Bangladesh Shilapakala Academy organised a workshop to train young singers the top five songs on Ekushey just a week before Ekueshey February, the United Nations approved International Mother Language Day.
Songs selected in the workshop were Abdul Gaffar Chowdhury’s Amar bhaiyer rokt-e rangano ekushey February, Abdul Latif’s Ora amar mukher bhasha kaira nite chay, Sikander Abu Zafar’s Pakhider ganer and Sheikh Lutfar Rahman’s Rokto shimul topto polash and Phalgun phalgun banglar phalgun.
Eminent singer Shaheen Samad along with Shiduzzaman Swapan, who was also the course coordinator, trained the around 25 participants of the five-day workshop organised by the training department of the academy. Tabla player Amirul Islam Kajol helped the trainers.
Director General of Bangladesh Shilpakala Academy Liaquat Ali Lucky inaugurated the workshop on Wednesday at the training building.
‘I am enjoying my time with these young song-lovers who are, I believe, socially and culturally conscious. Their devotion and discipline are praiseworthy,’ eminent singer Shaheen Samad said.
‘We selected popular songs on Ekushey songs written and composed between 1952 and 1971, which are still popular and practiced. Songs written during the period are much more relevant to the theme of the language movement in 1952 and have wider impact on the nation as well than songs written thereafter,’ Shahiduzzaman Swapan, told New Age.
An enthusiastic participants Milton Biswas, said, ‘Earlier I participated in other workshops at BSA, but this workshop is exceptional for two reasons: firstly, the songs selected for the workshop have diverse flavour, and secondly, acclaimed singer Shaheen Samad taught us these popular songs.’
The workshop ended on Sunday.
Collected From: New Age