Sabhanaz Rashid Diya

Sleeves Our Music Wear

2009-05-08T09:23:00.000-07:00

The relationship between art and music is a love-hate patch. At any one period, they sing along the same tune; while in the other, you find them tearing each other's hairs out. The very fact that our music needs to wear clothes designed by some of the finest graphics gurus that this world has to offer may seem like an inconspicuous detail we all like to overlook. But the truth remains that album art, in itself is an industry without which our music may have lacked that kick of art that flirts with our eyes.

History of Album Art
Although Alex Steinweiss is often hailed for pioneering the very concept of album art, its origin dates back to 1910 when 78 rpm records replaced phonograph cylinder as the medium for recorded sound. The 78 rpm records were issued in both 10 and 12 inches diameter sizes and were usually sold separately in brown paper or cardboard sleeves that were sometimes plain and sometimes printed to show the producer or the retailer's name. German record company Odeon pioneered the 'album' in 1909 when it released the "Nutcracker Suite" by Tchaikovsky on 4 double-sided discs in a specially-designed package.
Beginning in the 1920s, bound collections of empty sleeves with a plain cardboard or leather cover, similar to a photograph album, were sold as 'record albums' that customers could use to store their records. In 1938, Columbia records hired Steinweiss as its first art director. After his initial efforts at Columbia, other record companies followed his lead. By the late 1940s, record albums for all the major companies featured their own colorful paper covers in both 10-inch and 12-inch sizes. Some featured reproductions of classic art while others utilized original designs.
In today's world, album art consumes of an important ritual in music culture. As a marketing tool and an expression of artistic intent, gatefold covers and inserts (often with lyrics) have made the album cover a desirable artifact in its own right.

When the Brush Strokes Cash
It is no jaw-dropping surprise when one hears of names of famous artists who have gained international accolade through designing album sleeves. The designer company, 'Hipgnosis' with its sleeve genius Storm Thorgerson is a brand amongst many. Designing album covers for Pink Floyd, AC/DC and other 'gods of music', Thorgerson has been on the field for nearly three decades. Bands don't always agree with his ideas. Notably, Pink Floyd picked the prism design for “Dark Side of The Moon” over a much more ambitious concept involving a silver surfer riding the tube of a huge wave. The album has sold more than 40 million copies, so the band must have had a point. Thorgerson was paid a flat fee of 600 pounds, but insists he has no regrets. At an interview with The Sydney Morning Herald, the 64-year old designer says, “Being a graphic designer is not exactly a passport to financial riches. My satisfaction is from working with bands and the fans when I meet them.”
While many may conclude his words as a flattering modesty with references from the likes of Roger Dean (famous for his Yes and Greenslade covers) and Cal Schenkel (known for Captain Beefheart's “Trout Mask Replica” and Frank Zappa's “We're only in it for the Money”), one cannot help but wonder whether making music look good as opposed to sounding good is indeed an understated art. Whether listeners and customers truly look at the sleeves before picking out a record or whether it's just another bonus that comes unappreciated.
The debate is often left to the music buffs, but international media and orthodox masses have often reacted violently to many album sleeve designs. The noted few would be Jimi Hendrix's “Electric Ladyland”, Scorpions' “Lovedrive”, Guns N Roses' “Appetite for Destruction”, Nirvana's “Nevermind” and Aerosmith's 'Nine Lives”. Many designs have often been replaced by plain white paper to avoid controversies and Matchbox Twenty was even sued by Frank Torres for using his photo on their album cover. Surprisingly, labels and bands are also accused of promoting the wrong message through offensive portrayals of different things through album art.

Album Art in Bangladesh
While raising hailstorms in first-world countries across the globe, album art has also raised eyebrows within our local masses over the past decade. After the multifaceted musician Ornob designed the sleeve of his second release, “Hok Kolorob” himself, album art has held an esteemed proportion of thought amongst ardent listeners and new age artists. Be it a classy portrait of the voice inside, random group photos spaced out irregularly or a simple artwork in vibrant orange; album sleeves do catch attention amongst critics and buyers equally. Whether it influences them on picking a particular album from many is undecided, but it certainly creates a buzz amongst the fans.
“It feels good when you see an album that comes with a design you want to keep on your desk,” says 19-year old Ekram. “The fact that the band has put attention to details like creating a sleeve that catches eyes shows that the band has also put a decent effort in its music. The album is then definitely worth a few minutes of play time!”
So, what is it about a cover that makes it memorable? The Watson Brothers' debut release “Ohom” came with a simple design on a light brown background. Yet, it is hailed as one of the classics of sleeve designing by youths who think more about music that just letting it beat their eardrums. Notably, the most anticipated releases of 2008, Black's “Abar” and Authorhin's “Aushampto” have both come with unique art on their cover. “Abar” came with a sleek red-and-black layout with awareness against music piracy while the latter took a chalkboard formula, haphazardly arranged in style.
“If I'm a fan as such, I will purchase that artist's releases, even if it comes with a poor album art,” argues out 21-year old Ayesha. “However, the good design does work like a bonus. It doesn't decide what I'm going to buy, but if it's from a new artist I've not heard before with a fancy album art, I think I will be influenced enough to give that guy a shot! In a way, it tells me the artist comes with a taste!”
Thus, whether it's the design that at all helps an artist make his or her way to your play list is a 360 degree debate that will eat up an entire issue of RS. It perhaps doesn't help one decide, but it certainly plays a role when it comes to newbie in the music field. One of my personal favorites in sleeve designing comes from Sayan's pitch-black album cover. Its simplicity was so striking that I picked it up from the many records that were in front of me and gave it a shot. I have not been disappointed by her soulful voice either. Endorsing Ayesha's remark, a good album cover indicates an artist who has an equal understanding of music as well as art, and will leave our heart thumping to the beats of both.

Sources: Wikipedia, The Sydney Morning Herald

Published in Rising Stars on: 01/01/2009
Link: http://thedailystar.net/rising/2009/01/01/center.htm

Trapped in the Groove

2009-02-24T21:52:00.000-08:00

It is believed that our generation has a small audience for funk. It is further emphasized how today’s musicians don’t cater to the genre and therefore, the audience suffers from a lack of exposure. We are prone of fall into the stereotypes because there are few who choose to be different. Well, not in this case. Allow me to introduce you to a group of musicians who go by the name ‘Groovetrap’ and are indeed, struggling to create something different.

GT, short for ‘Groovetrap’ recently released their self-titled debut album and has caught the attention of many listeners and musicians already. The album is a pure breed of funk with jazz and rock thrown in awkward places. Experimentation at its core, what is most remarkable about the compilation is how daring the ternary has been in order to produce and record numbers as such that have yet to be proven commercially successful. This only goes to testify that we still have musicians amongst who us choose to be different and will stick with their own originality, irrespective of what the mass audience demands for.

The album opens with a vibrant combination of instruments and words in ‘Ek Ochena’. It is taken from the song ‘I Heard it through the Grapevine’, co-written by Norman Whitfield and Barrett Strong, and tuned by The Funk Brothers. The number is said to be popularized by Marvin Gaye. Followed shortly by ‘Keno Bolona’ that begins with playful piano notes and flows smoothly into the vocals of Simin and Jasper. One of my personal favourites, the second track from the album is tuned and arranged by Saif Quadir. Incidentally, Quadir is the recording, mixing and mastering maestro behind the album and has done a splendid job out of it.

With soulful sax from Andrew Morris and commingling of various instruments, the songs uplift the listeners to another level of sensuousness. Different with each of their presentations; Saif, Simin and Jasper have managed to blend in their individual styles into a collective effort that reflects in all the numbers. The 9th and 10th tracks are in English with slap of rock, fast riffing, piano on the run and a hit of jazz; must favourites for anyone and everyone. Jasper’s vocals shape into that of an early ‘70s entertainer and leave the listeners begging for more. The album closes with an instrumental titled ‘Aphrodisiac’, a 4-minute blend of funk and rock, smoothly thrown in the right places.

GT’s self-titled debut comes in a sleek brass-metal coloured sleeve, redolent of the time of classics played in gramophones and smoky jazz clubs. With the trends diminishing, it is applaudable to listen to music that resonates experimentations from the early ‘70s. Released under Rage Records, ‘Groovetrap’ has indeed lived up to its name of bringing a groove to fall for.

Bangla to My Ears

2009-02-24T21:36:00.000-08:00

It hasn’t been long since that dreadful noise. We were at the St. Martins beach, underneath the tinted blue and selfish rainbow of colours. Everything struck more than they were; in absence of the typical metropolitan traffic, we had found heaven on Earth. I suppose our overwhelming joy of escaping the city was too much for others to handle. The dreadful, high pitch vocal of Balam stalked us wherever we went. He was the new hunk in the block and everyone wanted a slice of his voice on their boom boxes. Today, that high pitch vocal has found a ménage in every nook and corner of the city. We’re all echoing the same tunes from that day. Does that mean we have come a long way?

The Bangladeshi or precisely, Bangla pop music has crept its way back into our lives once again. Courtesy of artists like Habib, Balam, Mila, Hridoy Khan, Fuad and innumerable others we can’t remember the names of, there is a sound in Bangla everywhere we go. Be it on the FM stations, funk new Xpress music sets or inexpensive myPods, the slow drug of pop and remix has got us all hooked.

Yet, it wasn’t too long ago when we went to picnics to the beats of the latest Bollywood tracks. Our weddings resonated the sounds of Hrithik’s twisted arm movements, our lonesome nights accompanied by the melancholy Indian pop notes. We didn’t know what the lyrics exactly meant and even if it screamed, “I’ll eat your head and cook you soup”, our vulnerable, Bollywood infatuated neurons would translate that too, “I’ll be there and pull you through.” We would nod to the unnecessary lengths of music and stretched out, desperate attempts of hip hop, and imitate the blown out styles of a culture not our own.

But, times changed. From the grooves of a fast paced underground scene to a struggling rock industry, our local music began seeing the rays of a new sun. We were evolving as listeners and musicians, and we needed a new sound in our lives. Roughly around this era, a long haired, sunken eyed rebel named Ornob entered our lives. His songs combined the lost souls of traditional instruments and gave them a fresh voice in our hearts. He was different and gave us the feelings we also, were different as a culture from that of Bollywood. Ornob’s fusion experimentation was shortly followed by playful musicians who sang from the soul. Topu, Dipto, Laura, Shojib Khan, Krishnokali and Sahana Bajpaie all gave us a new tune to sing to. They were the new breed of musicians, who not only sang, but composed and wrote their harmonies.

Soon, and before we knew it, our compact disc drives were playing a different song, and thankfully, one that was truly our own. The fusion and pop industries together gave our music scene a fresh start and our cultural functions began to dance to it. The quality of music saw a rapid change and the very meaning of Bangladeshi pop was redefined. The songs saw a new face, the classics accorded to a modern, indigenous raga and the teens found a new beat to imitate.

The Bangladeshi music industry has indeed come a long way. There was always a small part of us that would headbang to Nirvana and System of a Down, and lose ourselves at the underground concerts. There will always be a small part of us that would know when Nemesis’ next album is coming out and miss Sellout’s electric stage performances. However, the truth remains there was always a large part of us that once settled for the mediocre, ultrasonic Bollywood numbers. Over the past couple of years, that large number has shifted its eardrums to the local beats. We have Fuad featuring countless upcoming artists, Mila and Balam at the Water Kingdom circuits, Habib and Topu in our playlists and Hridoy Khan at the tip of our tongues. On the other end, we have Ornob, Punam, Sahana and Krishnokali who are striving to give our lyrics a brand new heartbeat and fusing with our souls. So, be it a set of high pitched vocals, blown out distortions or overdone voice modifications, or maybe a playlist of subtle, soul-searching compositions; they are finally Bangla to our ears.

By: Sabhanaz Rashid Diya and Zabir Hasan

Published in Rising Stars on February 19 2009

HowCow

2008-12-08T07:52:00.000-08:00

In the cosmopolitan world of the cosmopolitan man parade, cows have little honour. Around the year, 360 degrees round the clock, these harmless yet extremely useful creatures are left ignored and unloved. Yet, a certain time every year, man lets down his guard and allows the cow to restore its dignity. Ladies and gentlemen, presenting to you the showcase of the season, a brilliant exposition of man’s most loved compatriot and a saga of pride and prejudice: this is where you get to watch cows and goats stampede mankind’s pride.

Well technically, many of you will disagree with us. The flaunting of the sharpest horns or the smelliest dung is quite a ramp dance during Qurbani Eid. We take pride in our buys, so whether it’s the cows who’re overruling us or us using the cows to flaunt a flashy grin is an international debate. The cows are decked out in garlands of flowers and metallic streamers of every shiny color imaginable, while some are even lucky enough to have brightly colored scarves around their neck or jari embroidered ornas on their back. This is truly a beauty pageant for these cows, who have come here from the little villages outside Dhaka and some even as far as the exotic land of India. They have to walk, moo and look pretty so our pompous selves feel more pompous with every pricey purchase. It’s a difficult choice, given the variety of options and the pressure from the media to avoid racism (black cows equal more meat); our models stand quietly in stalls with Vermillion on their foreheads and kajol lined eyes full of hopes and dreams to be picked by the customer who’ll prove his (or her) ultimate love by eating the poor thing. We spank, spit and yell our bargains, and finally, a lucky cow gets crowned with a shiny green paper necklace and wins our hearts.

Our love for cows is so much that not only do we eat its meat (grilled, minced, stewed or curried), we also take pride in devouring its lungs, kidneys, liver, brain, tail, stomach lining, bone (marrow comes complimentary depending on where it came from) and for the truly adventurous the tongue (Yum! But I’ll pass). And why not? As a hugely carnivorous nation, we pride ourselves in eating anything that walks, swims or flies (as long as it’s Halal of course!)

Which brings us to another animal which is never highlighted as much the cow. We are speaking on behalf of the goats. For years goats have only been a minor (yet pivotal) character in the sacrificial rituals. The cow always seems to hog the spotlight with the goat in the supporting role. The goats are never as much decked out as the cows; they mostly rely on their shiny coat of luxurious fur and mischievous eyes full of love and curiosity of how they would taste in a rezala. Yet, despite the lack of ornamentations, our love for them blossom like flowers shown in BTV. Sometimes, our affection for them affects us so vastly that our younger siblings come home smelling like goats and refuse to take shower in fear of losing that special attachment.

We would also like to suggest some other quadrupeds for this occasion that never even get an honorable mention. The camel with its lovely hump(s) and extra long eye lashes that can only be attained using Revlon’s mascara, the sheep (which honestly are way cuter than goats) and of course, deer (check for legalities of it not being a protected species under the law). Although some may be mistakenly wondering whether these participants in the race for mankind’s attention get lagged behind, be sure to acknowledge you’re wandering along the wrong lines. They may get purchased less, but they come with sky high prices that can buy an entire chhagol haat. Man’s lesson of quality over quantity supersedes over humanity once again.

On a more serious note, a little request from us squeamish folks; try and not to have the streets and public spaces splattered with blood, guts and fragments of what it once used to be. We are aware of how the excess bloodshed is another opportunity to show off and bring that toothy grin back and the crows and dogs certainly appreciate your donations. But the stench and mess left behind is enough to give nightmares to even the most dedicated carnivores. So be nice (for a change) and pick up after yourselves (including the food and dung left from the days of having that gorgeous thing in your garage).

This Eid, throw your diets and calories charts out and have fun feasting on your choice of animal. Show those Vegans, Vegetarians and pesky PETA folks that we mean business. We shall no longer be profiled as a nation that only eats rice and fish! We have canines and we’re not afraid to use them!

By: Sabhanaz Rashid Diya and Tanvir Hassan

Published in Rising Stars on December 4 2008.

Watch the Watches

2008-12-08T07:40:00.000-08:00

In a world of fast paced glitz and glamour, making a fashion statement becomes an indomitable task. Be it with the new pair of Ray Bans or a spit of flaring red on your converse, your wardrobe and accessories demand priggishness to the heights. If there’s one item on your checklist that is equally stylish, stuffs you with pompousness and is undoubtedly useful, it’s got to be your watch. Strapped around the wrist with a kick of attitude, watches are the ultimate flaunt de élan in the crowd.

More Flash for Less Cash
Unfortunately, watches that actually survive underwater diving and are genuinely heat resistant cost a mini fortune. Of course, on such occasions, it really becomes a debate whether it’s feasible to sell your kidney to tell time with style; but we would rather not go into that argument. If you want to keep it cheap yet appear high-ticket, this article is your Bible.

A pretty Rado or Rolex can be bought at prices less than Taka 1000 if you know the right bargains. They look exactly like the real Rado or Rolex, only less shiny and less durable. The metal feels light and it’s probably going to stop working after a while. However, they still appear pretty neat and if attitude comes with a smaller price tag; it’s a dandy reason to grab it. Fake ‘brand’ watches can be bought within a range of 350 to 1200 taka in a range of designs and colours. Nobody will know the difference unless they are wearing the exact same brand bought of the exact same design purchased from the exact same shop. If you happen to venture into New Market, almost all fake ‘brand’ watches will be available below 600 taka.

Besides sporting rip-off brand names, these watches also have their own names. Variations of Quartz include Wurtz and Qarts, next to Phillip and Fust Track. These are found in virtually every mushroom headed mall in your area and have a similar price tag. Bigger malls prefer charging 550 taka unnecessarily (just because they have a shop in a bigger place) for each watch, but accurate bargaining can bring the price down to as low as 350 taka.

