan Karmakar performed a musical tribute with a number of songs to the environmental warrior Medha.

After the ceremony, a couple of trees were planted in front of the Moni Singh-Farhad Smrity Trust building.

"Medha was a wonderful, talented kid and a very kind-hearted soul. Bangladesh was her motherland; however, her love towards nature and humanity was spread beyond the barriers. Despite her tragic death at such a young age, she is still vibrantly present through the memories of many people, and it is our honour to commemorate this majestic soul through events like this," Shekhar Dutta, President of the Moni Singh-Farhad Smrity Trust told UNB.