Bangladeshi music seeing international market

by Cultural Correspondent
February 10, 2010

http://www.weeklyblitz.net/501/bangladeshi-music-seeing-international-market

After many decades, Bangladeshi songs and music videos have started seeing international market. A local company named Crown Music signed an agreement with Washington Bangla Radio [WBR] in 2009, under which, Washington based WBR is selling Bangladeshi songs and music videos produced by Crown Music to its large number of international audience.

Crown Music started its journey in 2007 with the goal of patronizing Bangladeshi culture especially folk songs, and so far has released few dozens of musical albums, many of which has already been able to draw the attention of the music lovers.

On the occasion of Valentine's Day, this company is releasing several albums, including a Bangla sufi song music video named Leelakhela. Commenting on the upcoming albums of the company, Rakib Uddin Ahmed, program coordinator of Crown Music said, for past few years, Bangladeshi music industry is gripped by a section of 'wrong' people, who are mostly producing so-called remixed albums, which are nothing but unlawful duplication of popular local and foreign songs. "We want to break this trend", he said.

Rakib Ahmed said, their company is taking risk by producing albums, which are mostly against the present trend of remix songs. But, expressing optimism he said, so far, most of the albums released by Crown Music were able to reach the top chart, as people especially music lovers are already fed-up with so-called remixed songs.

He said, some companies are even releasing music videos with objectionable scenes as well indecent lyrics. Some of the so-called singers are cashing lots of money by giving voice to such bad-taste songs.

Rakib Ahmed said, Bangladeshi private television channels are also playing extremely important role in spreading local culture in the international arena. But, he said, till date, Bangladesh does not have a full-fledged music channel.

"Channels like MTV should put their focus on Bangla music and start a new channel or at least a chunk in their existing channels to promote Bangla music videos produced in Bangladesh and West Bengal. After all, there are more than 400 million Bangla speaking people in the world. If MTV can promote Hindi, Arabic and other songs, they should also now consider promoting Bangla music to the international community."

He said, Crown Music is set to establish a modern digital audio and video studio in Bangladesh by the end of 2010. The company is negotiating with prospective suppliers of equipment and machinery for this project. The studio named 'Oscar World" will have three audio recording studios, five video editing panels, two dubbing studios and other modern facilities enabling music directors and video makers in producing world-class software from Oscar World. He said, this modern digital audio and video studio will also procure 'Kinoscope' machine, which will begin a new era for making digital feature films and documentaries in Bangladesh.

"Presently digital feature film makers have to completely depend on foreign labs for transfer of DV format software to 35 mm films. But, at Oscar World, they will be able to get all such benefits, right in Bangladesh at a much affordable cost."

Rakib Ahmed said Bangladesh government also needs to patronize good music in the country by announcing grants similar as feature films, to promote the extremely rich folk culture of the country.

In musical arena, Bangladesh truly is a land of Sufis and our songs of Sufi pattern are very rich in lyrics as well mind-soothing in composition.

He welcomed foreign investors also to come forward in investing in Bangladeshi music industry.

Crown Music has a large wholesale outlet in Dhaka's Patuatuli area with their growing countrywide marketing network. The company from the very inception is trying to patronize potential new singers and performers. Music videos produced by Crown Music are considered to be amongst the best in the country. The company strongly opposes producing obscene music videos or songs with indecent lyrics. The company can be reached at: crownmv@gmail.com

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