The Fashion Scene
On a personal note, the female counterpart amongst the two reporters behind this mayhem is a big fan of big, black dials and leather straps. Fortunately for her, that’s near to what’s ‘in’ these days. Call your shots for a huge leather strap teamed with small clock faces (or vice verse). With the recent free-spirited cosmopolitan vibe, these watches are ubiquitous and flaunt no particular brand. Local dealers have taken the liberty to label these ‘in-things’ Bulgy Bags, a name that can be reshuffled to form Ugly Hags, which we believe is a more suitable claim.
If you’re too upbeat to dance to leather straps, opt for bands made out of jeans-type material with nifty graffiti drawn all over. Take a stroll down the alleys of Bashundhara City and New Market. Although BC takes pride in selling these between 700 to 800 taka, New Market makes customers happier with prices as low as 450 bucks. Bulgy Bags are direct results of hip Bollywood releases and casual parties.
“I think it’s more masculine and uncommon than regular chain watches,” says 23 year old Azad while twisting his wrist in strange manners to show off his Ugly Hag.

The Big Buy
However, if you’re seriously into watches and don’t want to settle for a makeshift prototype, make sure you’re carrying a thick wallet and have very generous parents.
“Although finding a good bargain is easier, it’s also calls for a compromise in quality. It stops working in a short while, the colour wears off and you eventually realize it wasn’t worth the flashing after all,” concludes Saleem, a 19-year old who claims to have the largest collection of bargain watches in town.

For the many who love watches and cannot virtually afford the real deal even when they sell their kidneys, Fast Track is the newest toys in the city. Insanely popular in India and now hitting the teen team in Bangladesh, Fast Track watches have it all. Sporty, trendy, versatile and yet, sophisticated with durability, it’s no common surprise that the brand has stolen hearts already. Available at prices between 1200 to 5000 taka, these watches sometimes surface at Almas Super Shop and Priyo.

If you can afford 5000 bucks to tell time, gather up your cash and scoop a gorgeous Swatch. Swatch watches are known for their superior quality and is a big buy worth the price tag. Notwithstanding, prying around can also yield lower priced Swatches, but unfortunately we couldn’t find anything below 3 grand. Time Zone has a few Swatch watches on display and can be a prime spot to hit on.

However, if you’re in for the traditional elegance on your wrist, Citizen and Quartz watches should be your picks. The originals can start with a price of 1000 bucks and raise pretty high; although if bargained properly, can be carried home at an expense below 3000 bucks.

If nothing we’ve ranted about is within your budget bracket, we suggest you get a plastic watch with a plastic like strap around it. Otherwise, feel free to paint a watch on your wrist and watch the watch. You can always put your head up and claim that your superiority has stopped time on your fingertips. Meanwhile, for the rest of us who don’t want to call it a day without the best buy, hop around and look for what suits you the best. It’s not just a timepiece, but a bit of glamour tied around your personality.

By: Sabhanaz Rashid Diya and Osama Rahman
Photos: Sabhanaz Rashid Diya

Published in Rising Stars in November 2008

A Fitting Misfit

2008-06-21T20:19:00.000-07:00

Meet a Welsh sax player who’s working as an education consultant, a bearded multi-dimensional drama magnet from Prachhanat, a ruggedly handsome guitarist and a smiling bassist, both involved in advertising and a playful dhol-baadok. Imagine a room where we put these five individuals together. Imagine a situation where you hand them out their respective instruments and tell them to play. Expecting an awful mismatch?

Ladies and gentlemen, allow me to introduce you to The MisFits. With Onom on guitars, Shafiq on dhol, Miraj on bass, Andrew on sax and flute, and Rahul on every other sound you hear; these noisemakers are a steaming cup of coffee for a drizzling night. Allow me to introduce a very new sound that has just hit this busy town.

Their debut performance on a Friday evening was just the perfect end-of-exam treat for this unpretentious critic. Watching a couple of guys mingling Celtic jazz with the strumming of rhythm guitars, throwing in an occasional local pitch was a mesmerizing experience. Their music carried an easy going essence, synchronized in beats with an uplifting intensity that demanded any soulful romantic to hold his/her breath. Hitting it off with a simplistic fusion of sax, guitars and flute; their melodies eventually delivered the avid listeners to a different level of dhol, bass and dialogues.

Interestingly, the history of The MisFits doesn’t stretch beyond a couple of months. A common friend and photographer, Rudro Shehzad (a.k.a band manager) conjured up a wicked plan of mixing different sets of sound. What begun as experimental jam evolved into a set of recognizable tunes tossing into diverse mood grooves. Their fusions of the East and West, classical with modern beats have created an ambiance of breathtakingly refreshing instrumentals.

The most noticeable feature about this fusion is the variation the band has incorporated, both musically and instrumentally. As Rahul plays buffalo horn to a Mongolian number or lets the nupur on his ankles add to the resonance of his voice and flute-playing, and Onom vocals an acoustic opus; the uniqueness of the echoes generated is a new found face for the common listeners. Improvising and intermingling instrumental reverberations from different cultures is something that hasn’t been practiced at this end of the world before, and watching it unfold in one’s ears leaves a strange sense of satisfaction for moments to follow.

A personal favourite from the group is a composition that combines sounds of a Brazilian instrument called ‘rainmaker’ (played by Rahul) to that of deshi tunes. The ‘rainmaker’ is a tube with lots of seeds or bits of bark passing through the tube, hitting inner obstacles as they move. It brought in elements of nature like sounds of rain and water that complimented the concentration reflected off a flute and the contrasting bouncing of dhol. Simply an indulgence to lose one’s soul for!
With their music will stealing your heart and leaving you to beg for more, The MisFits have certainly hit a goldmine.
“Although much work is needed to get things tighter, the whole concept is of a pot-pourri of musical styles, experimentation, dialogues and change of mood works. There's not much instrumental music going on here. The only one band I know of is Purbo Poschim, which sets out to do fusion stuff. However, they have a lot of synthesized noises too. I personally think one selling point for our sound is that it's all authentic instruments, so a simpler, folksier sound. Besides, Rahul's energy and various antics have its visual aspect too!” replies Andrew Morris when I asked him about the band’s future plans.

This critic could not have agreed more. Though the band tends to lose its audience sometimes with repetitive sets of tunes; in a nutshell, they have managed to define their own genre. With more experimentation than most local sounds I’ve come across, The Misfits – contrary to their title – have crafted a beautiful eclectic something that I will be eagerly looking forward to experiencing in days to come.

Photo By: Fahmim Ferdous

"Aye Ghum Bhangai"

2008-05-03T06:13:00.000-07:00

Armeen Musa is not a new face at the underground circuit. With two bands underlining her name and a single in the very popular mixed album Jhalmuri, as well as her hit number, the remake of Radha Raman’s ‘Bhromor Koio Giya’; AM has managed to create a niche for her music over the years. Her debut solo release, ‘Aye Ghum Bhangai’ from G-Series, is an easy listening 12-track treat for the avid listeners, 8 written and 11 tuned by the singer herself.

A deeply personal album compiling her musical endeavours from early years at school till now, ‘Aye Ghum Bhangai’ is a walk through her life and mind. ‘Pakhi’, a composition from her days as the blue haired, head banging, restless fifteen-years old, is a soulful blend of acoustic and electric guitars with soft drumming done by her band, The Grasshoppers. Followed by ‘A Minor’, mixed by Buno from Bangla and Adil from The Grasshopper, carries a funk, electronic ambience that beautifully balances its flow of words, written by Farhan Sajjad. The title track opens with catchy guitar strumming, eventually throwing into a set of verses complimented by the humming of drums. One of my personal favourites, owing to Farhan Sajjad’s lyrical brilliance, ‘Aye Ghum Bhangai’ is a simple soulful number that demands and deserves fast paced popularity.

Contrary to most solo albums, AM’s debut compilation comprise of a cover of Sachin Deb Burman’s ‘Ghum Bhulechi’. Although much doubts and anticipation were cast over its perfection, ‘Ghum’ is a poignant number, adding to the emotional awakening that characterizes this album. The ninth track of the collection, ‘Na Ki Aar’ incorporates a very different set of beats (done by Ornob). Another personal favourite, the song is the harmonious intermingling of a haunted state of mind contrasting to a lover’s romantic pleadings.

‘Jaa Urre Jaa’ is a track featuring Mercury Award winning jazz pianist from England, Zoe Rahman and her brother Idris Rahman on the clarinet. Arranged by Buno with orchestral elements, the number embodies a beautiful solo by Idris and very traditional Bengali percussions. The most heart-rending and delicate song, ‘Ei Shondhaye’ is dedicated to AM’s late stepfather, Dr. Anis Waiz. Slow guitar strumming (by Saif Quadir) aching to a drift of emotions flowing to her voice; this number speaks of accepting one’s loss of someone precious, and realising pain cannot be healed, but is rather resided with forever.

Although I personally feel the album carries a single set of sounds with few noticeable variations, it builds up to one’s emotions and weakens the listener in an interesting way. Being an intimate production of AM’s own dwellings dedicated to her mother Dr Nashid Kamal and her sister Aashna Musa, the album is something you can hum along to at the darkest hours of night. As mentioned in the inscription of the cover, ‘Aye Ghum Bhangai’ is a self-awakening journey towards embracing one’s truest potentials outside the norms of life.

Published on 08/05/2008 in Rising Stars

Dunes of Devotion

2008-04-26T21:18:00.000-07:00

Ashiq looked at his image on the mirror. While tightening the knot of the blue tie, he congratulated himself on his excellent taste. The contrast of blue against a white backdrop that perfectly complimented his clean shaved face was a confidence boost to today’s presentation. He picked up the CREDENCE silver watch from the dressing table and glanced at the interior – 7:47am, 11 April 08.

It was time.

He turned around and walked up to his bed. Searching under the pillows and blankets, he found his cellular phone. Its display read the same information, only a minute ahead. He browsed through his contacts and stopped at a name. Pressing the green button, he mentally counted the number of dials while waiting for a voice on the other end. The muffled groan of an elderly man barked after the 5th dial.

Ashiq listened to the groan until it spat some anger and hung up. He smirked to himself, as though he felt content with his actions.

“Abba hasn’t changed one bit,” he thought.

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Inside the closed apartment bedroom, Samia tried to cover her ears with the pillows. The beatings grew louder outside. She could hear her father’s enraged shouts drowning mother’s desperate pleas for mercy. It was a routine that followed his every ‘business’ trip abroad. He would come home, thoroughly drunk and Mum would question his devotion to the family. She knew he had spent nights at other women’s beds, drank chilled Whisky with their husbands while signing deals worth millions and not for once, had missed his family.

Then, she would get beaten up.

The grandfather clock at their living room announced 8 in the morning. It was still early for her classes, but Samia could tolerate no longer. She quickly changed into her uniform and sneaked out of the house. As she hurried to the car, the shouts and screams still echoed inside her head.

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They ate silently, almost mechanically. The occasional cluttering of spoons or water pouring down mugs were the only sounds to be heard. Sometimes, the parents would look up and make inquiries about each other’s days, and of course, Nameerah’s. There were no heated debates on politics and no parental naggings about bad grades. Everything seemed so peaceful, that it became almost uncomfortable. At the brim of technological advances where a mother could text her daughter wavelengths of love, who’d bother to bring it onto the dinner table?

They finished, cleaned the dishes and Nameerah excused herself. She locked the door to her room and opened her bag. Inside the folds of an old Physics notebook lay the reservation slip to the new restaurant in their neighbourhood. She wanted to celebrate it with them. Her final examination results were out and she swooped a glittering GPA of 3.8. So? It didn’t matter. They took it for granted. She is supposed to study hard and get good grades. If she did not do that well, it’s her future on the line. Perhaps, a few disappointed faces. But that’s all.

Indifference seems intolerable sometimes.

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Ashiq switched off the monitor and swirled the revolving chair to face his desk. The soft yellow light reflecting off the walls desperately hoped the tiny office room would feel like home. He turned the key to unlock the lower drawer and took a photo frame out of it. Three faces smiled back at him. The middle aged woman carried an expression of bliss while her arms circled around a toothy grinned kid, trying to stop him from running out of focus. The man next to her looked composed, his eyes fixed at the camera and his lips parting for a perfect plastic smile. He turned it around and read the message on the back, written in a lady’s slender fingers – “Don’t ever let me die.”

He glanced back at his mother’s blissful expression on the photo and felt a brink of familiar rage building inside him. He let her die. That plastic smile, those brown eyes – Ashiq felt they all betrayed his trust. Their trust. They would have gotten along fine – Abba and him. He didn’t need to introduce a new woman and ask him to pretend her to be ‘mother’. He chose to, the same way Ashiq chose to leave him.

He needed a coffee. Black. Extra strong. The fast food shop on the ground floor makes something similar, although not that bitter. Lightning from the brooding skies filled his room with a flick of dazzling white. He switched off the lights. It was time to leave.

The lift door opened at the ground floor to the loud noise of a growing metropolitan. Voices, honks and muffled obscenities rang in his ears. He ignored everything like he did on this day every year, and paced to the shop. The mixed aroma of old burgers, shingara and youth welcomed him. He walked up to the counter and ordered his coffee. The annoyed and busy waiter nodded and pointed at a table for two at the corner. He would have to wait a while.

Ashiq put down his leather bag on the table and sat down. He enjoyed observing people and making assumptions about their lives. The couple sitting at the nearby table, for instance, seemed like they were arguing. Perhaps something trivial. The middle-aged men at the other end seemed like old friends who’ve met after a long time. They were office executives trying to commit and balance between families, offices and lives. The group of laughing 20-ers probably studied in one of the local private universities. There were so many of them these days – Ashiq found it difficult to keep track.

The door suddenly burst open and two girls hastened inside. Rain was getting heavier outside and brought in a rush of chill to the interiors. The grey uniform of one of the girls was slightly drenched. Faces turned in their direction for a second, and returned to their respective tea and shingara. They walked to the counter, made a quick order and sat in the raised stools at the corner. At first, Ashiq thought they were friends, but later, figured they were strangers caught in the weather. The uniform took a tissue out of her bag and tried to soak water off her hair. The other looked around indifferently. Ashiq noticed the dark circles around the uniform’s eyes. School must be taking a toll on her. He folded his arms and waited patiently for the de caff.

Nameerah’s eyes caught on the man at the other end of the fast food shop. She stopped dangling her slender legs and looked at him carefully. He wasn’t very old, perhaps just above 28 and looked handsome in his white shirt-blue tie appearance. His tanned face wore a comical expression, as though he was amused by the world around him. She always noticed people like him. Their faces screamed out emotions, contrary to the indifference she was accustomed to at home. She looked at the uniformed girl sitting next to her. They had entered the shop together and were sitting next to each other, yet had not bothered to smile to one another once. She seemed absorbed in deep thoughts and Nameerah let it pass. She was well acquainted to indifference.

Samia aimed for the bin near her and threw the rolled up tissue paper. She hadn’t come here before, but had often seen this place on her way to school. On most days, her Toyota takes her home, but today, she had specifically instructed it to come home. She wanted to be alone. She looked around the faces in the shop. Laughing, bubbling, buzzing – they were all happy people. The love birds at the corner, or the group of friends at the centre – they all shared lives, uncomplicated compared to hers. Such people sickened her. She felt she didn’t belong here. Fate got her stuck with them.

Outside, the thunders roared into the skies and streets. Occasional lightning dazzled pedestrians, now trying to shelter underneath umbrellas or plastic covers. They looked irritated – rain had dared to stop their busyness. However, rain did not care. It did not stop pouring. It cast a shadow inside the warm fast food shop. Happy families were alike; it was the unhappy ones that were different from each other. No one had dared to challenge Tolstoy’s verses, just the way, no one had challenged the shadows of the rain.

"Doob"

2008-04-23T09:39:00.000-07:00

By the time this review is published, Ornob's latest release will be a part of everyone's collection. The guru of fusion and one of the few musicians in the country who's equally loved by the young and old, dives into his pool of thoughts scattered over the past six months and comes up with a compilation that evokes a wide range of opinions.

Released on occasion of Pahela Baiskhakh 1415 under the label of Bengal Music Company and sponsored by Nokia; Ornob's “Doob” has caught fast-paced attention, as predicted and tantamount lengths of appreciation and criticisms. The harmonious integration of local vibes with classical notes from the esraj and western grooves in the album presents its variations in the truest essence. With backup vocals by Sahana Bajpaie, a contemporary, well-established Rabindra Sangeet singer; the compositions are an uneven mixture of melancholy sounds and lurid beats.

'Adkhana', one of the most creative blends of catchy guitar vibes and powerful, yet simplistic lyrics, has quickly become a favourite to many. The song features Nemesis' guitarist Maher, and both Ornob and Sahana on vocals. 'Raastae', featuring Zohad from Nemesis, opens with the humming of contemporary riffs and continues to evolve into an easy-flowing, upbeat track. On the other hand, the lyrically beautiful 'Chai' is one of my personal favourites, beginning with a acoustic guitars strumming intro that perfectly throws into a sax solo by Andrew Morris, the Welsh musician from Blue Note. 'Noyono Tomare', a soft 11-minute rendition of one of Tagore's masterpieces draws an end to this 14-track compilation, featuring piano and clarinet played by London-based artist Idris Rahman.

While many draw parallels between the fusion of deep introspectiveness from 'Chaina Bhabish' to that of 'Doob', the latter evidently lacks the degree of intensity and sense of sophistication that distinguishes Ornob's debut and most mature album to date. The artist is constantly evolving; experimenting with new genres. With a psychedelic or acoustic rock feel to many of the tracks, 'Doob' is an album that diverse from Ornob's more signature style. Being a deeply emotional album imbued with personal ignis fatuus, this compilation presents itself as a soul searching journey into the mind of a wanderer.

What I love most about the album is how each number contradicts the other in terms of arrangement and instrumentation, yet forms an interconnecting web of thoughts and frustration we all share. However, for listeners like me who admire Ornob for the depth and force that made 'Chaina Bhabish' breathtakingly refreshing and memorable, 'Doob' falls short of expectations. In conclusion, each listener is a critic to one's individual taste, and Ornob's third offering embarks upon a new genre of music, disparate from his previous work, that may be an interesting addition to one's play list.

