The Unofficial Anthems of Bangladesh

liberation war & March 26 special issue - music
*This article is dedicated to my 4+month old son ABEER...i love u baba, may u know the true history of our existence :-] 

 The Unofficial Anthems of Bangladesh
There are some patriotic songs of contemporary impression which boils our blood with nationalistic passion, give us goose bumps and even make our hair standup. Writes Faizul Khan Tanim

A not-so super-star singer-songwriter Kaiser Cartel once wrote and sang these beautiful lines and got his name nailed in the heart of good tunes - End of the day on the subway, in my ear, along the way, the headphones play...i can hear you, you’re my favourite song...i want to sing it again. And call it remembrances or loyalty, there are some songs about Bangladesh which give you immense kicks to sing them again...and again...and again.

Bangladesh had its fair share of these songs from pre-Liberation era and the phase while we got our independence. However, there are some post-liberation and contemporary tunes which are playing in the heads of this generation. And the best thing about them is that they are catchy, some of them sung a little out-of-tune accompanied by a lot of distortion and music madness but they are not shelved for special days...they are played everyday because everyday is an independence day.

We have comfortably fallen in love with these hymns and we find that when we listen to these tunes, for some reason, everyone we see or bump in to become instantly more patriotic. These tracks somehow make everyone look like a viable comrade, a soldier, a flag waver and sing aloud - Get up, stand up...stand up for your rights. Get up, stand up...don’t give up the fight.

And here they are, songs that we have been re-listening in constant repeat, cultivating and revisiting our motherland and no matter what geographical distance stands between us and our nation, hearing those immortal songs makes us feel that we are not all that far away.

And a song which most rockingly moves us is Bangladesh by George Harrison. This is the song, which ignited immense strength and power for all freedom craving Bangladeshis in 1971. And again around the early 90’s, when popular TV show Ittyadi telecasted the powerful music video of this song, once again, The Concert for Bangladesh was revisited and it oozed out inspiration about our nation’s birth for the young generation. And today, when this immortal song is played with Harrison’s words: My friend (Pandit Ravi Shankar) came to me, with sadness in his eyes. He told me that he wanted help before his country dies. Although I couldn’t feel the pain, I knew I had to try. Now I’m asking all of you to help us save some lives...Bangla Desh, Bangla Desh.

Our citizens should reminisce how the war was won and take the helm and probably that is why our Late Guru Azam Khan sang this beautiful song in a post-liberation Bangladesh - Rail Line er Oi Bosti Te - and this is probably one of the greatest socio-politically motivated patriotic songs. This song even today makes not only our hair stand up but urges thousands of people in concerts at stadiums around the country to salute, spell out the letters with their hands and arm gestures, and shout aloud one word – Bangladesh. It is a pure passionate phenomenon when you sing this song.

Then there was the dawn of heavy and thrash metal in the country and the songs which were then the best things that happened were - Shamanno Dushshopno by Rockstrata and Shadhikar by Warfaze (Jibon Dhara at a later stage by this band became a more epic track about this nation). Both these songs are heavy with rage and nationalistic passion. They remind us to BREAK FREE and urges to get back to the two powerful rock songs again and again and bring a ‘change’.

And rightfully the song that follows the revolution of Azam Khan’s track is Bangladesh 95 by Maqsood O’ Dhaka. From the turbulent times of the mid 1990s, to today’s current state, a musician like Maqsood has always expressed his opinion about the crises’ in the country through his lyrics and tunes. And probably his most imperative lines are Nijer desh, hotey parey ei gorib er desh, hotey parey oboheliter desh, tobu je amar Bangladesh. Music like this one offers comfort and hope behind all the emotional outbursts and non-patriotic detonations, and even more during today’s troubled and tragic times.

Shortly after Bangladesh 95, many songs were released to capture the essence of Bangladesh but no one could be that strong. So, our eager minds waited and waited until it was the mid 90's.

And then mid 90’s arrived and soon-to-arrive Y2K was the sexiest catch word coined back then, and in the midst of all the bandana, lenin glasses and polka dot fashion statement, we heard another great song. LRB sung, probably one of their greatest songs after Shei Tumi, and this was titled Bangladesh as well. One of the most inspiring songs with very powerful lyrics and soothing composition, and every time one listens to this track, it feels like you are in the middle of a field, saluting the national flag, which is waving for peace, prospect, and most of all freedom because the lines go like this - Tomar majhei shopner shuru, tomar majhei er shesh...shudhu bhalo laga bhalo bashay tumi...amar Bangladesh.

Another great song from that time was Bangladesh by Ark. And when Hasan sang this song with his shrill voice, all the fans felt urgency. An urgency to come back to our roots, to smell the air, taste the stream and wave the flag of freedom instead of shelving it for special and national days. And this was speared into the hearts of Bangladeshis by the positively piercing voice and optimistic composition.

And then Y2K happened and we saw punk, rap-metal and a heavy influence of Seattle grunge in our music scene. Cholo Bangladesh by Cryptic Fate is undoubtedly one of the best sounds which added a whole new dimension of music composition in our music’s bloodstream and nothing would be the same anymore. Now here is a song composed with a great deal of enthusiasm just to make our blood run faster because it is simultaneously about Bangladesh and Bangladeshi cricket. As I always listen to this song on repeat, I pay attention and realise that it turns into an involved picture of a very brave voice with proud tones of racing guitar riffs, solo, power drumming, and the song gallantly applies to the courageous people of this country. The idea is to generate all the feelings that make up this great nation, convince you that you are right here, and can move forward with an inspired heart. Cholo Bangladesh never fails to encourage you to bring out your wings of yearning and its newer re-recorded version kicks more ass.

Cryptic Fate brought a new sound and a new way of realizing Bangladesh so the next song had to be louder or a more out-of-the box singer-songwriter song. A song which would actually make you cry rather than marching on the fields of battle. And if you are to ask this question - Are there any songs, which bring back memories from where you were? The answer is Probash Theke by Aurthohin. This song is extremely potent. Beware while listening to it! You are bound to cry aloud if residing out of Bangladesh for a long time for the lyrics are profoundly intriguing which describe the smell, taste, sound and even certain noises one experiences while living here. This song will make you imagine your loving mother, your caring father, your best friends - brothers and sisters and comfortably, every minute detail in between.

Meanwhile, two bands - Dew Drops and Artcell performed Nazrul’s Chol Chol Chol  and Durgom Giri consecutively. They were not the band’s original songs but they successfully stirred a lot of emotions in the minds and souls of patriotic Bangladeshis.

This list can never end and it never should and although factors like ‘word limits’ halt us writers but our lists continues to dwell outside the vicinity of our articles. And although Amar Shonar Bangla by Nagarbaul / James is the last treat here but someone, somehow will continue with a fresher list of Songs screaming Bangladesh. Now, here is one song, which narrated the league of extraordinary gentlemen of this country and that is why it is very special. Unlike the other great tunes, this song is a story of the stellar cast of immortal leaders who loved to weave naksikanthas of epic proportion, who dreamt a dream of a golden Bangladesh. As their dream is carried in this song, it is our duty to feel and bring that dream in to reality. But can we? That remains the most viable question with all the animosity going on in 2013!

*This article was first published in The Independent, Weekend Magazine