Folk Music Festival 2003 begins

It was the first day of the four-day-long Folk Music Festival 2003 arranged by Bangladesh Shilpakala Academy in collaboration with UNESCO Bangladesh. The chief guest of the programme, the State Minister for Cultural Affairs, Selima Rahman inaugurated the festival and said, 'The civilisation will advance undoubtedly but we have to look back for our folk music, our folk culture. Otherwise our cultural existence will be threatened.'

The Director General of Bangladesh Shilpakala Academy, Ahmed Nazir said in his speech, 'Today the folk music is in the verge of extinction because the electronic media is more inclined towards modern music. In these songs rather than the traditional instrument electronic instruments are used in full scale. But this trend must be stopped. We must look back to our very own folk music.'

Among others Shafi Kamal of Bangladesh Shilpakala Academy, and the National Programme Officer of UNESCO Shahida Parvin on behalf of the UNESCO representative in Bangladesh Wolfgang Vollmann spoke at the occasion.

The folk artistes from all over the country performed in the enchanting musical evening in front of a packed audience. Eminent artiste Dilruba Khan sang Tai bujhi aj buk bheshe jai nayoner joley. Golam Ambia sang a comic song Orey na jania na shunia--a song about a person's tribulation after marrying without knowing about the wife. Among others Zahir Alim, Nashid Kamal, Ferdousi Rahman, Abu Bakar Siddiqui, Anima Mukti, Khorshed Alamgir, Rathindranath Roy, Dil Afroz Reba, Piyal Hasan, Mina Barua, Sardar Mohammad Rahmatullah, Chandana Majumdar, Ashraf Udas, Meherunnessa, Shamima Sultana, Halim Khan, Ranya Choudhury, Faruk Bhuiyan, Shumi Shabnam, Tamanna Nigar Tuli, Azizul Islam, Rukhsana Ahmed Liza, Tanzina Ruma, Shwapan Sarkar and Shahnaz Beli also performed at the event.

Folk music with its vibrant presentation has a mass appeal. The festival, held every year by The Shilpa Kala Academy, undoubtedly promotes the folk culture of our country.