Published on 24/04/2008 in Rising Stars

Let the Angels Play

2008-03-01T20:41:00.000-08:00

For years, the typical scenario for an average Bangali woman portrayed her as a meek housewife dedicated to sell her soul for the wellbeing of her family. Soon, this image evolved into that of a caring mother and an earning wife, balancing between her home and career. When it came to cultural affiliations, our society could only imagine a classical singer or dancer. 21st century introduced more dynamic changes where women were stepping out of the typical musical scenarios and experimenting with non-classical genres. This, ladies and gentlemen, was the age of girl rockstars!

However, taking all the optimism aside, for the avid observer, has the music industry actually made room for female musicians. Where we have inspiring examples set by Krishnakali, Anusheh, Elita, Roma, Mila, Anila and Punam (to mention a few) who cater to pop, folk fusion or alternative genres; we also have a definite deficiency of the ‘complete musician’ in a woman.
“There are very few women in the music scene, especially in the administrative sector as well as instrumental accompaniments. Most female singers are very dependent on the support of their band members, who are almost always male. There is no doubt being a female will get a certain amount of attention in the media. The band may devour the popularity at first, but later, be bitter about it,” says one of upcoming female talents. “There isn’t any doubt that men who are producers and instrumentalists help build a female vocalist's career. Unfortunately, sometimes their support tends to be strictly musical. In some cases, when a female vocalist is emerging, her band mates themselves are the ones pulling her back down.”

In many cases, nevertheless, although the band members are very supportive, society seems to cling onto the impression of the female vocalist to represent the band. They are treated as solo performers, placed under a ‘special’ spotlight and sometimes, gaining popularity in a fortnight simply because they’re women.
“If a girl is the lead vocalist of a band, she is treated as the frontman and regarded as a solo performer. However, there is a difference between a band and a solo performer,” says Elita Karim from Raaga. “When someone is going solo, say for example Fuad, he isn’t only dealing with the vocals. He is also the producer and deals with other aspects of the song. A band comprises of several people, who each contribute to the music it creates. When the vocalist is a guy, the band is treated as a complete band. For example, Cezanne usually speaks for Artcell, although he is the drummer. I think this attitude needs to change.”

It’s about time attitudes need to change both at social and individual levels. Although women have taken a substantial step ahead in the music industry and in a society where patriarchy prevails; a revolution is yet to come.
“Female musicians are being listened to a lot more than before. If we could keep up the pace and goodwill, it really wouldn't be far away when we would be treated as equals,” says Sahana Bajpaie Chowdhury, whose sensuous vocals have brought Tagore home to this generation. She adds with a note of hope and glint of pride, “The vocalist of Bangla, Ms. Anusheh Anadil proves this. She not only has been the voice of the band Bangla, but also the voice for Bangladesh when the band performed in the VOICE AGAINST POVERTY Concert, in Rostock, Germany in June 2007.”

Yet, women are held back from being ‘complete musicians’, developing both instrumentally and in terms of production. Somehow, their voices are less dominant than on stage when it comes to writing the lyrics or arranging the song.
“Our society has existing concepts of developing a girl’s cultural sides by sending her to an ustaad to learn singing, whereas the boy is learning guitars or other instruments,” says Elita. “In the long run, it is seen that the more popular male musicians are not only vocalists, but are producers and instrumentalists. It’s not because they’re men that they’re popular; but simply because they are well-rounded and talented musicians. A girl lags behind because of her dependency on others for producing or composing her song.”

“Apart from that, we are not in a Western society,” adds another local artist. “Men get more opportunities to travel, work late nights and give it their 110% artistically, while women are still struggling with barriers from other directions. Regardless of how credible they are, they are subject to public gossip about her reputation. People may love the girl's guts, but are more willing to backbite about her. Besides men, women also tend to have jealous instincts towards those beautiful and courageous women who are giving it their best to achieve their goals in any field. This is a huge barrier for any woman who wants to go for the fame and fortune, as she must first and foremost digest the nasty comments and rumours she will definitely have to face.”

In the end, beyond all the controversies, criticisms and obstructions lay a glimmer of sanguinity. Sahana with an undertone of optimism says, “As a woman, I would really like to see female singers bringing out more original songs. Songs that are written and composed by them, songs that talk about them as women and how they relate to their surroundings. Mostly songs that don’t only talk about pangs of being jilted in love or excited about being in love or searching for true love. A woman's voice is stronger than that. Her feelings and sensitivity go far beyond her relationship with a man. It’ll be great to see songs where we speak of our true and deeper feelings. It's high time our society realizes we are not all about beauty parlours, dresses, Barbie dolls, soft toys, chocolates, love and tears. Music speaks louder than anything else. Hence, music could bring in the change in terms of how we are viewed, scrutinized, judged and subjugated.”

Published on 06/03/2008 in Rising Stars

A Grand Confluence of Language and Literature

2008-02-20T06:58:00.000-08:00

Under the drizzling February rain, I stood waiting somewhere in a long line stretching to the Shahbagh intersection on one side and Doyel Chattar on the other. The hundreds of thousands of footsteps of bookworms, publishers, media crews, enthusiasts and children led to the Amar Ekushey Boi Mela, a celebration that signified something more than just a book fair. The crispiness of fresh publications, echoes from the voices of age-old novelists, tinkling laughter of young hearts and literary wisdom of venerable veterans reminded everyone of how this mela is an integral part of Bangali social and scholarly culture.

Crossing the supposedly secured entrance with two uniforms standing guard, I found myself amidst a crowd diverging and converging in alleys lined by 300 or more publishers’ stalls. The shifting human sea comprised of every size, shape and expression imaginable; and somehow, they were all attracted to this publication exposition. As the launching of new books were being announced one after the other at the samiaana setup at one corner, posters and screen prints of new arrivals were simultaneously pasted on a designated wall.
“I come to boi mela every year, and it becomes difficult to keep track of new releases and the publishers offering them. This year’s wall, exhibiting list of books, is extremely helpful,” comments Shoumik, a 12th grader from a local institution.

In the midst of the joyful buzz that makes Ekushey Boi Mela what it is, criticisms and controversies are not surprising. I recalled the director of Bangla Academy mentioning at a talk show how they’ve taken measures this year to spread out the big and small publishing houses to avoid centralisation of the visitors.
“The smaller labels complain how their stalls are placed at unfavourable locations, which makes visitors difficult to reach them. We’ve tried to jumble them up, and you’ll find big names being surrounded by smaller ones at every location. Our biggest challenge remains in putting together everything in limited space, and it’s difficult to satisfy everyone’s interests under such circumstances.”
The renewed arrangement for this year has raised concerns amongst the publishers, who feel their significant role in making boi mela successful is being undermined by putting them alongside ‘unprofessional’ publishing houses. Added to that, the visitors feel the lack of facilities at the fair. The poor management of crowds, difficulty in finding their desirable publishing houses, gathering of bokhate polapain; the complains are endless. Yet, traditions have drawn everyone to Ekushey Boi Mela with the criticisms stored at the back of their minds and their hearts set on the pages of the millions of books.

Speaking of books, the biggest hit of the 2008 boi mela is undoubtedly Humayun Ahmed’s ‘Himu Remandey’. Ahmed has created a niche for himself over the past two decades, and seventeen of his books are expected to be released at this year’s fair. It must be mentioned diehard Himu fans have taken their ‘love’ to the next level by wearing bright yellow panjabis and forming michhils in the middle of the fair. They’ve created chaos for other avid readers and visitors, who have requested the author himself to stop these reckless youngsters. Other bestsellers include those from Md. Jafar Iqbal, Mostofa Mamun, Emdadul Haque Milon and Anisul Haque. A very recent favourite is Shumonto Aslam, a columnist from the popular daily and now, a rising author. Shahittya Prakash has opened new windows for children through their colourful translations of Walt Disney books, while Sheba Prakashani is still at the top of their game via their popular ‘Tiin Goyendaa’ and ‘Masud Rana’ series. Onnyo Prakash, Shomoy Prakashani, Oitijhho and other big titles have maintained their places with majestically-decorated stalls and catering to the bestsellers.

As I walked in the alleys between the stalls, picking up random books; I noticed a large crowd gathered at a spot underneath the age-old banyan tree. The rushing of the TV crew and daily reporters to the scene indicated a famous writer was probably giving out autographs. Out of sheer curiousity, I pushed through the crowd to face Jafar Iqbal, signing his latest sci-fi release to the fans. It has been a common custom for authors to visit the fair almost on regular basis for years; so if you’ve ever wanted to meet anyone you’ve read so much about, boi mela provides an excellent opportunity for it. I pushed my way out of the crowd, avoiding getting punched on my face and stood at a distance inspecting the crowd surrounding my once-favourite author.

Although the more professional, renowned publishing houses claim that the ones unknown don’t ever publish quality books by good authors, I beg to differ. Out of the ten assumedly ‘unprofessional’ titles, it was not only safe, but also reasonable to believe at least one of them would contain one good book from a potential author. I wished famous novelists like Ahmed, Iqbal or Anisul Haque would make the effort of reading some of these books and promoting the ones they think is quality writing. New writers find it almost impossible to reach the bigger banners, and when they publish through small names, most of their hard work goes unnoticed. Provided that the current generation have a bigger stake on the country’s future, a few newbie promoted by renowned authors will be quite an inspiration for them. Boi mela provides a wonderful platform for such promotional efforts, and for once, the young that is only an engaging issue of discussion will actually get something to look forward to.

What was started by Chittaranjan Saha from Muktodhara Publishing House on 21st February 1970 as a small sales venture in front of Bangla Academy has now evolved into a month-long national cultural festival. After its official title in 1984 under the organization of Bangla Academy, Amar Ekushey Boi Mela remains something treasured by Bangalis across the globe. It is an event that makes publishers publish, writers write and readers wait for a year. Under the shades of the banyan tree that characterises the Academy and the spirit of the agitators from the Language Movement, Ekushey Boi Mela lives through time, writing and generations.

Published on 21/02/2008 in Rising Stars

The Man With A Wall of Cars

2008-01-25T08:37:00.000-08:00

It’s difficult to narrow down what Nazim Farhan Choudhury could be best liked for. The current Deputy Managing Director of Adcomm Limited, an active member of ‘Phiriye Ano Bangladesh’, a blogger, a RS fan and a broad-minded enthusiast of local youth projects; he is someone or the other to everyone. What made him stand out to this reporter is the simple fact that he still remembers he used to be a reckless teen not so long ago, and thinks outside the box unlike most of the obstinate adults we meet. Sabhanaz Rashid Diya visits him on a windy January evening for a tête-à-tête about advertising, nation-building and something in a box that we are all glued to.

Lots of private universities are opening courses under Media and Communication. Are the students that are coming out good enough for the job market? Do they fulfill a professional advertising firm’s requirements?

First of all, I have to admit I don’t know enough about the courses. However, what I do know is that most of these courses are designed with a journalistic or business perspective. They do not cater to advertising as a subject. Having said that, practitioners like me believe that advertising cannot be taught in a classroom environment. It’s a different and more practical branch of media. There are actually few schools across the world that teaches advertising. You have to remember that every one of us falls into the category of a potential consumer, and hence, you really have to go out into the field and understand the demands of the market.

More importantly, we don’t expect much formal education when we hire someone. We don’t think he/she will just step into the office and be perfect. For the first 6 months after recruiting, the person will basically have to write reports, make estimates and do other desk jobs. Eventually, he/she becomes more involved and steps out into the field. This is what we call job training and in the process, we shape the individual to cater to our needs.

So, what do you look for in a potential candidate?

For a place in an advertising firm, you do not need to come from a media background. Somebody will not be in a better position simply because he/she has a major in Media and Communication. We look for other things in any candidate, which includes mainly intelligence, ability to handle situations efficiently, ability to work under pressure, if he/she can come with a unique solution in a particular situation, if he/she has an open mind and is welcoming to new ideas and whether he/she can interact well with others.

So, universities offering a major in Media and Communications will not necessarily make it more credible to an ad firm?

Each of us in an ad firm comes from different backgrounds. I, for example, have a major in Economics, whereas we have people from Zoology, Sociology, Architecture and many more. The composition is diverse and each of us contributes to the making of a unique idea.

Of course, I will not say the universities do not play any role. Recently, many universities have an ongoing internship program which is a requirement in their courses. So, we have several interns coming in and they work with us for some period of time. Most of the people we hire are from these groups of interns, as they’ve already seen how we operate and know about our demands.

People are still watching Hindi channels, although we have several local, private channels. Why do you think this is so?

On that note, I disagree with you. A research company called SIRIUS runs a regular TV tracking study which shows that Hindi channels in general have less than 10 percent viewership of the entire TV-watching population. Whereas, say for example, ATN Bangla caters to 30+ percent of the audience. There has been a gradual and positive migration from Hindi channels to the local ones.

You also have to remember that advertisements do not ride on any channel. Whether a channel is good or not depends on the quality of programs it airs, such as talk shows, telefilms, soap operas and news.

Although advertisements, like you’ve said, do not ride on any channel, it is often seen there are more commercials shown than the actual program itself. Say, a commercial break of 10 minutes for every 15 minutes. What are your opinions on this?

The situation you’re describing is known as ‘clutter’, and it depends on the professionalism of an advertising firm. There are a lot of people who do not understand the problems associated with ‘clutter’. The private channels and people from the ad firms must realize this.

Also, the private channels have not yet been able to create a niche for themselves. They do not command the market and fall into the same category. Channel X is an exact replica of Channel Y, which is just like Channel Z. For example, I personally watch Discovery Channel or History Channel. I will specifically switch into those channels to watch their programs. When it comes to a Bangla channel, and say, for example, I want to watch the news, I will flick between channels and settle with one. I’m not a loyal viewer to any one particular channel. There’s nothing about any one channel that makes it stand out from the others. Because of this, the private channels do not get to dominate prices. Revenue comes from the advertisements, and so, there’s lot of ads in a break where there should be only 3-4 minutes of commercial break for every 30 minutes.

What can be done to change this situation? How can the TV channels have more control over the market?

If a channel could gain viewer loyalty by airing some unique programs, then its TV ratings would go up and it can charge the ad agencies more money for the commercials. For example, if Channel X has about 1000 viewers who’ll switch onto it no matter what, then Channel X can charge Tk. 100 for each ad instead of Tk. 50. It can raise demands and reduce the period of time for which these commercials are aired, say about 2-3 minutes for every 30 minutes.

What about the advertising firms? What are they doing to change the situation?

Advertising firms also have to be responsible. What some of the more professional firms have done is pay a premium to be at the edge of a ‘clutter’. Our commercials are aired, for example, at the front end of the clutter and we have more people watching them. We’re also targeting branded programs, for example, Close-Up Tomake Khujche Bangladesh.

It is often seen that women are portrayed as mere tools in commercials. They are brainless housewives or something similar. Do you think ads can be sexist on those grounds?

The scenario that you’re describing used to be a stereotype 5-10 years back. Things have changed and women are shown in more professional or corporate positions. For example, BanglaLink and GrameenPhone have some women-oriented ads that have worked very well. Most brands have a target audience and the advertisements are designed to cater to the needs of that audience.

You also have to understand that ads reflect on what is in the society. If a large proportion of the women are housewives, then the ads must reflect on that to reach out to them. 16 years ago, we aired an ad where the husband was bringing tea for the wife. This raised a huge controversy, as the masses found it to be absurd. However, we took that slim step to bring about changes. Ads cannot create situations that do not fall under the barometers set by a society. Recently, what we’ve shown is that the husband is occasionally cooking when the wife is sick, or making tea on a day off from work. Such things are acceptable to people. Portraying something that is unusual in an average family will result in the audience rejecting that concept.

What about fairness creams? The dark girl falling behind or not getting married was a common concept. Do you think they were sexist to a certain extent?

‘Fair & Lovely’ happens to be one of the brands I work on. Earlier, as you’ve described, it showed how a girl could not get married because she was dark-skinned. However, the recent ads are different. It is seen that a girl has a boost in confidence after using the fairness cream and feels more prepared to become a movie star from being a small time, theatre actress. In that particular ad, the girl’s talents are not being demeaned. The fairness cream only raises her confidence level the same way dandruff-free hair, fresh breath or a bright smile would. These ads are not sexist.

Besides, a lot depends on the market where a product is being publicized. For example, the same company that is selling fairness cream in India and Bangladesh are selling tanning cream in Europe. Professional brands are careful about the kind of market they’re targeting, whereas several unprofessional brands don’t look into it.

Do you think certain ads can promote violence? For example, at the Mountain Dew commercials, there are guys driving recklessly down rocky mountains and still have all their bones in place simply because they drank Mountain Dew.

That depends on the consumers. The Mountain Dew ad that you’ve just exemplified has the underlying message that if you drink this, you’ll have an energy boost. Now, if a consumer decides to head fight a bull after drinking Mountain Dew, then it is certainly his/her personal irrationality. I don’t know if you’ve noticed, but Mountain Dew provides a disclaimer that the stunts performed are by professionals and viewers are strongly discouraged from trying them at home.

What about children? You cannot expect rational behavior from them and nowadays, they have access to all the channels. What if a particular ad sends out the wrong message to a child?

This is, of course, the ad firm’s responsibility. The involved firm needs to understand where to put what commercial. For example, I will not place a contraceptive ad in the middle of Tom & Jerry. I will put ads aimed at the young, and thus, cater to the viewers concerned. However, again, it depends on the professionalism of any firm. A more professional advertising firm will look into these factors, whereas an unprofessional one will not.

Since the media and advertising agencies play a huge impact on a consumer’s shopping list, do advertising firms have a regulation for quality control?

Certainly, there is a regulation. The ad firm does not make any claims about the product unless it can be substantiated by a test or by facts. Apart from that, the consumer is not stupid. If he/she buys a product after being influenced by the ad and finds it to be unsatisfactory, then he/she will not buy it again. So, the product themselves have to maintain certain standards in order to capture the market. The product must deliver itself to its consumers.

Nowadays, several commercials are coming up to raise awareness on various social issues. Do advertising firms have a responsibility on that matter?

