ling ▁nation ▁around ▁the ▁world . ▁In ▁ 2 0 0 5 , ▁United ▁Nations ▁Secretary - General ▁K of i ▁Ann an ▁identified ▁the ▁song ' s ▁success ▁in ▁person alis ing ▁the ▁Bang l adesh ▁crisis , ▁through ▁its ▁emot ive ▁description ▁of ▁Sh ank ar ' s ▁request ▁for ▁help . ▁ ▁" B ang la ▁Des h " ▁appeared ▁at ▁the ▁height ▁of ▁Harrison ' s ▁popular ity ▁as ▁a ▁solo ▁artist , ▁following ▁the ▁break - up ▁of ▁the ▁Beat les ▁and ▁the ▁acc laim ▁afford ed ▁his ▁ 1 9 7 0 ▁triple ▁album ▁All ▁Things ▁Must ▁Pass . ▁It ▁was ▁pop ▁music ' s ▁first ▁char ity ▁single , ▁and ▁its ▁release ▁took ▁place ▁three ▁days ▁before ▁the ▁Harrison - sp ons ored ▁Con cert ▁for ▁Bang l adesh ▁shows ▁at ▁New ▁York ' s ▁Mad ison ▁Square ▁Garden . ▁The ▁single ▁became ▁a ▁top ▁ten ▁hit ▁in ▁the ▁United ▁Kingdom ▁and ▁elsewhere ▁in ▁Europe , ▁and ▁pe aked ▁at ▁number ▁ 2 3 ▁on ▁America ' s ▁Billboard ▁Hot ▁ 1 0 0 . ▁The ▁recording ▁was ▁co - produ ced ▁by ▁Phil ▁Spect or ▁and ▁features ▁contributions ▁from ▁Leon ▁Russell , ▁Jim ▁Horn , ▁Ring o ▁St arr ▁and ▁Jim ▁K elt ner . ▁The ▁Los ▁Angeles ▁session ▁for ▁the ▁song ▁marked ▁the ▁start ▁of ▁two ▁end uring ▁musical ▁associations ▁in ▁Harrison ' s ▁solo ▁career , ▁with ▁K elt ner ▁and ▁Horn . ▁ ▁Back ed ▁by ▁these ▁mus icians ▁and ▁others ▁including