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The people's singer

HARUN UR RASHID
ANGLADESH is a nation that has emerged out of a series of struggles and movements against the tyranny and oppression of its rulers at different times. And having grown in those tumultuous times and been involved in these movements, I simply couldn't have become anything else but what I am now--a singer, singing songs of the people,' says Fakir Alamgir regarding his present identity. 'I believe I am a product of the mass upsurges of the '68-'69. I was among the crowd that brought out the procession in which student Asad was killed.' Today, on the memorable Martyrs' Day as well as the International Mother language Day, the veteran Gono Sangeet artiste turns 54.
It is interesting that Fakir has not had any background in music as such except that in his childhood he came in close contact with mystic folk songs like Baul, Maij Bhandari, Kirtan and others. It was during his days at Jagannath College where he came in touch with cultural personalities like Kamal Lohani, Nizamul Haque, Sukhendu Chakraborty, Giyasuddin and other activists of the renowned cultural group Kranti. At that time he sang some timeless songs like Janatar shangram cholbe, Biplaber ei rokte ranga, Banglar comrade bondhu, Shakto hatey dhor potaka, Ora naki amader khet ar khamarer that created an immense impact on the struggling Bangali mind. Many other renowned musical personalities including the legendary performer of the Language Movement of 1952 Abdul Latif, Altaf Mahmud and others also took part in these programmes.
Later when all mass movements coalesced into the historic Liberation War, Fakir Alamgir joined the Swadhin Bangla Betar Kendro. From that platform, he gave voice to many inspiring tunes along with Abdul Jabbar, Kaderi Kibria, Apel Mahmud, Altaf
Mahmud and others. Mora ekti phulke banchabo bole juddho kori, Shono ekti Mujiborer kantho, Salam salam hajar salam--the tarcks do still incite patriotic feeling in the Bangali mind.
In 1976, Fakir Alamgir founded his reputed Gono Sangeet group Wrishiz Shilpi Gosthi. Today, Wrishiz often organises concerts that tell of the ordinary oppressed poor people of not just the country but of the world too. Besides, it gives receptions and awards to the country's cultural activists for their excellence.
The most important aspect of Fakir Alamgir's career is that he has fused 'modernism' into the old tradition of Gono Sangeet. Anyone, who has heard the famous May Day song Naam taar chhilo John Henry by the legendary West Bengal singer Hemanga
Biswas and that by Fakir Alamgir, would agree on this point. 'In fact, Hemanga Biswas himself admitted that mine was more inspirational as well as melodious,' says Fakir. It was during the mid-'70s to the early '80s, when a few youth took the initiative to infuse western music into the existing Bangla tradition. 'Firoz Shai, Azam Khan, Ferdous Wahid and I first experimented in this regard. Among the four, Azam and Ferdous later turned towards the Modern Bangla songs that ultimately gave birth to the band music trend, and Firoz and I continued with the folk-based music,' says Fakir. Among Fakir's other songs that have won the hearts of people are the famous Sokhina series is most remarkable for its depiction of the struggle between the 'Haves' and the 'Have-nots' through a romantic relationship of the singer and a village girl Legendary Gono Sangeet maestro Sheikh Lutfar Rahman appreciating Fakir Alamgir's endeavour in carrying on the genre.
Sokhina. Apart from him, Altaf Ali Hashu and Nuruzzaman Sheikh have written the four songs of the series. Daam diye kinechhi Bangla is another wonderful track that stirs nostalgic patriotismin the listener.
Fakir Alamgir, however, sounds rather depressed when he talks of the present position of Gono Sangeet in the country. 'Everyone utilises Gono Sangeet as a useful tool for movements. But when they get power, it has become a common tendency among all political parties to avoid the strong musical genre.' Fakir reminds of the fact that there is no category for the Gono Sangeet in the Notun Kunri Competition for children, whereas Kawali, being a foreign musical trend, is one of the categories children compete in. 'There are no programmes for Gono Sangeet on the TV channels as there are for Modern Bangla songs and band songs,' he adds.
Fakir dreams of establishing an academy for Gono Sangeet in the country. 'It is the tragic legacy of the Language Movement through which we have earned the precious freedom. And this is the cultural orientation of all Bangalis all over the world. Of me too. And I crave to go on carrying this spirit in my songs till death,' he concludes.