More awareness-oriented advertisements are coming up. For example, Wheel Washing Powder is promoting role models from our surrounding communities labeled under ‘Shada Moner Manush’. Instead of showing how the washing powder cleans clothes, it’s taken a different angle and promoting more thoughtful concepts. This idea, for example, came from the advertising agency involved. Both GrameenPhone and BanglaLink have CSR-driver commercials, so I guess we are moving towards a change. At abroad, ‘free work’ is practiced. Let me explain this with an example. Say, the Bangladesh Government wants to raise awareness on cutting trees. So, it contacts the advertising firms and many firms will volunteer to work on it. In this way, awareness is raised though more responsible, thoughtful advertisements.

What is your take on sports personalities endorsing commercial products?

A sports icon cannot just be picked up to endorse any product. His/her image has to match with the brand. Just having a celebrity does not make an advertisement work. For example, earlier, PEPSI had Michael Jackson as their brand ambassador. When he got involved with the controversy and scandals, they dropped him immediately. Why? Simply because his image no longer suited the brand. Tiger Woods, another example, does not appear in more than 6-7 commercials.

When anything is overdone, it loses its credibility. The same has happened with the cricketers and other sports stars at India. There, they are seen as icons and are endorsing different products. However, it has been reduced. Earlier, Sachin Tendulkar was seen in a lot of commercials, but nowadays, he’s appearing less in television.

At the same time, you have to remember that commercials put money in the sportsperson’s pocket. Although he is earning a lot now, earlier, with only money won from matches would not be able to provide for the lifestyle that Tendulkar has. That money came from commercials. He would not have been able to support his family simply by playing.

So, I wouldn’t say sports personalities endorsing commercial product is necessarily a bad thing. In Bangladesh, the trend is obviously less evident and there only a handful of advertisements that have cricketers in them. As long as it is not overdone, I suppose it’s perfectly alright.

You’ve been actively involved with Phiriye Ano Bangladesh. What is the story behind it?

What we have seen is that the majority of the current population in Bangladesh has not had first-hand experience of the Liberation War. Although, many of our parents or grandparents were born and grew up in India, Pakistan or even British Raj; for us, home means Bangladesh. We’ve lived here all our lives and there is a certain sense of responsibility that we feel towards it. A sense of conflict is also evident amongst the older generations. They argue about who declared independence, instead of working towards the future. They wait for a large-scale change to happen, something of a miracle.

Phiriye Ano Bangladesh (PAB) is a very interesting concept. Around 70 percent of the population is in their late 30’s or below 30. On the other hand, most politicians are over 65. There is a difference between politicians and nation builders. An individual who’s not into politics can also be an important part of the nation-building cycle. Anyway, we believe that since 70 percent of the population is young, they should have a leading voice in nation-building. PAB aims to promote such young people. It creates a platform for the young to step up and work for the development of the country.

So, PAB acts like a platform for young nation builders. How has it been able to do so?

When we meet inspired youngsters, it’s often seen that they suffer from a sense of apathy. They feel discouraged to do things on their own. This is where PAB comes into the picture. It gets more people to be involved with a certain idea and takes it to the next level.

On a brighter note, young people are not interested in many conflicts. They are motivated to change their present and do field work. We’ve seen several young individuals with micro projects such as teaching a small group of street children. These projects, collectively, can result in a macro change in the country. PAB promotes and facilitates micro projects like there. If you come to us with an idea, then we will sit with you and consider its feasibility. We’ll provide the bridges that you need to turn your idea into reality and engage more people to develop on that idea.

At the same time, we’ve realized Bangladesh is in need of some serious sensible discussions. People need to think outside the box instead of just debating on talk shows. At times, I feel I should put everyone in Bangladesh in Facebook just so that they could interact and discuss ideas. Nonetheless, PAB provides a platform for discussion. People with different ideas can sit together and discuss them to come to a more practical solution. Instead of debating over trivial issues and being stubborn, young people are more open to new concepts and are motivated to implement them.

I agree. Young people can be future nation builders. However, there is a severe lack of opportunities. Adults just won’t listen. What are your views on the matter?

Like I’ve said, only 30 percent of the population comprises of adults over 45 or 50; whereas, 70 percent is the younger generations. Why should such a large percentage of the people wait for opportunities to be provided by a smaller percentage? Make little changes happen for you and people around you. This can inspire others to make the same changes, and eventually, we have a snowball effect. If an old man does not listen to you, raise your voice and tell him that you’re going to be on bigger role-player on the development wheel in the future. What power has he got against such a large number of youngsters?

Besides, young people like Barack Obama in the USA and David Cameron in the UK are coming into politics. Similarly even in countries like ours India, Pakistan, Bhutan, and Southeast Asia, the young politicians are beginning to create a major impact. The same needs to happen for Bangladesh. The young have a much more open mind. They are more exposed and they have the need for change. Say if the life expectancy of an average person is 70 years. Between a 65 year old and 20 year old, who would you say has more stake in the future?

I believe those words will be inspiring to any kid who’s reading this. By the way, you have a very cool model car collection. I’m quite impressed.

(smiling) Ah, thank you! I hope to transform those into real cars someday!

Published on 07.02.2008 in Rising Stars

Taking A Break In Rajshahi

2008-01-23T23:55:00.000-08:00

Ah Dhaka, hideous Dhaka! After spending a stress-relieving, warm weekend at Rajshahi, the first thing on my recently-peace-restored neurons is buses honking and drivers yelling on the ever-so-friendly traffic jam in Uttara. The miseries of coming back to where you belong! Nonetheless, Rajshahi is green, clean and a great getaway from Dhaka.

Being on the northwestern part of the country, Rajshahi is approximately a 5-hours bus ride from Dhaka. Although the journey unfolds our very deshi lush green countryside and a wonderful view over Jamuna Bridge; Rajshahi City itself is more of a suburb with small houses and peaceful community. You could stay at a local rest house or motel for two-three days and travel around on rickshaws (if you don’t have a transport of your own).

The roads are smooth with low traffic, hence presenting themselves as a haven for long, relaxing drives. The only things that you need to watch out for are goats. These creatures are harmlessly uncaring of your presence or the fact that your vehicle might give them a brain hemorrhage; so they only choose to move out of your way with a blatant “baah!” when your ride is two inches away from them. However, these fascinating goats are only found on the outskirts of Rajshahi, leaving the city as a great place to drive.

With large windows overlooking architectural structures from the British regime, Rajshahi is a steaming cup of coffee for a photographer, artist or a soul-searching traveller. Approximately an hour’s drive from the city lies the historical Sona Masjid. The walls are a state-of-art exhibit of flawless carving to a detailed pattern. The courtyard hosts the grave of martyrs from the Liberation War, including Biir Shrestho Nur Mohammad. In another 20 minutes drive from Sona Masjid, the red-walled structures and ruins of Shahjahan’s son’s Tohakhana are to be found. It is said that a portion of this palace was used to hang people. If hanging people is your arena, don’t forget to go around the palace to take a closer look at the well in which the dead bodies were dropped. Unlike most other historical sites, Tohakhana is not swarmed with couples, so you can actually enjoy the architectural view. Our group of wandering cousins climbed up the stairway to the rooftop to pay a tribute to the captivating view of the different shades of green reflecting on the crystal-water lake next to the palace.

Coming back to the city, a walk around the campus of University of Rajshahi will bring you closer to more old-fashioned buildings. In-campus monuments like Shabash Bangladesh and Shahid Smriti are decent places for family souvenir photographs. Being a fan of Igloo ice-cream and street delicacies, we tried out a certain breach of kulfi known as Shandesh Bar found near Shahid Smriti. Missing out on the ecstatic taste of shandesh-like ice-cream melting inside your mouth while touring around the campus is something I can guarantee you’ll regret later.

On the other hand, Rajshahi Museum (portions of which were under construction when we went) hosts some of the finest statues and artifacts from the Mughal reign. We bumped into a local art student inside the museum, carefully imprinting one of the statues on canvas using charcoal. The green gardens in the courtyard of the museum has stone sculptures surrounding a white-something with birds chirping, making it quite an interesting place to visit.

We spent our evenings taking leisurely strolls on the streets and next to Padma River. Although walking next to the river will present the devastating scenes of the water drying up, the soft warm breeze will definitely soothe your soul. Another street delicacy, where the seller slits a boiled egg and puts in spices (making it an egg sandwich) was our personal favourite during those long walks.

Rajshahi isn’t the typical top-notch tourist spot, but it is a great getaway from Dhaka. It’s a place where you can snap some brilliant shots and travel around. It also brings home the best mangoes in the country; so in the heat of this summer, the ripe taste of mangoes will be quite delightful. If you want to take a relaxing drive, passing green forests or simply unwind on your vacation; and if you’re tired of murky waters at Ashulia, Rajshahi is definitely everyone’s next tourist destination.

Photo Credit: Sabhanaz Rashid Diya
Published in 23/01/2008 in Rising Stars

Step Up!

2008-01-19T22:11:00.001-08:00

If you’ve ever wondered community service was a ‘job’ meant for a certain group of people known as ‘social workers’, you couldn’t have been more wrong. Community service isn’t about making huge, tangible difference which can translate into a certificate that glorifies you; it starts when you stop thinking about yourself and start thinking about people around you. It can happen anytime, anywhere and with anyone. It comes with an inner selflessness of giving, without considering a grand return.

Many people desperate to improve their transcripts often come to me asking for a place in a community service program. When I recommend simple things such as teaching maidservants at home how to write their names or stop their friends from littering streets; they pretty much, most of the time, don’t get it. Just because it won’t somehow earn them a presentable certificate or perhaps, a ready-made proof that they can show to ‘people from college’, they don’t consider it worth the effort.

Bangladesh is a country that is in need of opportunities. Opportunities that can be created by the very people who live in this country. The very concept that we, as free-living citizens owe something to our country may sound clichéd; but it’s still our responsibility. A friend of mine once said, “If you were a part of U.S, you’re already rolling on the development wheel; but as a citizen of Bangladesh, you get a chance to pioneer development, which gives you a lot of other things to do than just charity.”

If you can spare an hour everyday for around 6 months, you can actually teach your illiterate maidservant to write her name and do basic arithmetic using pen-and-paper. If you can save around 50% of your allowance consistently for a year, you’ll have enough money to sponsor the education of your driver’s daughter for a while. If you can convince your parents, cousins or friends to give a certain amount, believe it or not, you can actually sponsor till her SSC exams. If you meet a picchi fakir on your way to class, instead of getting rid of him with a Tk.2 note, you can convince him to go to school and thus, secure him a more productive future. I did this, so I know it’s possible. Instilling hope and courage, and teaching underprivileged kids to dream is probably one of the best services you can give to your community.
“You cannot develop people. You must allow people to develop themselves”, said Julius Nyerere, the first President of Tanzania. This can only be achieved if people start believing in themselves and dare to dream.

It doesn’t stop here. You can raise awareness about acid-victims through school projects or recycle paper at your own home. One of my friends re-uses the back of printed A4s to write down telephone numbers, addresses and just about anything short; hence saving a large amount of paper. You can turn your monitor off when downloading large files to save electricity and remember to switch the lights off before leaving the room. You can make sure the water taps are closed properly after washing your hands to ensure no water is wasted from your house.

These are only examples. There are tons of other things you can do, starting from this minute that contributes to the making of a better Bangladesh. I listen to music because I love it; I will do whatever that I can for my people because I love my country. My efforts might be so small that I’m never noticed or recognized, but I know I’m making a difference, maybe to the life of one person. It makes me smile and my rewards are the smiles or expressions of gratitude or eye-sparkling emotions of hopes that I get from helping people around me. That’s motivating enough for me to try. And like Captain Planet always said it, “The power is yours!”

Mollah Sagor and His Arts

2008-01-19T22:05:00.000-08:00

Molla Sagor doesn’t strike you as someone more than a student. Young and spirited, what lies behind the simple face and dreamy eyes is a honeycomb of unusual creativity. With the making of three documentaries that have just hit the market, Sagor is definitely on his way to making some subtle differences in our widely provoking media industry.

While the documentaries obviously aren’t your day-to-day popcorn entertainment, it’s something that will perhaps, make you think twice about people around us. An eye-opener and somewhat, ‘philosophical’ and humorous in its many approaches, Sagor’s work is doubtlessly, commendable.

Dudh-Koyla (Coal Milk) is 25-minutes documentary on the struggle of indigenous Saantals to protect their ‘home’ from turning into an open-pit mine yard of coal. The setting is at Bucchigram, a village under Phoolbari upazilla of Dinajpur where the Saantal community have lived on natural agriculture, befriending cattle, local games, trees and birds. Their simple, peaceful lives are suddenly disrupted by the alarming news of the government approving a foreign company to make a coalmine out of their habitat. They are offered compensation for the damages, but could money ever buy the peaceful abode they’ve lived on for years? It is their motherland, and to protect it, uproars of protest are raised. The police and BDR raided the area, taking lives and leaving the locals in fear. This documentary is a depiction of the tug of fear and courage of the indigenous.

Sagor’s other works include Cholo Mon Natok Dekhte Jai (Let’s Go, Watch a Play) and Shironamhiin 23 July (Untitled 23 July), both of which illustrate stories and struggles of people around us. Personally, I felt the documentaries would have been more effective in conveying its message if background voice narration was used; and many features of his work make it perceivable only to a small audience. Perhaps, they would catch attention in larger scale than predicted and Molla Sagor will continue producing such moving pieces in the future.

Published in June 2007 in Rising Stars

Rendezvous with BlueNote

2008-01-19T21:50:00.000-08:00

Andrew Morris and Saad Chowdhury, on first impressions doesn’t look anything like a musical duo. More like a father-son pair, that first impression is certainly deceiving. When I met them on a cloudy April afternoon, I would’ve been fooled, had I not known about BlueNote beforehand. Andrew, with his soprano sax in hand ushered me into the musical realm of Blue Note, where Saad voiced the pieces with his skilful fingers on the piano and his soft vocals on “the great American songbook”. The soul-searching words from ‘Summertime’ unfolded beautifully with the soothing notes from the sax and keys, complementing Saad’s voice and I listened, spellbound.

“So, how did BlueNote start out? Did you face any difficulties while introducing such a new genre here?” I posed the first question of the afternoon.
“I met Saad only last December, when we got together to provide backing music for a Dutch singer in town called Danielle. Realizing he was good, I asked him if he'd be interested in doing something, replied Andrew. “I was home throughout December and January, and had vague plans for a classy sort of duo - perhaps attack the embassy circuit, the clubs and so on. We bought loads of sheet music, worked out a set, and began practicing seriously in February. We wanted to market this in a new way, hence the name BlueNote, which is an old jazz club in NYC. We’ve been lucky to get a number of bookings at various clubs and places, thanks to some amount of marketing with a logo, photo shoot and website; even before we started playing in public.”
“We've been rehearsing for the last 5 weeks, and as we are both fairly musical, a good chemistry has developed; anticipating each other and communicating through playing, The reactions were a bit bemused, but in Gulshan, there are many people who've spent time in the States and know this music, or perhaps know what it represents and want a piece of it. Even if they can’t recognize the songs, they like the idea.” Saad added.

The music had now changed its pace, with the sax playing on a slightly lifted mood.
“The great American songbook, which is essentially the kind of music we play is basically comprised of tuneful melodies and witty lyrics.” Andrew guided me through the beats. “Many songs are from Broadway shows, mostly written between the ‘30s to ‘50s. The genre is familiarized with name like Gershwin, Irving Berlin, Cole Porter, and Duke Ellington. Many songs are originally written by Jews, performed by Blacks to a White audience. Currently, a Welsh-Brit/Bangla duo is bringing it to the Bangladeshis!”

Our laughter was drowned with the performance taking a more upbeat turn. Andrew’s sax and Saad’s piano were now humming playfully alongside soft drumbeats, which gave the musical a new different dimension.
“BlueNote supports the BNWLA Hostel Appeal (www.bnwlahostel.org) with proceeds from its performances,” Andrew continued. “I, personally collaborated with Ornob, who has a strong social conscience and we will be playing for the kids soon. This has been a better start to the campaign than I expected and we’re fully supportive of the cause.”

“On a more personal note, how long have you been here? What do you do?” I asked.
“Ever since 1998; first in Rajshahi and then in Chittagong. I responded to a job offer and worked here, on and off as an education consultant ever since. As of now, I’m leading a team rewriting the textbooks that teachers here study on the B.Ed under the Bangladesh Ministry of Education. I feel at home here and I don’t want to leave!” replied Andrew.
“I’m 23 and my dad is Bangladeshi while Mum is British. I teach piano and play for a couple of choirs,” answered Saad.

These very talented musicians curtained the session with Pink Panther. Their music was exciting and soothing at the same time. For me, BlueNote has been a wonderful, refreshing experience. I love their energy and passion towards what they were playing, and am looking forward to more of their sensuous performances.

For more on BlueNote, visit: http://www.bluenotesound.blogspot.com/

Published in April 2007 in Rising Stars

Exclusively Ornob

2008-01-19T21:43:00.000-08:00

Ornob Shayan Chowdhury has been entertaining today’s Bangladeshi audience with soulful vocals, playful lyrics and great compositions. First, as a part of Bangla, and later releasing two solo albums, ‘Chaina Bhabish’ and ‘Hok Kolorob’ and recently, working with Prayer Hall, Ornob’s unique sense of rhythms have made him a favorite to many. He is now the C.E.O of the newly founded Bengal Music Company, where he is directing music videos, documentaries and ad films while working as a graphics designer. RS finally meets up with this multi-talented musician for an exclusive interview.

RS: Tell us about you family.
Ornob: My parents, Swapan Chowdhury and Suraiya Chowdhury, and my elder sister Milita Chowdhury all come from Fine Arts background and are artists in their own ways. My wife Sahana Bajpaie Chowdhury is in academics, writes songs for me & a singer.

