My Publications

An year in soul, metal, Tagore and acoustic This year saw some fantastic music and also introduced some promising talents. Faizul Khan Tanim speaks to those who have not only made it to the top but are here to stay 2007 has been an eventful year of music- from the advent of the thrashers Power Surge to the soulful melody of Krishnakali to the creativite rendition of Tagore in Sahana’s vocals and the art of song-writing that Yaatri has introduced– it is needless to say that they have made their mark in the music industry, making this year’s music memorable. While some of these artists have undoubtedly made a mark for years, others have just started their journey and hopefully, will go a long way. Casting Tagore in a new light - Sahana Bajpaie Through the use of a variety of instruments including the guitar and Esraaj, Sahana has reintroduced Tagore song and made it lovable to her generation. There is little that needs to be said about Sahana Bajpaie, who has had a life-long love for Ra...

The story of a dying forest According to the book ‘With the Wild Animals of Bengal’ there was once panthers at the Madhupur forest. Today, there are timber thieves, banana and rubber plantations, dacoits, a shooting range, and blaring speakers. It won’t be long before someone will need to write its obituary, writes Faizul Khan Tanim Photo by Philip Gain Hiking down the highway from Dhaka to Mymensingh and Tangail, trees line both sides of the road giving a semblance of abundance to the Madhupur forest. Monkeys venture out in small groups to steal bananas that are travelling on the back of vans, heading to different marketplaces. The image of abundance is, however, an artificial front. A few steps inside the forest lies hundreds of hectares of barren land, dead roots sit in place where large trees once stood, while banana trees, pineapple trees and other fruit trees, cultivated for human consumption, have replaced the age-old indigenous trees of the forest. Thousands of priceless and ex...

Singing free by Faizul Khan Tanim Mora ekti phul ke bachabo boley judhdho kori mora ekti mukh er hashir jonno ostro dhori Words such as these go beyond the tales of Mukti Bahini in 1971 and whip nationalistic feeling. Where words fall short of doing justice to those who gave up their lives for an independent Bangladesh, there are powerful songs of independence that pulsate within hearts of millions and bring memories to life. Irish activist James Connolly once said in 1907 that ‘No revolutionary movement is complete without its poetical expression. If such a movement has caught hold of the imagination of the masses, they will seek a vent in song for the aspirations, the fears and hopes, the loves and hatreds engendered by the struggle. Until the movement is marked by the joyous, defiant, singing of revolutionary songs, it lacks one of the most distinct marks of a popular revolutionary movement; it is a dogma of a few, and not the faith of the multitude’. During the liberation war, pat...