My Publications

The fantastic five Krishnokoli, Sahana, Punam, Elita and Anila are five upcoming divas of the Bangladeshi music industry. Faizul Khan Tanim caught up with them at Words ’n Pages and finds out what keeps these talented artists up and going photos by Momena Jalil These ladies spent almost a bulk of 2007 on recording studios, musical shows on TV, concerts and on the pages of glossy magazines. Their CDs are played over and over again on stereos across the country. And when it came to interviewing them, this writer could not agree more on the fact that these upcoming divas have immense amount of brains and beauty along with their vivacious voices. New Age: What problems do you usually face as women artistes working in our entertainment and media industry? Anila: The biggest problem I faced till date was the teasing comments from the male listeners at concerts. It becomes so embarrassing at times when I bring my parents along with me. Punam: I agree but I also noted that no one spares a sin

Songs of peace and devotion Newcomer Nobonita Chowdhury is wowing the audiences with her vivacious renditions of the mystical songs of Lalon. Faizul Khan Tanim finds that her music, despite using modern instruments, is filled with meaning and, creates an atmosphere of peace If you inject DNAs’ of devotion, a good voice and passion for music into one’s bloodstream, a Nobonita might be the result. At the moment, there are many artistes singing Lalon’s music, but only a few from them will stand out. In this compilation titled, Ami Jontro Tumi Jontree, Nobonita’s pronunciation is clear, there is great affection in her singing and she seems absorbed in the pulse of Lalon and the mystic Man. It’s like, while listening to the album, you are experiencing live music. The voice creates an ambience; moreover, the modern instrumentation by Ayub Bachhu makes the numbers attractive. This compilation is more like a tale - a story of the creator’s basic words and instructions through the vision of La

Deshantori – unite for a better Bangladesh Faizul Khan Tanim watches Deshantori, realises the frustrations that plague the youth and comes out believing that we must unite and stay in Bangladesh for a better country Deshantori, meaning migration is a heart-wrenching documentary film depicting frustrations of today’s youth. The whole documentary is based on the viewpoints of the present day young generation, followed by commentaries and interviews of popular youth idols like Professor Mohammed Zafar Iqbal, eminent writer Anisul Haq and others. The film, written and directed by Sujan Mahmud and Mridul Chowdhury, was shown on August 5 at the University of Liberal Arts (ULAB) Film Club at the initiative of a citizen’s platform, Phiriye Ano Bangladesh (PAB), an organisation launched by expatriate Bangladeshis and the concerned youth of the country. The movie quite clearly passes the message about few of the most talked about issues in today’s socio-political Bangladesh – youth frustration