RS: You’ve been to Santiniketan for your education. Tell us more about your schooling and days at Santiniketan.
Ornob: As a kid I went to Will's Little Flower School in Dhaka. I was admitted to the school Patha-Bhavana, in Santiniketan in 2nd grade. My journey started from then, and eventually I finished my MASTERS in Fine Arts from Kala-Bhavana Graphics Department, Visva-Bharati University, Santiniketan. In school we had our classes under the trees in the glorious "Guru-Shishyo" tradition propagated by Rabindranath Tagore. Whenever it rained our classes were called off; thus, the monsoon season was closest to our hearts as it was filled with rainy days holidays. The school system was based not only on drab textual education but also focused on ECAs and sports. We had compulsory classes on music, dance, sculpture, craft, woodwork, painting and such.

RS: How did you get involved with music?
Ornob: I started learning esraj, a traditional classical instrument in 7th grade at Santiniketan. My musical endeavours kept on taking different forms as I grew up and learned more about western music genres. I started playing guitar and keyboards in school inspired by my friends in Dhaka whenever I used to come home in vacations. The bauls of Santiniketan have always inspired me to create an alternative form of Bengali folk music arranged with contemporary sound. I was also greatly inspired by the legendary bands of Bangladesh, the rich heritage our folk music, Tagore's music and fusion bands like Shakti and Return to Forever, and other bands and artists like The Doors, Pink Floyd, Radiohead, Frank Zappa and Trilok Gurtu. Around 1997, in Santiniketan, my Indian friends, Sahana (then friend) and I formed Bangla. Anusheh and Buno joined in later. On coming back to Dhaka after completing my studies, Bangla became a full-fledged Bangladeshi band. Bangla was an idea that we had nurtured for a long time in different places and ended up working together. It is one of the best things that has ever happened to me.

RS: How did it feel working solo? How do you describe your music?
Ornob: It felt great to work as a solo artist! It was a completely different experience to have everything on your own head and then execute them properly. I wanted to create a unique sound for myself and cannot define any particular genre, as it comprises of very different and at times oxymoronic ideas and sounds. Lyrics are the guiding force of my music. They inspire me to create. The syllables of the words dictate me to play around with rhythms, which are unconventional. I think of myself first when I make music. In a way, I ‘de-personalise’ and imagine another Ornob listening to my music. However, the listeners are the ones who inspire me to make and publish an album.

RS: Tell us about your album. Many say that your second album has less variation that your first one. What are your feelings towards such views?
Ornob: Chaina Bhabish and Hok Kolorob reflect two particular times of my life - the life I was living and the ideas that I was developing. Where Hok Kolorob is a bit more structured and simple, Chaina Bhabish is lucid and introspective. The songs in Hok Kolorob were composed 10 years back. They had a kind of simplicity and innocence in them. I wanted to retain their originality. I am sorry if it has disappointed my listeners but my humble suggestion would be to forget the Chaina Bhabish Ornob and embrace the Hok Kolorob Ornob with open arms.

RS: You have been coined as a multi-faceted musician. What are the difficulties you had to face during this journey?
Ornob: I would not like to call myself a multi-talented musician. It's just that I like to keep my eggs in different baskets. Even today, I find it difficult to accept the fact that I did not pursue my esraj more seriously. I am a very patient person when it comes to getting something right. Unless I get to the core of something, I don't stop. The hardest part was figuring out sound engineering, recording, mixing and mastering of music with the help of softwares as I did not have any formal training and had to spend nights fooling around with machines. I have got it right as by now to a level where I can execute my ideas, but there is always room for betterment.

RS: How do you react to statements like “all musicians are losers and drug-addicts”?
Ornob: No musician can possibly be a loser or anyway near it! Just because God has especially favoured them with the gift of musical sensibility which others were denied of makes them green-eyed enough to proclaim musicians as losers. Either you have it or you don’t! All musicians aren't drug addicts! All non-musicians aren't non- addicts!

RS: Your message to young musicians.
Ornob: It's all about how passionate one is to pursue music – he can't escape the craving for composing and playing good music. Recognition will naturally follow. However, he/she has to forget about getting rich and buying a BMW! It is also important to attain a formal training in whatever you want to do and to dream big.

Photo Credit: Sahana Bajpaie Chowdhury
Published in December 2006 in Rising Stars

Music-ing With the Duo - Saadi and Rafa

2008-01-19T21:25:00.000-08:00

The names Saadi and Rafa shouldn’t be unknown to local musicians and enthusiasts. Playing music, creating chaos and contributing actively to the underground scenario for around 10 years, the duo-brothers have definitely been through plenty of hard times and sweet memories. The story of Saadi, proclaimed as one of the finest guitarists among young musicians and Rafa, an ambitious, fast drummer didn’t happen overnight and neither without difference in opinions. For the first time, RS gets up, close and personal with the two brothers on their musical endeavours.

RS: How did you guys first get introduced to the music scene?
Saadi: During the initial years at medical college, a few friends and I had a hard-rock band named Blitz. It didn’t work out till the end of college as we all took different directions. Around that time, I got heavily influence by metal and formed a thrash-metal band, Inferno. Rafa was pretty good with his drums and we even got into a concert at Engineering Institute. However, Rafa then suddenly faced some problems with his leg and was semi-paralyzed for a while; so we performed with a different drummer. I faced some difficulties in maintaining this band and so, left it. Later, around 2002, we decided to form Kral with Rafa on drums, our cousin Aldnane on bass and myself, on guitars.

RS: Kral has been a more-or-less stable band since then. Tell us about the difficulties you faced with Kral over the years.
Saadi: Kral was a 3-member band, so obviously, we had crisis of a decent vocalist and keyboardist. Our first shows were without any keys, while Amit was our vocalist. At the first concert at RCC, the crowd didn’t favour us at all.
Rafa: During that time, I played for Psychokinesis. After a while, Imtiaz joined and we performed at some concerts. Thankfully, we received a good response and were encouraged to continue with the band. Nowfel joined as keyboardist, and finally, Kral was a complete band.

RS: Rafa has been known to play several instruments and has made his mark among as a talented young musician. How have you evolved as such?
Rafa: I learnt singing and tabla as a kid. Saadi Bhaia has tried to teach me guitar back then and I was never very easy to handle; so he gave up. Later, under the influence of the band Aqua, I finally started picking up on a guitar and Bhaia helped immensely with the chords. I remember going to a gig at Indian Cultural Centre and was impressed by the drummers. I didn’t know much about drums, but challenge of playing double bass fast made me work hard to master it. I easily picked Dream Theatre numbers on drums. Later, my attention shifted to bass. I also had a small keyboard, so I worked on that as well. In short, a lot of instruments and a lot of things were happening at the same time. On joining Aurthohin, I got interested in sound engineering and have learnt it too.
Saadi: I always had faith in my brother’s capabilities and I believe music is inside him. He is, however, still evolving as a musician.

RS: What are your upcoming and current projects?
Saadi: I’m a guitarist of Kral and Neverland. Kral is working on its debut full-length album.
Rafa: I’m drumming for Kral and Severe Dementia and working with Aurthohin and Dripping Gore on vocal and guitar. As part of Severe Dementia, an EP Epitaph of Plassey was recently released from an Indian record label soon. We also toured India in April. We believe the EP contains brutal drumming and extreme music, so we’re very hopeful about it.

RS: Anything on the current underground scenario?
Rafa: The underground music scene is a big place now. Personally, I veto taking money from bands for letting them perform or forcing them to sell tickets. The bands have trouble doing music already. With lots of new bands coming up and a mixture of good and bad, many things are going on. Music isn’t hard, so take time before you jump. You just need to work hard before you hit the shows.

RS: Apart from music, what else are you guys doing? What about the support from friends and family?
Rafa: I’m doing my A levels now. I’m very thankful to my friends for their support and to my more mature critics, for always giving me a reason to try harder.
Saadi: I’m a jobholder at Bangladesh Medical College and Hospital. I was encouraged by my family and friends, so I’m grateful to them.

Published in February 2007 in Rising Stars

"Music is not what I do, it's who I am!"

2008-01-18T23:13:00.000-08:00

Chowdhury Shakib, front man of Cryptic Fate and member of The Watson Brothers have been actively involved with the music scenario of Bangladesh for over 10 years. Being an enthusiast of the ‘underground’ music arena, he has always encouraged and helped new bands in promotion.

RS: You’ve been actively involved with the underground music scene for years. What are your views on current underground bands?
Shakib: We have a thriving underground scene and it’s good for the future of rock music in Bangladesh. Previously, there were limited numbers of listeners and a limited number of bands, but now with the growth of an underground scenario, kids from Gulshan and Baridhara (who didn’t listen to Bangla music or local bands before) are hearing these bands out. With such a fast-moving music scene, it is easier for young musicians to get noticed. As is usual when a trend develops, we have some bands who are in it for the wrong reasons – namely for impressing their girlfriends and their friends instead of doing serious music.

RS: I agree. New bands are popping out every other day. If someone who listens to music is rich enough to buy a guitar, he simply does it, downloads guitar tabs and plays covers. How bad is that?
Shakib: True. <*concerned*> You can buy a guitar and record in your house, which in a way is great. This makes recording albums easier, but it’s never quite upto the mark – so it’s basically a waste of their time. Most people do not realize there is a fine line between a musician and a music lover. For example, most of us love watching movies. But if we start making movies since we love them so much, we’ll never be able to make quality films and the market will be flooded with terrible movies. Only a real, passionate filmmaker can make a decent movie. The same rules apply for music. Most of these young musicians are music-lovers and don’t quite have what it takes to be a musician. It’s like jumping into the water before learning to swim.

RS: What would you advise these new musicians to do?
Shakib: New musicians should listen to more music, try harder, practice more, be patient and have a passion for music. They have to realize that the bar has been raised by bands such as Aurthohin, Artcell, Black and Nemesis, so it’s much tougher now to impress people than it was 6 years ago.

RS: Several of these bands develop internal rivalry even before they get up on stage to perform. What are your views on that?
Shakib: Rivalries between bands have existed for a long time. Earlier, when Rockstrata was the happening band, their fans wouldn’t let other bands like Warfaze to go on stage and perform. That’s ‘rivalry’ as far as the crowd is concerned. But rivalry between the bands is quite unhealthy. We have to make efforts to be friendly with fellow musicians. The friendship between the ABC bands is really good, so I don’t really know why all these bands have trouble with each other. Cryptic Fate has been playing shows since 1997 but we’ve never had any trouble with anyone.

RS: Several newer bands complain that they don’t get enough exposure because they don’t have contacts. To what extent is this true?
Shakib: Bands cannot complain about contacts. Contacts is necessary everywhere, not just in music. But it’s important to remember that if you do good music, you will eventually get noticed. You have to learn to be patient and compare your work with what you listen to. There’s no point in performing low-quality music that everyone is laughing at except your friends. Musicians like Sumon Bhai, Khaled Bhai, myself and others aren’t sitting with our ears closed. If you are a quality musician, you are bound to get heard and we are willing to promote you.

RS: What about people who don’t come from privileged background, but still listen to good music and would like to pursue it further?
Shakib: Such people should get some rich friends who can afford the gears and discover music with them <*laughs*>. They can also play at clubs or gaye holuds. Music pays for itself. That’s one good thing about it! We're aiming to build a scene where at least the music pays for itself, as in, the album sales pay for the recording charge and the band remuneration. If you’re meant to be a musician, you’ll just be it! If anybody considers being a musician by scaling its prospects, then that person doesn’t even belong to the music scene. For me, music is very personal and the outside world neither encourages nor discourages me in pursuing it. Like I say, “Music is not what I do – it is who I am.”

RS: Does Bangladesh provide any prospective market for a career based on music? Shakib: When it comes to doing the kinds of music that we do, such as Artcell, Aurthohin, Cryptic Fate and Black, then frankly speaking, there is little prospect in Bangladesh. It hasn’t yet developed an acceptable market for ‘our’ kind of music. However, if you’re genuinely interested in basing your life on music, then you can do what Ornob did. Explore other aspects of music, such as sound engineering, mastering, mixing, and making videos; instead of being a full-time musician. In this way, you can always stay connected with music and have financial security, at the same time, doing something that you find exciting.

RS: How has the year 2006 been for the non-mainstream music scene?
Shakib: At the end of the year, I am satisfied with the things that happened in the music scene. Bangla’s album, Artcell’s ‘Aniket Prantor’, Cryptic Fate’s ‘Danob’, Yaatri’s ‘Daak’, Ornob’s ‘Hok Kolorob’ all were good albums. Out of the new bands that have released albums, I found Scarecrow’s album very interesting. Although it’s a bit raw and suffers from ordinary production values, the band tried to create a blend between classical and modern metal and really stayed away from the overused ‘80s clichés.

RS: Now coming to your bands, Cryptic Fate (CF) and The Watson Brothers (TWB). Tell us about them.
Shakib: Cryptic Fate dates back to 1993, when we were in Scholastica and decided to form a heavy metal band. Over the years and through many difficulties, CF has managed to hold itself together simply on luck and we feel great about it. CF’s influences come from Megadeth, Judas Priest, Ozzy Osbourne and such, but we hope that our music is sufficiently different. The Watson Brothers has always been a side-project for me. I met Arafat and Imran when they were in The Attempted Band. It broke up in 1999 and later, Arafat, Imran, Farhan (who joined later) and me formed The Watson Brothers. Around 2002, we decided to release a rock album and that’s how ‘Ohom’ came into the picture. I’m not currently involved with TWB as it’s difficult for me to write and sing for two bands at the same time, but I will be back with them when I want to do rock music.

Published in February 2006 in Rising Stars

Grooving with the Grasshoppers

2008-01-18T19:53:00.000-08:00

With names like Dr. Nashid Kamal, Mustafa Zaman Abbassi and Ferdausi Rahman in the family tree, Armeen Musa had never been a newbie in the music scene. Although she was being brought up in the backdrop of folk and Nazrul’s lyrical masterpieces, she was influenced heavily by rock, alternative beats and world music. When she stepped up as a female vocalist in a local underground band, raised eyebrows weren’t big surprises. From Enshrined to her current project, Armeen Musa and the Grasshoppers give us an exclusive insight into what it’s like to be a girl ‘rockstar’ in Dhaka.

RS: Let’s face it. A band headlining a girl isn’t very common in the underground scene. How did it happen?
AM: Well, being from a family like mine, where everyone has been performing in big and small shows at some point or the other, music was rather encouraged. The underground shows where we performed while growing up, was a very close-nit society. I guess, to be a musician, you just need to have the love, the style and the passion to be so.

RS: Bangladeshi societies don't really consider it "appropriate" for girls to perform at live concerts. What were the difficulties you had to face as a girl and how did you deal with them?
AM: As far as my family was concerned, performing music was not something frowned upon. All the band members were great friends, and we usually knew most of the people in the audience from school and through friends, so the atmosphere was very comfortable. The only problem was that people were not accustomed to watching or listening to a female vocalist in non-commercial genres. So, attaining musical acclamation was a little harder. In the larger shows, people were more enthusiastic to listen to the heavier bands. However, I think over the years, the market for soft-rock/pop bands has really expanded.

RS: ‘Armeen Musa and the Grasshoppers’ is a name that raises curiousity. How come it is headlined by your name, as opposed to just ‘The Grasshoppers’?
AM: Right after we formed the band, we had a show to perform at, so we needed a name for the poster. In midst of one of our practices, Adil jokingly suggested ‘grasshoppers’. Fortunately, the rest of us really liked it, and it stuck. We were influenced by Norah Jones and the Handsome Band; thus Armeen Musa and the Grasshoppers!

RS: So, how did you guys start?
AM: My previous cover band, Enshrined, which I had for 3 years split off due to other commitments or moving abroad. I wanted to start something new and work on more original stuff. These musicians were great to jam with, so in summer 2006, we got together, and started performing and recording simultaneously. Although I don't live in Bangladesh, whenever we do get together during holidays, we have a great time! The current line up comprises of Adil (guitars), Bart (bass), Amit (drums), and myself, Armeen (vocals).

RS: Describe your music in five words. Do you classify it into a genre?
A&G: Randomly speaking: crazy, love, passion, sanctuary and faith. Genres are being formed by each musician everyday. We can't really classify our music. We all are influenced by thousands of millions types of songs. Each of us are influenced by different musical prodigies, however, our common favourites are Arnob, Frou Frou and Mekaal Hasan Band. To narrow it down, Grasshoppers will be a combination Bangla lyric with western pop/rock/jazz/alternative/blues influences.

RS: Do you feel the music scene is now mostly comprised of people who are less serious about their music, and more into the fame aspect of it?
AM: Not really. I grew up playing in the underground scene since I was in class 8 and most of the musicians and bands that performed were very passionate about the music itself. It was a platform for those of us more ‘Westernly’ influenced to perform and share those songs that inspired us from the rock, alternative and metal scenes from abroad. The criticism, of course, was about being original and more Bangali. But, as the scene progressed and as the bands progress, we all end up making our own songs, mainly in Bangla, some more Bangali, some more Western music influenced.

RS: You've worked with Arnob and several composers for Jhalmuri. Could you give readers an insight about that experience? Was it different from the others?
AM: The Jhalmuri song was composed with Nabila, Dio, Omayr and Nandito, who are very old friends. It was a very fun process as we're all part of different bands/projects and we came together to do this. The end product was Arnob's production. Working with Arnob is a breeze and an experience, because he is immensely professional and it's an honour to see our own stuff being played with by such a great musician.

RS: You've been in Dhaka recently to record another album. Could you give us an insight into it?
AM: The album is called ‘AYE GHUM BHANGAI’. It is a collection of some of the songs I wrote growing up, as well as one remake. Each song, in terms of, tune and lyrics, are about different phases and thoughts of my life mainly during my school days. It’ll to be released in a couple of months from Bengal Music Company. The Grasshoppers have played in some of the songs, while the others have featured music by many artists from both Bangladesh and England.

RS: What are the band's future plans?
A&G: Hopefully, we’ll still be on stage every now and then, covering our favourite songs and performing originals. This is a project rather than a full-time band, so we're always squeezing in different ideas in a very small time frame. Hopefully in future, all of our ideas will get enough space to come out.

