Bengal Bikash: A launching pad for musical talents

This announcement was made at a press conference arranged by the organisers at the Bengal Gallery of Fine Arts in Dhanmondi yesterday. The Director of Bengal Foundation Luva Nahid Chowdhury, Director of the Bengal Gallery of Fine Arts, Subir Chowdhury, artistes Mita Haque, Bulbul Islam, Khayrul Aman Shakil and Khalid Hassan of Bengal Foundation were present at the press conference.

Presenting a survey report, the organisers said that about 20,000 singers from 20 districts have participated in the talent hunt programme. The survey was prepared considering four key issues: district level participation, age group, male and female participation and educational qualification.

The most important findings of the survey are: about 4060 audio cassettes have been received, among the contestants 2234 are men and 1826 are women while a majority of contestants are 18-year-old. Further more, in all the five categories of the competition the majority are graduates, modern song category has received the highest number of entries and the least number of contestants, that is 124, are from Barisal.

Luva Nahid Chowdhury said, "The response of this talent hunt is beyond our expectation. We have taken five categories: folk, modern, Tagore, Nazrul and three poets (DL Roy, Rajanikanto, Atulproshad). And the reason behind this statistical analysis is to update people on our progress." She also said that music lovers and researchers might get some cues from this analysis.

The organisers of Bengal Bikash have received audiocassettes containing five songs recorded without musical instruments from all over the country from May to August. Soon after the selection is over, the district level round will begin.