Mustafa Ali Noor

Beginning in March 2020 Bangladesh will start celebrating the birth centenary of Bangabandhu Sheikh Mujibur Rahman and during her speech at the UNGA, Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina has expressed the willingness of bringing this auspicious celebration to the United Nations next year. To every patriotic Bangladeshi, indeed this is one of the most important events and the nation deserves to witness a grand celebration of the birth centenary, which should not actually begin in March – but from the first hour of January 2020. But, are we really prepared to celebrate the birth centenary of our father of the nation as each of us are expecting? Are those state machinery – more precisely the Bangladesh Television and Bangladesh Betar are taking proper preparations? How about the preparations from the ruling Awami League?

To my knowledge, the only organization which has already started preparations to celebrate the birth centenary of Bangabandhu Sheikh Mujibur Rahman is not any of the state-owned entities or the ruling party. Instead, it is a small private company – more precisely, a music label in Bangladesh, which had earlier released a number of musical films on the occasion of national mourning day in August this year.

The team of Crown Music began their preparations for the birth centenary, immediately after it had released the musical films on August 15. A number of songs have already been penned and tuned and are now with several music directors for composition. Talking to this correspondent, representative of Crown Music, Tajul Islam said, “We have quite an elaborate plan of releasing several big-budget musical films, telefilms and short films on the occasion of the birth centenary of Bangabandhu. Our target is to begin releasing such contents right from the first hour of January 2020. But of course, such initiatives require patronization from the sponsors. Though we have already contacted several sponsors, the response is discouraging as they basically are not having any budget to sponsor such projects. If we have to implement our total plan, we shall need at least three crore takas for the making of 5 telefilms, several short films and at least 20 musical films. We also have the desire to make the first-ever musical feature film on Bangabandhu. But that would require at least 5-6 crore takas, which we cannot fund from our limited resources”.

When asked, as the state-owned Bangladesh Television and Bangladesh Betar will release several songs and dramas on the occasion of birth centenary of Bangbabandhu. In this case, prospective sponsors may feel interested in sponsoring those projects of Bangladesh Television and Bangladesh Betar, Rakib Ahmed of Crown Music said, “We have released four musical films on the occasion of the national mourning day. Similarly, Bangladesh Television and Bangladesh Betar also have released several songs. But I never heard anyone talking about those Bangladesh Television and Bangladesh Betar initiatives. Why? Because, for any good song, lyrics, tune and composition are vital. I would like to say without hesitation, in comparing to our team, the same of Bangladesh Television or Betar are too weak. Currently, best music directors, musicians, lyricists and tuners of the country are with Crown Music. We also have a very strong team to make telefilms, short films and feature films”.

Music director Debashish Chokroborty, who also is working with Crown Music in its projects on the birth centenary of Bangabandhu  said, “Celebration of the birth centenary of Bangabandhu can never be the lone responsivity of Bangladesh Television or Betar. It is a right of the entire nation and we believe, honourable Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina will come forward with her generous help enabling us in implementing or gala preparation for the celebration”.