RS: What will be your advice to young girls who want to perform in bands and live concerts?
AM: If you think you have it in you, go for it. There is no greater feeling than being on stage. If you're good, no matter what the audience is, you can come out being at the top of the world!

Photo Credits: Arif Hafiz
Published on 31/01/2008 in Rising Stars

Losing Another Mama?

2008-01-18T01:05:00.000-08:00

When my friend, David Clymer (who has come to Bangladesh for a research) requested me to show him around, I jumped at the prospect of introducing our culture to someone through my eyes. However, a few mornings later, when we found ourselves stranded in the middle of Dhanmondi, I realised how bad this idea was. No, he wasn’t interested lounges or oreo frappes; and he was strictly a non-smoker, so I couldn’t take him for sheesha. The baggy jeans, remodified Toyotas and hip-hop influenced kids made him laugh, while beggars and poverty weren’t exactly what he was looking for. He wanted to meet real Bangladeshis and experience the traditional essence of modern Dhaka.

Sadly, between the glittering malls and unplanned urbanization, there was little of traditional Dhaka left for him to see or taste.

We couldn’t find a chanachurwala, screaming “Chanachurrrr!” at the top of his lungs. Apparently, as one of our friends informed us later, chanachurwala-s have been banned from Lalmatia as they disrupt the neighbourhood environment. The street food industry seems to be collapsing in competition with the banana splits and pepperoni pizza, since we don’t see too many bearded old men selling achaar (pickles) or kulfi ice-cream. It seems they are only available outside school gates when the classes are over for the day. Once the neighbourhood has been cleared of academically burnt-out kids, they seem to disappear until another end-of-classes school bell ring on another day. I don’t see them stationed at any random location at any time of the day like my sister and I grew up seeing them.

What’s even worse, the illustrious chaap pioneer Kader Mama seems to have given up on his fine establishment, as more of his young customers are drawn to the Kozmos and Decagons. The oily and cheap, yet wonderfully delicious tehari we had for lunch between photocopying the class nerd’s notes at Nilkhet has lost its characteristic taste and price. The very friendly mama who used to sell the sweetest liquor of tea at the end of my street and reenergise us on any cold, winter evenings is grumpier these days, while his little stall is taken over by burly chadabaaj and their friends.

Pahela Baishakh is somewhere lost between the white Punjabis and special discounts at overpriced boutiques. It feels that our zeal and traditions abruptly end in front of the TV sets and hanging out with friends at some fast food joint. As a kid, I remember the big mela (fair) and festivities around the Dhaka University campus, and a local mama who brought out his nagordola and gang of helpers every Baishakh. The cheap and excessively pink cotton candy, colourful masks and big rallies seem less attractive to most of us. The traditional Bangali Illish (Hilsha fish) and pantaabhaat is an offer for a day at Ramna Park, where everybody is fighting over the last shred of their culture for a single day of the year.

Urbanization is a wonderful thing. Every major city across the world needs to have highways, shopping malls, skyscrapers and expensive cars. However, everything good and wonderful comes with a price. For us, it is the nostalgic spirit of yesteryears. Unplanned constructions and fancy Western influences are invading our local essence of life in Dhaka. At the Oxford University in UK, which was founded in the 11th Century has preserved some of its originals walls and structures, even until this day. Yet, they have managed to provide all sorts of modern conveniences for their present day students. In many Italian towns, the old traditional pizzeria and plazas are seen, in tandem with modern shopping malls and five-star hotels. This fine balance of preserving the past and embracing the present is what we so sadly lack in our Dhaka.

Published in December 2007 in Rising Stars

Tell Me Your Secrets

2008-01-17T08:36:00.000-08:00

Case I
Sanya (26) is a talented, beautiful woman who got married to the love of her life after knowing him for several years. He was hard-working, funny and came from an excellent family background, coupled with an Ivy League major in Economics. While her family in Dhaka knew she was living her fantasies, Sanya was lying at the corner of her bedroom in Virginia, bleeding and breathless in pain. The love of her life had just brutally beaten her and locked her up. She saw her reflection in the mirror at the other end of the room – swollen eyes, dark bruises on her forehead, blood dripping from her nose. All she could remember was the night he draped her head in clothes so he wouldn’t have to see her wounded face while he raped her. She wept silently as painful memories flashed by. It’s been only a year, and she felt she barely knew him. She didn’t know what went wrong or why this was happening to her.

Two weeks later, by some ‘accidental miracle’, Sanya was rescued by the local police; and he was brought into custody.

Case II
The man-servant told her of the new game they would be playing. The rules were simple, but strange. She would have to lick something and he would lick her back. He promised it was going to be fun. He unzipped his pant and told her to put his penis inside her mouth. At first, she was frightened and nervous. What kind of a "game" was this? His voice got colder and he commanded her to do it; else, he will complain to her mother she was skipping her afternoon nap. She cried out silently, told him as long as he didn't complain, she'll play. He forced it inside her mouth and she heard him moaning while she sucked it.

That was Day One. The "game" continued, whenever her parents weren't at home and she was too frightened to tell her mother. What if Mum got angry because she was skipping her naps? What if Mum got angry because she was too disgusted and threw away her lunch that day?

Facts Will Frighten You
Our society with its age-old conventions does not permit the open discussion of child molestation, domestic violence and sexual abuse. For fear of disgrace, the stakes on family reputation or harassment by the police and media; occurrences like these are always finger-pointed at financially-suffering communities and limited to Page-12, barely noticeable news-scoop. But, for how long will we allow ourselves to be silenced by irrational, social norms? For how long will we allow these monsters to breed amongst the comfort of our silence? For how long will we pretend to not hear the cries of these women and children?

Shocking as it may sound, it is estimated that at least 4 out of every 10 girls and 1 out of every 10 boys are sexually abused by the end of their 13th year. In USA alone, over three million children are molested before they finish their 13th year. In 1998, there were 103,000 reported and confirmed cases of child molestation. For every case reported there are at least three more cases that never get reported. In comparison, at the height of the polio epidemic that struck children around the 1950s, there were only 21,000 cases reported in a year. A recent study has shown that 1 out of every 3 American women are victims of domestic violence. With time, the figures have increased and in 2007, the stakes are higher than ever. In Bangladesh, most of these cases go unreported and there is no definitive count. However, according to a recent research, we risk a fatal epidemic if actions aren’t taken immediately.

Why Some Secrets Remain Secrets
A child molester is any older child or adult who touches a child for his or her own sexual gratification. Most children are abused by a family member or close friend. A “stranger danger”, by comparison, is quite rare! 90 percent of the children are afraid of describing these experiences, especially since close relatives are involved and for fear of being misunderstood or accused. Many children, depending on the extent of damage, are unaware of what is being done to them and suffer from intense psychological trauma and insomnia at a later age.

Young women who are brutally abused by their husbands or boyfriends are by nature, more attached to their commitments in a relationship, and feel compelled to ‘make it work’. Many abusers use alcohol, drugs or mental illness as an excuse. When survivors are asked why they never contacted friends or family members for support, most reply they were brainwashed by the men and feared social unacceptability. They feel ashamed, believe no one will trust them and does not want to break up the family. They believe it’s a personal concern. It must be noted that domestic violence affects everyone, including the children. Nearly 40 to 60 percent of men who abuse their wives also abuse their children. (www.domesticviolence.org)

Incidentally, a large percentage of such violence occurs in well-educated, affluent families. The stakes on reputation are naturally higher, and we hardly ever get to hear about “incidents”. The abusers consider themselves superior to any legal proceedings or social castigation; and are aware of the submissive nature of their victims. They feel guarded by their flashy cars, US degrees, family commitments and society’s tendency of finger-pointing the abused over the abusers.

Break Those Norms
In spite of the millions of victims in our families, many people stick to their mistaken belief that child molestation has nothing to do with them. One of the key reasons why molesters are “encouraged” to continue with their crimes is that they don’t fear legal actions or punishments. If we genuinely intend to save our children and women from a bunch of animals, which live off comfortably on our self-nurtured ignorance, then it’s about time every member of the society steps up!
# Role of Parents: Parents can play a major role in preventing and exposing child molestation and domestic violence. Most parents fail to create a friendly, communicative understanding between themselves and their children, which results in young boys and girls to ‘shrink away’. Often, in my experience, parents consider the conservative ‘locked-up’ way of life as a protective cloak on their families. Being over-protective and strict; or ‘letting your kids grow up on their own’ are methods that have proved to be failures repeatedly. The best results come from awareness and open discussions about social issues. Anyone can be a victim, and considering your children above these will not save them. Treat them with respect and trust, and talk to them about possible situations they might face in life. Introduce yourself as a comforting friend, spend quality time with your child and allow yourself to gain their trust. Imposing, forbidding tones never help; on the contrary, open-minded and constructive discussions do.
# Role of Professionals: Unfortunately, in Bangladesh, therapists and rehabilitation centres are given little importance. Although the preliminary steps must come from parents and close relatives, professionals play the next big role. Most people cannot handle sexual abuse alone. They need help from therapists or fellow-sufferers. Sexual abuse and domestic violence may lead to more intense trauma in the future, and it is highly advised one accepts medical attention in such scenarios. It is seen that victims, themselves, refuse therapeutic measures, (again) for fear of communal criticism. However, it has been proved that on average, 80 percent of sufferers have managed to live healthy lives with minimum strain after therapy.
# Role of Law: Every case reported gives an indication to seventeen similar future cases. If one molester is caught and justly punished, it will be a reprimand for others alike. Physical abuse is not a personal matter. It is wrong, and cannot be accepted under any circumstances. It is shocking and depressing to see only a handful of these cases being taken up to court! Nevertheless, NGOs and structured organizations are gradually coming up, giving hope to millions of victims across the country.
# Role of Friends/Neighbours/Relatives: The most significant role that can be played by this group of people is by showing compassion, as opposed to finger-pointing, backbiting and spreading rumours. Nearly 90 percent of the abused suffer from fear of social disgrace, which is usually triggered by a nosy group of insensitive acquaintances. If, for once, the extended families, Indian-culture influenced aunties, pitiful friends and unrelated, interfering neighbours choose to understand the magnitude of the suffering, and provide emotional support to the victim and her family; I believe we have solved one piece of the problem.

The incidents described at the beginning of this article aren’t stories picked from research papers or images from Discovery Channel. Those are real people I know, and who have suffered tremendously. While Sanya is an inspiration for all because of her strength and will to bring her husband into custody; the nameless child is another untold story that remains unheard. Thousands of children and women are victimized each day in the same way, or worse. Our self-induced ignorance and conventional social infrastructure nurture such violence. It must stop, and we must step up now! The thought of living in a society that shares the same roof with these heartless monsters not only disgusts me, but terrifies me about the future. They must be exposed and punished, so that every 6-year-old can sleep peacefully at night without having to fear her uncle creeping up to her in bed. Remember, next time, it could be you, your sister, your best friend or your daughter!

Published in November 2007 in Rising Stars

Not A Labelled Muslim

2008-01-17T08:32:00.000-08:00

With another Ramadan comes another celebration of Islamic pious-ness. Saying your prayers five times a day, essential generosity in charity, words like “ekhon romjan-er maash, mukh kharap korlam na” are common ‘in-things’ and everybody is in the hype of it. One month and the fashion dissolves away into nothingness. Too busy for the daily prayers, too stressed at work to help others and too angry to not exchange abusive words. *sighs* Many Muslims of 21st Century.

Honestly. It’s ridiculous. With the belief that your sins will be forgiven overnight for a month’s prayers and somehow compromise for the remaining eleven months of zero practice, the only person being fooled is you. The strange faith that a night’s begging and pleading during Shab-e-Barat will solve all your problems and you will be in God’s good books – the truth behind many Muslims in Bangladesh. True, Allah counts the effort; but certainly not the one which is forgotten the following day.

What are we? Muslims by birth, Muslims in passport, Muslims with the label on our heads. Anything. Definitely not Muslims in faith, Muslims in words, Muslims in action. Definitely not Muslims who’ll get to dance around virgins in Heaven (if that’s all Heaven means to you). At one point of our lives, we’re made to go to a hujur who recites the Quran to us and we follow; needless to say, without understanding the meaning of a single syllable we’re reciting. What’s the point of ‘wasting your time’ over something you don’t even understand and more obviously, will never follow for the remaining days of your life? I call it ‘wastage’ – Islam tells you to read the Quran and understand its meaning, not recite through it like parrots and forget about it after a while.

The next question is: am I any better? Am I Muslim who understands and follows the holy book that my religion has blessed me with? Do I fear Allah, do I fear the raging fire of Hell, have I dedicated myself in serving my Creator? With brutal honesty, I admit I have barely done anything of the sort. I admit that I have been no good, lazily skipped years of prayer, lied through my teeth while fasting and worst of them all, realized it after wasting 18 years of life in committing myself to doing trash. The only thing I’ve gained through all this is Allah’s disapproval and a very frightening position in Hell.

When I was smaller, we had a hujur who came to our place every alternative day and ‘taught’ myself and my brother the Quran. What made her efforts and ‘teachings’ completely meaningless is the simple fact that she herself didn’t know the meaning of the Quran and managed to pass absolutely nothing to us. My dad prays five times a day and played a huge role in making his three kids pray along with him. The result was a tiny bit more productive than the hujur – we ended up becoming regular with our Maghrib prayers. Sometime later in the following years, I have tried to read through the translations of the Quran and failed miserably with the loss of interest midway. The only reason was that I was reading through literal word-to-word translations; where, what was really required was a more comprehensive explanation.

Like the Muslims I’ve been criticising in the previous paragraphs, I have said my prayers with full enthusiasm during Shab-e-Barat, Shab-e-Miraz and Ramadan. Likewise, I was doing it with the vague belief that Allah was satisfied. The story of my misdoings doesn’t end here. I tried to regularly say my prayers before the report cards of our final examinations were getting published, when I was caught doing something wrong and didn’t want Mum to be too difficult with her punishments, during my O’levels, before my O’level results and almost every other time when I was in a mess. Sadly, I never quite remembered to say my prayers to thank Allah for protecting me, for giving me what I have, for all the good things that have happened to me or anything positive in my life – not always. Only recently, I realized how I’ve been a shameless moron with these ‘acts of loyalty’. I figured out I was calling out to my Creator only when I needed his blessings desperately and I was ashamed of myself. Hmm, that wasn’t exactly a very nice feeling.

What did I do to correct myself? For a start, I became more regular with my prayers. I made Ramadan my practice ground and hopefully, have rigidly committed myself to continue saying my prayers 5 times daily even after Ramadan. I learnt to appreciate what I have been gifted with, learnt to thank Allah for His blessings. Keeping up with compressed time schedules of school, class and work, and somehow squeezing 5-10 minutes for prayers may be extremely difficult at first; but it’s not impossible. I figured out if I came back from school at 2:45pm, I still had time to take a quick shower and say my Zuhr prayers. If I was at a coaching centre during Asr prayers, I could easily excuse myself for 10 minutes and say my prayers. If your tutor doesn’t allow you to do that, the sin is on his/her shoulder! Besides, there’s always scope for kaz’aa for exceptional situations. As far as ‘knowing’ the Quran goes, I’m still in the middle of my research, but I’ve stopped cursing and started thanking a friend who gave me 12.1GB of Islamic material. Now that I’m making a list, I’ve actually reduced the level of exchange of abusive words. I didn’t completely quit lying, but am certainly making a huge effort in trying to be truthful.

So, have I become a molla (I forgot the term for the female version of molla)? No, I haven’t. I still listen to music, watch TV, jump around my room, argue with my parents, and more. I’m still ‘fun’ and ‘normal’, if that’s a doubt. However, it’s painful to watch some of my friends being taunted because they wear a hijaab. It’s painful to watch boys who say their prayers and avoid cigarettes being called ‘immature’ and ‘boring’. The weird part is that they’re being discriminated for doing something absolutely right and many of their parents don’t support their religious ways. I mean, they’re some of the coolest people with the most amazing ideologies that you can ever interact with and it’s simply depressing to observe all this.

Islam isn’t about simply acknowledging the infinite power of Allah. Ramadan isn’t about fasting for a month and telling your friends, “dost, Eid-er chaad dekhle botol khamu.” Eid isn’t about wearing new clothes, hanging out with friends and saying, “ek maash onek koshto korsi – ekhon manja merre cigarette taanbo.” Being a Muslim isn’t about talking about Allah, staying up nights reciting memorized prayers, keeping a orange-ish beard and cheating people with money with the same hands you say your mona’azat with.

We all grow up with sins and none of us are perfect angels. We will be wrong, not once or twice, but several times in our lives. What’s more important is how we make an effort to not-be-wrong, a really meaningful effort to at least do what’s farz for all Muslims. Being a Muslim requires a strong sense of resistance and a stronger sense of realization. It’s not impossible; it’s simply difficult. But it’s worth the effort. Like I said before, Allah counts the effort.

In Search of A Leader

2008-01-17T08:23:00.000-08:00

So, how does this work again? Political feuds that should not kill politicians, student riots that will not involve students, looting of taxpayers’ income to provide for the luxury of tax evaders, news channels censored of news, sky-shooting prices for market-control and so on. From whatever little economics and politics I understand, a country does not work this way. A nation that survives on such morals can never stabilize its economy.

I’m not an analyst or economist. I’m not a politician or a diplomat. I’m a regular person who lives a regular life, whose parents need to be honest to get paid and who has to work her way up to college. Like every other regular person of my age who has learnt to think of a bigger picture and who has some genuine emotions for their country, I look out for leaders. I look up to the people sitting under government labels for a direction, for a more promising future. Every day, like all those regular people, I open the newspaper or switch on to the local channels only to be more disappointed.

Since the Liberation War in 1971, the one thing that Bangladesh has truly lacked is capable and honest leadership. Leadership that is dedicated to the greater good of the country; leadership that is not swayed by government policies made for another country 24-hour of flight time away from ours. A leader (or group of leaders) who is not frightened to tell the truth, who can be trusted and is democratically voted by its people.

Sometimes I wonder how it all fits into one picture. How can 15.2 million people be made to puppet-dance to the strings pulled by 2 percent of its population? How can 15 thousand students allow their cause to be manipulated into something completely unnecessary by 100 rowdy troublemakers? How can 50 percent of 64 districts across the country be brainwashed by a total of 10 percent of its ward commissioners? The two ends of the equation are unpredictably mismatched.

We live in an immensely resourceful country that brims with enormous potential, but sadly, most of it goes to waste or in the hands of uninformed people. The strength of human resource with a booming population like ours isn’t a fairytale that is incapable of transforming our GDP into two-figures, as exemplified by China. Things can begin from scratch and carved into something solid, as demonstrated by Malaysia. People will follow if the wrongdoers are rightfully punished, as shown by Singapore. An economy can boom without foreign hands and with individual patriotism, as done by India. With neighbours like that, Bangladesh should have been far ahead of where it is now and scratched its name off from the list of LDCs. We don’t need to be Pakistan to revolutionize all this.

Maybe sitting at home and writing an article is comparatively easier that wearing the shoes of policymakers. Maybe it’s such a big mess out there that it will take 10 years to vacuum all of this. The jails aren’t big enough to fit all the criminals, the lawyers aren’t well paid enough to be honest, the government employees aren’t paid enough to make bribes unnecessary, the police aren’t respected enough to be trusted and the army simply scares people. Everybody and everything have proved to be a failure; and only a revolution sketched by a selfless leader can turn the tables around.

What I fear is that by the time I grow up to be strong enough to recognize my responsibilities, there will be very little of Bangladesh left for me to begin with. The movement needs to start now.

I believe everyone who fights for a change is a visionary. If every visionary voiced their united dream of a Bangladesh free of corruption, manipulation, poverty and terrorism; it could just be a new beginning. If everyone chose to rise against the wrong and protest of being captivated by the greed of a small group of people, if only we trusted the truth and our patriotism a little more, we might actually make it happen. The power of a united population that can change the face of a nation is not a new thing for us; we have already shown what it can do 36 years back. Maybe it’s time we show it to the world again.

Crutch

2008-01-17T08:12:00.000-08:00

I opened my eyes and found myself lying on white hospital sheets that stank of antiseptics. The pain was sore, punching on my right leg after the surgery. I could barely move my head as it was heavy with anesthesia and painkillers. Somehow, at a distance, I spotted my new boyfriend, Crutch. Crutch and I would be dating each other for the next two months His gleaming brown, woody exterior wasn’t attractive, while the blue rubbery cap on his head made me feel imprisoned. The silvery screws that attached two lengths of his wood seemed to be tightly ‘screwed’ and strong, reassuring me of his strengths. I heaved a deep sigh and for two seconds, considered exactly how lucky I was to be with Crutch.

It took me another week to get properly used to Crutch. He was sturdy, well-built and hardly ever left my side. He gave me a false sensation of walking, a comforting sensation of support and an ever-wanting sensation of seeking freedom. Most importantly, he gave me a realization about the true gifts of God and how it felt to be without it. Thankfully, I finally dumped Crutch on a dark, moonless July night after two months of depressing dependence. I could freely walk again, that gave me a reassuring feeling of being ‘normal’ and a tickling sensation of happiness and independence.

Although it’s been a year since I left Crutch, the itchy pain that cripples me on cold, rainy nights reminds me of him and his ‘teachings’. The post-surgery black scar on my right leg constantly reminds of my weaknesses and incapability. The bone, drilled as deep as the marrow to remove complications will never be healed enough for me to apply pressure on it. The damn bone is too sensitive and might crack, so I couldn’t risk losing it for good. I can never run, never jump on two feet or play football on muddy fields. Heck, I can’t even drive as it requires pressing down on the accelerator with the right foot. If I ever get chased by a mad dog or need to run away from a potential bomb explosion, that’s pretty much the same as committing suicide for me. It feels worse when all of these come from a former basketball player, a jumpy hyper teen and a kickass ass-kicker.

It’s strange how it took a woody Crutch to teach me one of the finest lessons of life. For the first time, it properly got through me that every organ, every bone and every limb of the human body had an important purpose. Having eyes to see wasn’t simply sight-seeing; it was the amazing feeling of witnessing the wonders of nature and life. It was being able to watch the rain drops trickle down green leaves or seeing the people I love every day. Without the nerves at the tip of my fingers, I wouldn’t have known heat or cold and felt how soft a baby’s skin could be. The ears gave me the power to hear everyone’s voices and listen to the rumbling noise of the clouds. I could stretch my hands and pick up any object; I could stick my tongue out to taste the mouth-watering delights from Mum’s kitchen.

We don’t realize it often, but every complete bit about us makes us exceptionally lucky every day. Imagine a life without your feet to walk, or eyes to see or a painful hole inside your heart that makes it too weak to properly feel it. We take these little things about us for granted, and never realize what it’s like to even make the smallest compromise on any of these. The only time we do get it is when we lose it. It is only then the true gifts of life strikes us and that 1% of our brain figures out how freaking good our life was with everything in it. Only then, we learn to appreciate the true gift of God.

36 Years of Ignorance

2008-01-05T21:06:00.000-08:00

Welcome to 21st Century Bangladesh. Or, should we say Bang--la--desh? Poverty, corruption, brain drain, Nobel Prize and a magnetic attraction for natural disasters of all kinds; Bangalis have seen it all in their given time. What most of us haven’t seen is the war that gave birth to this country. Perhaps, it is because we haven’t seen it that we fail to understand the magnitude of sacrifice behind it.

Of course, you’d think that people who’ve seen the war and those who’re running the country (a.k.a the ‘government’) would make a conscious effort to raise awareness on the issue. You’d think they would emboss its glorious history in the books and the annals of time. You’d think they would pay proper respect to the families of the martyrs and the surviving freedom fighters. You’d think they would preserve whatever evidence and artifacts is left of it.

But they don’t.

What they do show is a twisted and adulterated version of the actual facts. The books followed in primary level schooling were written to glorify whatever political party is in power at the time of printing. Children have no idea what to believe since every five years, the history books contradict themselves. Their brothers/sisters have read one thing, while they end up learning something completely different. Not to mention, both the versions are very different from what their parents remember.

If the ‘truth’ comes in three different versions, how can we expect them to respect our 1971 heritage? How can they be expected to be the ‘nation builders of tomorrow’? While the politicians bicker about who led the war and who declared independence, they choose to completely ignore the courage of common Bangalis. The sector commanders like Khaled Musharraf and ordinary people who’ve shown extraordinary dedication towards their country are somehow forgotten along the way.

However, we applaud the present caretaker government for caring enough to certain things right. The recent adaptations of the primary level Bengali textbooks portray the actual history of the 1971 Liberation War. Print noted: Sheikh Mujibur Rahman is the father of the nation and Ziaur Rahman declared independence.

Our RS survey and cover exclusive for 26th March revealed shocking truth that half the urban youth didn’t know the important dates of the war. Parents and grandparents should discuss the stories of the war with our younger generations and us, so we may know what it meant to be there when your country was born – to fight for it and to die for it. At a fast-moving era of information technology, there is very little online cataloguing of our history. We, on extensive browsing found four websites, which gave comprehensive details.

Wikipedia, on the other hand, gives a very skewed and unfair account of the Bangali Liberation War. It gives the impression that 1971 was a communist-inspired and Soviet-block sponsored revolution. The net active youth of Bangladesh are misled by such accounts simply because they don’t know the truth.

Fighting for your country’s freedom is the greatest duty that one can perform. Yet, the successive governments have done little for the welfare of surviving freedom fighters. This shows that we have not only failed to live up to the dreams of those who’ve died for our homeland, but also failed to respect our past. We, as a nation should start correcting these grave errors right now, before it’s too late and we realise what we have lost through our ignorance.

Published in 20/12/2007 in Rising Stars

Be Vibed

2008-01-04T21:22:00.000-08:00

Melodious, powerful, energetic, diverse and dynamic – in their own words, Vibe’s music is just these, and something unique. Their debut release, “Chena Jogot” a few weeks before Eid has already scored a positive appraisal from the listeners and critics. They’ve rocked the crowd at live performances, and touched the listeners with their singles in mixed albums. RS gets up, close and personal with Vibe for some exclusive insight into their music.

RS: Tell our readers the story behind the name, “Vibe”.
V: Shuddho and Turjo came up with the title, and thought that it would best serve the idea behind forming the band. The word ‘vibe’ literally means a distinctive emotional atmosphere, sensed intuitively. The band’s goal was to generate that distinctive atmosphere for the listeners of today and tomorrow. Vibe still remains focused on maintaining that unique environment for the lovers of music, by means of their music.

RS: How did the band start?
V: The band was officially formed in 2001 with its original line-up consisting of Shuddho Fuad Sadi, Sabbir Hossain Turjo, Mahjuj Jasim Sourav, Saber Ahmed Khan and Wali Md Akbar. In 2002, Sourav left the band and Tanvir took over his place in 2003. In 2004, the band took on Mashfiq, shortly after Tanvir left. The final change in line-up took place on July 2005, when the band took on Saleh Hasan Oni. The final line-up is Shuddho Fuad Sadi (vocals/guitars), Sabbir Hossain Turjo (drums), Saber Ahmed Khan (bass), Saleh Hasan Oni (guitars) and Wali Md Akbar (keyboards).

RS: What genre of music does Vibe classify itself into?
V: You could say hybrid Metal and rock. From one extreme to the other: heavy metal to rock ballads. Melody is the band’s major concern, be it metal or soft rock. In short, Vibe can be classified into the genres: ‘Heavy/Thrash/Speed Metal’ and ‘Slow/Soft Rock.’

RS: Give us an insight into the making of your album. What were your goals?
V: The band tried to produce an album which compiled a variety of feels. Maintaining variation, skill and melody was its ultimate objective, along with producing its signature sound. The album comprises of five heavy metal tracks and six slow rock or rock ballads. This somewhat maintained the equilibrium. However, people might say that ‘Chena Jogot’ depicts too much diversity. Nonetheless, this is exactly what the band wanted to produce; neither more nor less.

RS: Vibe has been in the scene for a long time. Why did it take so long to release an album?
V: It took a good amount of time to finish recording the album indeed. Materials were more or less ready at the start. However, the delay was inevitable; mostly due to unavailability of studios and a few other reasons here and there. Furthermore, the band was considerably concerned about its sound, which was another probable reason for the setback. Vibe started off working at Studio Bass, went all the way through Art of Noise, Dhun, Dream Desk, and finally Bengal Music Studios.

RS: Why is there a fish stuck inside a bowl at the back of your album sleeve? Is there any particular theme behind this album?
V: This is not a themed album. However, the title song ‘Chena Jogot’ talks about a supposed “known” universe. The front-cover picture reflects the whole idea behind this song. It represents the "true or real" state of the so-called "chena jogot”. The dark feel of the picture speaks of the dire state of the world we are unaware of. The dead trees, black mountains, the red sky at dusk, resembling the end of the day all add in to that effect. We are so busy seeing the disguised 'known world' that we do not realize how 'ochena' it is to us.

As for the fish entrapped in a fishbowl, lying by the seashore; it is under the wrong impression that its surroundings are a part of its real world. The dire state: The fish resembles us (humans), entrapped in a metaphorical fishbowl, unaware of our entrapment as well. The world we consider to be "chena", is actually pretty "ochena." This is the irony.

RS: As you've probably noticed, most people get into the music scene these days for fame and girls. Do you agree? What are your thoughts on the matter?
V: (laughs out loud) Yeah, this is pretty much the case these days! Unfortunately, most of us aren’t single anymore. But we don’t mind mourning over our bad luck (smiles). And as far as fame is concerned, we don’t think it should be the sole objective of any band while making music. Although, it would be wrong to say that the idea of fame should be overruled.

RS: Where do you think the future of "underground music" lies? What would be your advice to any potential newcomer?
V: The number of potential bands in the scene will keep on multiplying. Better musicians will emerge henceforward. Competition will rise to a greater height. Potential rockers will inhabit the entire country. In short, the future of underground music lies in the hands of promising new talents, encouraging senior bands and of course, the listeners of underground music.
To the newcomer, be true to yourself in adopting the nature of music you want to carry out. “Listen” to all genres of music. Practice is mandatory!

RS: Where does Vibe see itself 10 years from now? Any message to the readers?
V: At the core of everyone’s hearts! We wouldn’t have been here if it weren’t for our dear family members and friends. The band would like to thank Mr. Mahbubur Rob Sadi, who had been a big support from the very beginning. And of course, the listeners, without who we are absolutely zero! Lastly, we’d like to thank Rising Stars for the interview.

Published in November 2007 in Rising Stars

Something Without Her

2008-01-04T21:15:00.000-08:00

The alarm clock sprang into life exactly six minutes after Zayed had woken up. He was quietly sitting on his bed, watching the horizons beyond lighting up for a new day, for a new beginning. It was that typical cranky noise from the alarm that broke his silence. He reached out for it and his eyes fell on the photograph placed next to it. It was of a young woman, in her twenties with a baby, wrapped in blue towels in her arms. The baby was peacefully asleep; while the woman looked down at him, with a smile on her face and her eyes full of wonder – the wonder of holding onto something so beautiful. Zayed picked the photo and his mind racing through the incidents that changed everything for him.

Zayed had never been a great son. Like every guy of his age, he was rude, restless and carefree. He bunked classes regularly to hang out at gaming cafes, shouted at his mother when she told him to come home early, considered her ‘overprotective’ and didn’t have any idea what he wanted to do with his life. While Baba didn’t have the time to bother about his whereabouts, Maa just wouldn’t give up. He didn’t need to be reminded of his future, the necessity of straight A’s, or stupid things like why he should eat vegetables. He would slam the door on her face, leave the house without eating anything in the morning irregardless of how many times she requested him to, and would often steal money from his tutors’ fees behind her back.

Last year, Baba and Maa had to attend a relative’s wedding in Sylhet. On that fateful April night, they were heading back towards Dhaka. Meanwhile, Zayed was at home, throwing a small party for his close friends in his parents’ absence. They were trying out weed joints, getting high and rolling on the floor with laughter as loud music boomed in his room. Zayed only tried one split – he didn’t want his parents to know what he has been doing. The phone kept ringing, and Zayed answered it the third time. It was Baba, and he was calling from the hospital.

The following incidents happened very fast. He literally threw his friends out of the house, caught a CNG to the hospital and in moments, he found himself standing outside ICU. That was the first time he saw Baba break down into tears, as Maa slipped away from their reach. They couldn’t save her. The accident took her life, and left them an unhealed scar. They were left with an empty house for Maa wasn’t ‘shouting’ at Zayed or laughing with Baba – seemed as though every little thing was missing her. The refrigerator looked hungry without Maa’s specialties, the oven seemed cold without her cakes, the washing machine looked unfamiliar without the smell of her clothes.

So many things happened within that one-year since Maa left them. Zayed changed schools; he couldn’t bear all the sympathies – they wouldn’t bring her back. He didn’t know whose heart was scarred worse, his or Baba’s. It seemed to him they both lived because they didn’t have a choice, clinging onto little memories and yet being too frightened to share the pain. Often, Zayed would tiptoe to his parents’ room late at night and peek through the door. He could see Baba, lying down on the bed. He knew Baba wasn’t sleeping, he was silently weeping inside. He would tiptoe back and lie on his bed, waiting for the world to fall asleep.

Zayed knew, deep inside, he would never be able to forgive himself. He wished God gave him another chance; a chance to appreciate Maa for her love, a chance to love her back, a chance to tell her how much she meant to him. He wished he didn’t slam the door on her face, he wished he didn’t lie to her or shout so loudly, he wished Maa would suddenly appear and scold at him for coming home late. At least she would be alive. She would be there to care for him, and there, so that he could rectify himself. With a deep sigh, Zayed looked down at the photo of the young woman and her baby. Maa looked so peaceful, so beautiful in it. A teardrop fell on the baby’s barely visible features. Wiping his eyes, he wished he knew life doesn’t give second chances.

'Click!' for Free Music

2008-01-03T23:28:00.000-08:00

So, there I was, looking through recently released albums by local bands, wondering which one would secure a portion of this month’s allowance. Next to me, my more-impatient (than me) friend rolled his eyes on some new DVDs, smirked like a moron on spotting a blond wrapped in an oddly unnecessary towel on one and then turned to face me.
“How much longer are you going to take on this?” he asked, clearly irritated.
“I can’t decide. I’ll buy one, ‘cuz that’s all I can afford now, but don’t know which one!” I mumbled a reply.
“Uff, why bother? You can download them all for free by tomorrow!”
It hit me. He was right. Thanks to ultra-user-friendly software and the simplicity of Web, there were numerous sites popping up that allowed virtually anyone across the globe to download any new, old and even unreleased songs, both by local and international artists. I can easily download them tomorrow night and save my money! The following thought hit me stronger. Sure, I was enjoying my freebies; but what about all those who’re making it? Being a patriot and enthusiast of any local effort, was I ‘harming’ these upcoming musicians?

The easiest answer to any question is given by the person(s) involved with it. Likewise, musicians had a lot more to share than us on the subject. While many completely detested such sites, saying it was cheap to save less than hundred bucks if you really liked the band or artist, simply because you can download them for free; others had quite different and strangely shocking realities to share. Apart from the by-now obvious fact that this second group of musicians completely supported free downloading, they pointed out how record labels haven’t been giving artists a fair share of the deal.

As said, most established record labels pay a negligible amount of money to bands, regardless of the number of copies sold. The albums aren’t well publicized, which is quite evident when you walk on the streets and don’t see enough posters, or never get read its name on any newspaper. In that context, downloading songs from the Internet boosts up the band’s popularity and Bangladeshis living abroad can easily listen to them. Apart from that, international productions follow a royalty system, which means for every copy of the album sold, the respective artist will get a certain percentage. In Bangladesh, such a ‘fair’ system is yet to develop and some labels pay the band a particular amount of money. This was unfair, considering bands, which sold more copies than what they were paid for or didn’t even reach the mark. Few record labels take this ‘unfairness’ to the next level by only paying the band or artist minimal recording charges on its debut release, while any profits earned on it would be kept by the label. As far as my ‘knowledgeable’, coming-out-clean friends could recall, only Ektaar Music operated on royalty with musicians.

The story doesn’t end here. Many musicians complained that productions don’t ‘work enough’ to make an album look attractive to its buyers and listeners. Drawing example from Tool’s latest album, it comes with a magnifying glass, which when looked through gives a 3D-feel out of the album sleeve. On the other hand, people hardly pay attention to the album art in Bangladesh. In the end, it doesn’t make much of a difference between downloading an entire album and buying a ‘kagoj’er modhe, jilapir moton CD bhora’ album?

Downloading songs for free is one thing, but staring at Habib’s mutated grayscale features on pirated copies around Nilkhet, Elephant Road, New Market and photocopy shops around the corner is a different story altogether. As long as we’re stretching the issue of piracy, the main source of income for most record labels is through selling pirated foreign CDs and DVDs. This is, however, a strict policy maintained unanimously by all musicians and concerned listeners: do not support selling pirated CDs of local artists.

So, what can be done? Inspired by our ‘democratic’ scenario, one of the musicians suggested frequent drives against shops selling pirated albums, headed by cool magistrates like Mr. Rokon-ud-Doula (who also led that famous adulterated food drive). As for the record labels (with a sudden burst of inspiration to do something about piracy) can simply tick off by not copying the new Shakira, Borat and Superman! This calls for reducing prices of international releases. A more civilized suggestion was a round-table with all record labels so that they can set parameters on payment to different categories of musicians and be more enthusiastic about album art. For those who hate free downloading at the expense of buying local CDs, “Ban such websites, and take legal actions against those scumbags!”

Finally, on a lighter, agreeable and smarter note: to all the young and new bands about issue of free music on the net, make sure you upload all your songs so that people can download them for free! That’s your best chances of publicity and before long, you’ll be receiving fan mails from all corners of the globe!

Thanks to Reehan Rahman, Daniel Afzalur Rahman, Raef Al Hasan and Ashraful Abedin Khan for sharing their views.
Published in February 2007 in Rising Stars

The FM Revolution Begins

2008-01-01T21:13:00.000-08:00

In the age of iPod and live entertainment with the click of a button, radio has long lost its glory. Most villages have access to colour televisions, or at the least, black-and-white ones. Bangladesh Betaar has bored urban population with stereotype programs, miserably unenthusiastic radio jockeys and has somehow survived by targeting a market of bus drivers, rickshawpullers and low-paid day labourers. On the other hand, the closure of the country’s first private station Radio Metro left several listeners in a loss of what good radio entertainment could be. However, with the introduction of Bangladesh’s first private FM stations, our day-to-day radio-experience is about to change.

‘The station of the nation’, Radio Today FM 89.6 was launched earlier this year. With a commitment of providing listeners with unbiased news, good music, development of current events and sports update, Radio Today is a complete infotainment station. Live traffic updates, daily exchange rates, price of groceries and other market commodities and most importantly, different genres of music have made it already a popular among masses. The station is city-based and is available to those who’re within 100km from it. However, the station is hopeful about transmission in several other districts in Bangladesh and aim to offer Radio Today as a lifestyle brand.

A few months later from the launching of Radio Today, the country’s second private FM radio station, Radio Foorti FM 98.4 was marketed. Radio Foorti aims to provide its listeners with quality, non-commercial music and information about current events to mark its position as an integral part of youth lifestyle. Sadly, most Japanese cars that flood Dhaka’s streets do not support FM frequency above 90, owing to Japanese transmission technology. However, FM expanders are available in the market at cheap rates, which will extend the frequency to 100. The producers of Radio Foorti are tremendously hopeful about FM transmission in the country with latest models of cell phones facilitating FM radio stations and consider near-future radio entertainment to be the next big thing!

In fact, as phrased by Daniel Rahman, one of the producers from Radio Foorti who exemplifies from India, FM radio stations will be revolutionizing the face of entertainment in the coming years. India had no radio scenario even a few years from now, but now, by the end of this year, it will be hosting 250 radio stations. It is a highly prospective industry and every celebrity in town is attached to one station or the other. Young people buy cell phones on the basis of its FM features! What makes radio more acceptable is its low-prices and easy availability, and hence has an enormous potential in being a successful business in Bangladesh.

Well, Daniel has foreseen it right! It is unbelievable how fast FM radio bands have dominated our lives. Playing the latest tracks released by local and international artists, it has nearly-successfully taken up the role of CD players in our cars. Many of my peers and previous generations have stopped listening to CD players in cars and the most recent news is know even before we go home and turn the television on. Geez, even my driver is thrilled when he listens to the same songs on radio that I spend money on buying CDs of! With provision for requesting your favourite artist’s songs and exclusive interviews on special occasions, the radio-experience has been beautifully personalized.

What cannot be overlooked is that these stations are mostly youth-based and hence, provides today’s young populace to choose a different line in career. The energy and enthusiasm of young people, holding important positions as producers and reaching out to the masses as radio jockeys have led to the vibrant growth of these stations and opened broader opportunities for all. Radio Foorti particularly encourages young potentials to come up, by submitting their compositions to be aired or living a fully paid career of a radio jockey. Most of its current staff host young musicians and it welcomes many others. On the other hand, Radio Today has arranged events such as ‘Rock Da Campus’, which brought together live performances by local university bands.
What makes these radio stations stand out, making a statement is how radically they have changed our lives. A large part of the population who has never heard of Hyder Husyn or Stoic Bliss are now clicking their fingers to their beats, hence breaking away from the commercialism of Momtaz or Dhaliwood soundtracks. This positive change in our music taste has already proved what an important role radio infotainment can play in our lifestyle. In upcoming years, radio stations will be promoting more informed and healthy living patterns and Inshallah, lead to greater economical and social growth in the country.

Published in February 2007

Celebrating the Woman in Me

2008-01-01T20:59:00.000-08:00

The other day, a friend of mine sarcastically pointed out that Woman’s Day is one of the most useless occasions in the calendar. Men and women have equal rights, and women being the whiners they are, still whine about inequality – something that a black guy would do in California! Yeah, to an extent, my friend is right. However, what he missed out was the simple fact these rights are only ‘talked about’ but seldom enforced.

However, side-tracking this whole issue of rights, women still rock! We, girls get so many ‘fair’ advantages over boys only because we ARE girls. Take for instance, the liberty of crying at any time and at any place. Women can cry their way out through almost anything, but if a man does the same thing, he is ‘gay’ and ‘immature’! Not to mention, if a guy slaps a girl, it’s inhuman, the guy is a jerk and can be accused of physical abuse, and it’s entirely the guy’s fault. If a girl slaps a guy, it’s still the guy’s fault! Girls can always get free treats from boys, and if it’s the other way round, the guy is ‘cheap’.

If you’re familiar with Jerry Sienfeld, then you’d probably know about how he pointed out how we, women always get our way around. He mentioned how women have to dress up, put on make-up and smile sweetly to impress a man; but they, men have to climb a mountain, walk on the Moon or probably, own a business empire to hear “wow!” from a woman. Added to that, we also have no limitations to colour when we’re picking clothes or accessories, but a guy in pink or orange is so metro-sexual and repulsive!

Moving onto biological advantages, women have more folds in their brain, which increases their brain capacity. Hence, women are multifunctional, meaning they can think of several things at the same time; something that a guy would sweat to achieve. A recent Newsweek study has shown that in the US military camp, women soldiers have proven to be as physically strong and capable as men. Women are also emotionally stronger, since the entire struggle of ‘establishing my rights’ puts them through increased hardship and makes them more decisive. It’s must be noted that girls are more intelligent than boys, especially when you consider the male-female percentages in scoring the best grades. We, girls are usually naturally ahead!

Many people hold misconceptions about how Islam treats women. Islam is a religion that promotes equitable rights between men and women, meaning it understands men and women are different and hence gives them their appropriate respect and rights. In fact, Islam treats women better than what our society would call ‘fair treatment’. For example, in Bangladesh, there is a system of dowry that has to be given by the bride’s family to the groom. However, Islam not only strongly forbids the concept of dowry, but also promotes giving ‘denmohor’. This is basically a gift (i.e. not only money) given by the groom to the bride when they marry and which the bride can use in any way she likes, without being accountable to the husband for it. My friend’s aunt asked for translations of the tafsir ‘In Shade of the Qur’an’ from his uncle for her denmohor. Now the thing is that all the translations of this book hasn’t been published yet and whenever a new version comes out, his uncle has to run to the store to buy it for her. He’s been doing it for years, and isn’t done yet!

So, there you have it. I can go on about how a smart one of us can blow away ten guys with the tip of a finger-nail, and repeatedly prove how we, women are so cool. Geez, we even have a separate day to ourselves to celebrate and a separate division called ‘Naari O Shishu Maamla’ in the judicial system On a serious note, there are discriminations towards women in almost every part of the world and it is about time we recognize and respect women for who what they are and what they mean our lives. I cannot ever possibly imagine growing up without Mum’s shouting and affection or without a sister to share precious secrets and sweet laughter with. I am proud to be a woman, and this is out to all the women: we totally rock!

Painting By: Gustav Klimt
Published on 03/05/2007, Rising Stars

Khao Bangladesh, Khao!

2007-12-30T07:27:00.000-08:00

A Special Tribute to Our Street Food Industry

They don’t come in fancy outlets that serve chilled Oreo frappes or honey dew chicken wings. They don’t bring you hot Aarong Chocolate Milk with whipped cream, call it Chocolate Mocha and charge you 110 taka for it. They don’t ask for 15 percent service charge and 5 percent VAT.

They’re cheap, readily available on the roadside (although, now becoming extinct), served in newspaper-folded plates and might be ‘unhygienic’ for some people’s taste buds. Here, the elements of a class chef, efficient waiter and nagging manager are all compiled in one person, who we have bestowed with the affectionate Mamu label.

Yes, ladies and gentlemen, boys and girls, punks and geeks! Welcome to the Dhaka street food industry. Our mobile bistros serve you fresh, hand-made and delicate cuisine at the lowest prices imaginable. With the essence of local spices and flavours of Dhaka traffic jam, this range of deshi ‘fast food’ will leaves any Bangali craving for more.

Appetizers
For starters, our street eatery serves a wide variety of delicacies. They’re fast, light and cheap, and having a couple of these can easily satisfy your hungry stomach. These are available in most places, can be consumed at any hour of the day and in any occasion. The king of street ‘appetizers’ is undoubtedly fuchka. Fuchka is the all-season, all-location, all-occasion jhaal item in the menu that is a favourite to all. Be it in the middle of a crowded fête with your Dad, or with friends in the middle of the street; the crunchy fuchka has a fulfilling chili-and-salty stuffing with a tinge of tetul tok (tamarind) that is a treat for all. It is so incredibly popular that it is as available in roadside vans as it is in fast-food eateries in New Market and shopping malls. Where fuchka is served in a plate containing six or seven pieces and the tok placed in a cup in the middle; bhelpuri is served individually in square paper folds. The stuffing is similar to that of fuchka, with an extra dose of cucumber slices, chopped onions and green chilies. Bhelpuri-mamas are difficult to find, but are often seen outside school gates and around the Dhaka University campus.

Moving onto our lighter range of appetizers, jhalmuri is a common, yet exquisite mix of puffed rice, chopped onions, cucumber slices, tomato cubes, chanachur-badaam, green chilies and mustard oil. It’s a proven fact your Mum cannot make jhalmuri taste better at home than what it tastes like in the streets! Jhalmuri is the most readily available item on the menu, found in every corner and neighbourhood imaginable. A slight variation of jhalmuri is chanachur, comprising of the same ingredients minus puffed rice. A spicier upgrade and a fleeting success in the market is the Jamai-Bou Chanachur. Usually bought in plastic packets and taken home for a ‘crunchy’ evening with the family, they are available in vans with Jamai-Bou written in bold on the glass. Served in paper packets and prices ranging from 5 to 10 taka, jhalmuri-chanachur doesn’t need any occasion to munch inside your mouths!

Our final category of street appetizers includes all forms of bhajapora (as they are commonly and collectively termed) such as piyaju, shingara, daalpuri and chhola bhaja. Usually found outside small, local neighbourhood hotels in places like Jigatola, Moghbazar, Nilkhet, Mohammadpur and more; they take a longer time to prepare and are fried in oil in big pans. Between the prices of 3 to 10 taka, bhajapora is available around the year; although the sales reach a peak during Ramadan and summer.

Main Course
For this heavier course in the meal, the street food industry offers tehari and chaap. Usually found in local, neighbourhood hotels with names like Al-Madina Super Hotel or Nanna Mia’s Khabar Ghor, tehari is cooked inside huge haaris and served in paper boxes. Tehari is a mixture of greasy oil, beef and rice that is a fulfilling treat during any busy afternoon. It is most popular in summer; one finds them randomly available in big haaris on the roadside, such as outside Bangladesh Medical College in Dhanmondi.

Chaap, the local version of steak, is the ultimate solution to any hungry Bangali’s craving for meat. Chaap reigns over the street food industry like a lion reigns over the jungle. The undoubted pioneer of chaap is Kader Mama, who set up his illustrious establishment near Abahani at 12/A Dhanmondi. Nothing beats the mouth-watering taste of steaming meat with a cup of extra-sugary tea on a winter night, under the moonlight with a couple of friends. Although chaap is available all round the year, it is most popular during the basketball, cricket and football tournaments season.

Haalim is a popular cooking during Ramadan and winter. It is a preparation of pulse and spices mixed with beef or mutton. Placed inside massive pots and available in roadside vans, haalim is served in melamine bowls. A certain mama took the haalim trade to the next level and established an entire restaurant out of it, naming it Mama Haalim. Mama Haalim is considered to be the father of all haalim and a traditional food item from Dhaka.

Exclusive to winter, pithas conquer the street food industry during the cold seasons. Bhapa, chitoi and occasionally khejurer rosher pitha are the varieties that are generally available on most roadsides. Notably, many jhalmuri-bhelpuri mamas opt for a business migration into the pitha industry during winter for its associated profits. Sold in a range of prices between 4 to 6 taka, they are served inside paper packets and are very difficult to eat enjoyably in the middle of a crowd because of the constant shoving and pushing. Personally, I prefer sitting on the boot of my car and peacefully munching these sweet delicacies!

Drinks
No meal is complete without something liquid to flow down your throat. The street food industry offers a variety of tea in shacked, street-corner shops. Ginger, lemon, raw or milk; you will be served with an extra dose of sugar in any take of tea. Sipping down hot tea in winter and feeling your senses getting uplifted by its warmth is probably one of the most refreshing and wonderful things that can happen to you by spending less than 10 taka! Accompanied by friends carrying an acoustic guitar and the unlimited helping of gorom daalpuri, this is an experience to be remembered on any leisurely evening of the year.

Also available outside parks and general locations of public gathering are cool coconut drinks, colourful sugar drinks and aakher rosh. In the heat of summer, daaber paani is a healthy, environmentally-friendly and satisfactory experience. If your taste buds have an affinity for sugar, try out the mixture of lemon, sugar and water with added colour (chini paani). They are usually found in the Dhaka University campus, and sometimes outside coaching centres throughout the year.

Desserts
The perfect ending to a wholesome meal is a tinge of sweetness. Kulfi, Igloo ice-cream, cotton candy and sweet-and-sour pickles (achaar) can be your pick for desserts. Whoever said Igloo ice-creams aren’t the best thing that happened to Dhaka should reconsider and revise their judgments. It is an affordable, relaxing and wonderfully delicious ice-cream treat that is randomly available everywhere. It comes with a variety of flavours, so kids (and older people) have the option of choosing their favourite.

Kulfi provides you with an experience of melting sweetness inside your mouth unparallel to any other. My personal favourite is Shondesh Kulfi, an excessively sweet and mouth-watering treat that I only found in the Rajshahi University and Dhaka University campus once! It is rare, cheap and heavenly at the same time.

Outside busy fairs and during seasonal festivals, popular desserts are varieties of muraali. Some are prepared with molasses, while others with or without sugar. They’re sold in vans with each variety placed in plastic packets.

Fruits and Salads
A side-platter of seasonal fruits is another attraction of the illustrious street food cuisine. Cucumber, papaya, jaambura, pineapple and carrot slices mixed with salt, red chilies and a flavor of local spices are found in different seasons. They’re served in folder-paper squares and cost between 5 to 10 taka each serving.

Amraa and kamranga are popular street fruits. They’re sliced and garnished in the shape of a flower with spicy salt spread on it. Usually found outside shopping malls, school gates and occasionally random corners of the street, these fruits are a sour-and-spicy pleasure for your taste buds. Anyone can munch of these fruity delicacies during an evening stroll or a walk back home.

From the size of this article, I believe it’s clear to anyone that the street food is a massive industry. Although it was more common earlier, and have ‘lost its touch’ in the competition to urban Dhaka recently; street food is a deshi tradition that should be an eye-opener for everyone searching for cheaper, yet delicious substitutes. To a large extent, these food items are unhygienic. However, this writer feels that given we survived fish with formalin, street food shouldn’t be too big a problem.

Photos By: Sabhanaz Rashid Diya
Published on 03/01/2008 in Rising Stars

Intro

2007-12-30T07:22:00.000-08:00

After my debut book launching in December 2005, most of the stuff I've written and that got published has been scattered here and there. I couldn't keep a proper record, and it was difficult to find them when I needed to refer back. Since I was working after that, my writings were divided between my home PC, laptop, the office desktop at Rising Stars and my best friend's PC.

Anyway, this is just a sore attempt of putting it all back in one place. For me, for the readers, for the fans and for anyone who's interested.